Jan 7th, 2008
how to look like your at work when your not
I was having a day dream just earlier and was thinking about some cool ways to make it look like your at work, and working hard, when your not. You might be out on your boat, or cruising in your car, at home with your family, in another country, etc. Here’s 10.
1. Divert your office phone to your mobile phone
This is a great tip and especially useful for when the boss calls and your out fishing. If you cant divert it, take it off the hook
2. Schedule your email app to send important emails/memos/updates to important people at silly hours of the day (Eg. 8pm)
This works very well. Write up some random information about something you’ve been working on (or not working on haha) and schedule it to send out to important people you work with during strange hours of the day/night. Your boss will think your a really hard worker.
3. Get your co-workers involved
You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. If you work in a busy office, have a co-worker make you a cup of coffee when he or she is making theirs. Get them to put the cup on your desk. Nothing says “I’m at work, somewhere” better than a steaming cup of coffee.
4. Park your car/bike at work and leave it there for the day
This one explains itself! “Bob must be here, his car is there”
5. Have a few phone conversations with people in your workplace throughout the day
If your on the beach drinking cocktails, why not spend a few minutes to call a few randoms at the office to discuss something random. When the boss does ask around for you your co-workers will ensure him that you are around, somewhere.
6. Where have you been?
When the boss asks “where have you been?” you can reply with almost anything you want, like: On the toilet, left my briefcase in the car, fixing the paper jam in the printer, in building XYZ, in a meeting (co-worker help required here)
7. Messy means busy
Forget about ever cleaning your desk. People with clean desks obviously don’t have enough work to do. Your desk is ALWAYS messy. There’s paperwork absolutely everywhere. When your boss see’s how really untidy your desk is, he or she will know your a busy worker!
8. Bring it every day
Bring an item, the same item, to work, every day. EG a laptop bag (with or without laptop inside), or a jacket or coat. After a while, people know your at work if your bag/coat is on your desk or chair. This trick is just as good as the above “steaming coffee trick”
9. You are just too busy, sorry.
If you have one of those calendars at work where others can see your schedule, load it up! Schedule yourself silly! meeting ABC, meeting XYZ, Dentist, Fundraiser, workgroup, study leave, whatever. This makes it difficult for people to book time with you. Whats it going to be? Wine tasting all day or boring meetings?
10. Cubical tips
It’s hard to avoid work when you work in a cubical. Set your computer up to play sounds and music randomly so people think your in your cubical working. Turn your phone’s ringer down, turn the answering machine down. If people hear your phone ring or answering machine taking messages, they know your not around. If you share a common printer, get a co-worker to pick up any fax/doco that is for you so it doesnt pile up for others to realise your not around.
Install VNC or remote desktop, organise your work computer so you can remote control the screen from home. Be careful with this one. Have your email open, an important memo, etc. This looks great with the nearby steaming cup of coffee. OR, if you cant remote-in, then build yourself a little screen saver out of some email and document screenshots. Now when your screen saver kicks in, it flips back and forward between an email and a memo your writing. Perfect.
There you have it, ten tips to making it look like your at work when your not, or at least working hard, when your not. If you’ve got some ideas or tips, drop a comment! Office/Cubical photos welcome!
Genius