what can I do at my workplace during downtime?
from ricesoup@lemmy.ml to nostupidquestions@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 20:50
https://lemmy.ml/post/36157102

my future job involves taking labor samples from point a to point b in a huge university campus involving several buildings and there is a ton of downtime: I often see my future coworkers playing on their phones, buying coffee several times a day, talking or smoking out of boredom.

There are moments when every laboratory wants you at once but even then they take it easy and a person cannot be at two places at the same time.

I don’t know if it’s really going to be this relaxed but it really looks so.

I was thinking loading my smartphone with books, find a quiet place and read, learn something.

Instead of smoking I could stretch and do some easy pilates and yoga.

there’s always going several times to the toilet to have a seat and relax with nobody pestering you.

I don’t reckon I could study something for college, write a book or poetry or learn a foreign language, as I couldn’t concentrate.

what do you do in your downtime when you’re lucky enough not to have a supervisor micromanaging you?

#nostupidquestions

threaded - newest

Beebabe@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 20:58 next collapse

Sometimes I play sudoku rather than doomscrolling.

Suck_on_my_Presence@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 21:55 collapse

I play different kinds of solitaire instead of doomscrolling

SomeAmateur@sh.itjust.works on 14 Sep 21:01 next collapse

Reading is always good, and waay better than scrolling. Audiobooks/podcasts are also cool and if you can’t fully commit yourself to writing maybe just jot down an outline to flesh out later

cabron_offsets@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 21:20 next collapse

Learn to program. Worked fantastic for me and my career. Shout out to the people paid fat checks who don’t give a fuck what their employees are doing.

14th_cylon@lemmy.zip on 14 Sep 21:41 collapse

Learn to program.

you probably missed this part:

I don’t reckon I could study something for college, write a book or poetry or learn a foreign language, as I couldn’t concentrate.

cabron_offsets@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 22:02 collapse

That’s fair. Oh well.

slazer2au@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 21:24 next collapse

I read an ebook. Mostly fantasy but I am reading some cosmic horror at the moment.

lolrightythen@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 01:53 collapse

I’ve been through all of Brandon sanderson several times on my night shifts. Stormlight archive and mistborn eat up a lot of time without it being noticeable.

pet1t@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 21:25 next collapse

buy an emulator (miyoo mini plus, if I could suggest one) and have fun!

ethaver@kbin.earth on 14 Sep 22:01 collapse

got hubs one because I couldn't afford a steam deck for his birthday. he loves it. I never see him play it at home (I think because the actual computer is here) but every once in a while he'll mention having played x or y retro game and he has covered the ENTIRE thing in Simpsons stickers.

TheFunkyMonk@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 21:26 next collapse

I can’t recommend getting an e-reader more. It’s so much nicer than staring at a backlit screen for extended periods of time.

Valmond@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 22:34 collapse

Are they all alike, I mean can I go for a cheap one or what do you recommend?

TheFunkyMonk@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 22:38 next collapse

I have a Kindle and love it, but if you don’t want to go with Amazon, I think Kobos are a solid option! The current best models are the Kindle Colorsoft and the Kobo Libra Colour, but they both have cheaper models as well.

lunarul@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 02:48 next collapse

As long as it’s got an e-ink screen, it’s already an upgrade vs reading on a phone or tablet.

Coopr8@kbin.earth on 15 Sep 05:09 collapse

Boox is best because it runs full android, dont lock yourself in to Amazon. Some folks prefer Supernote if writing us your focus, but if reading is your jam get Boox as you can read any format, download off of any site or app, sideboard and run f-droid, read the web, even use the fediverse. The screens are as good as you can get, and the software stays updated.

Coopr8@kbin.earth on 15 Sep 05:14 next collapse

As a side note, check out the app Mihon if you like to read comics, the seas are open for sailing if you're that sort, or its just a great reader. Works great on Boox.

Valmond@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 08:01 collapse

I was thinking about flashing a cheap one with some custom ROM if that exist in the ereader world, but Boox sounds like my kind of device, thanks!

Coopr8@kbin.earth on 15 Sep 09:35 collapse

Well, there are ways to jailbreak kindles and use third party software like this: https://github.com/koreader/koreader/wiki/Installation-on-Kindle-devices

Kolanaki@pawb.social on 14 Sep 21:26 next collapse

Stare.

Or the ol classic: If you got time to lean, you got time to clean.

neidu3@sh.itjust.works on 14 Sep 21:31 next collapse

Chess on your phone. That’s what I do. Podcasts or audio books while on the move

Valmond@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 22:33 collapse

Lichess is the best out there, and it is completely free.

neidu3@sh.itjust.works on 14 Sep 23:27 collapse

I use both lichess and chess.com

Valmond@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 07:52 collapse

I admit I play the bots on chess.com but for the rest I don’t see a reason, but that’s for me :-)

neidu3@sh.itjust.works on 15 Sep 07:54 collapse

They have a pretty good analysis engine.

Valmond@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 08:04 collapse

Ah, gotta check that out, thanks!

hydrashok@sh.itjust.works on 14 Sep 21:44 next collapse

Buy a Steam Deck and get into Skyrim or something?

ethaver@kbin.earth on 14 Sep 21:57 next collapse

so you can study stuff and do coursework but you gotta make it really easy to do accidentally. when I got a paper to write I would make a google drive folder with the project outline and a template for the paper including a reference sheet. I would lazily look up sources occasionally and add the pdfs to the folder and easybib / citation machine them into the reference section by doi. at that point it would be a matter of when the paper would get written, not if. the dopamine would just hit suddenly when I'm having an IBS shit at 2am and "oops. I wrote a research paper." I accidentally wrote so many papers while shitting. one time I set all of it up and went to bed and turned out one of the group members was also ADHD because when I woke up she'd accidentally done the whole thing while I was asleep. 10/10 method.

glibg@lemmy.ca on 14 Sep 22:17 next collapse

You could look up paper airplane designs and try making some.

ComradeMiao@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 12:28 collapse

Lmao

shinysquirrel@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 14 Sep 22:24 next collapse

I was going to suggest reading but you already said it yourself. So just go with that. I think it’s one of the best uses of free time a human has.

Zedd_Prophecy@lemmy.world on 14 Sep 23:37 next collapse

Gutenberg.org and go to browse / random Do mundane things like make shopping lists… Look up recipes to cook for the weekend. Get a note taking app and organize lists of things you need to get to or want to get to. I use Google keep but there are a bunch. Research things you always wanted to.

SaneMartigan@aussie.zone on 14 Sep 23:55 next collapse

yeah, eBooks. I keep a few on my phone and just work my way through them during downtime. I use the ReadEra app on Android, and mostly read copyright free classics at the moment.

FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au on 15 Sep 01:25 next collapse

Try doing your work maybe?

PM_ME_VINTAGE_30S@lemmy.sdf.org on 15 Sep 01:39 next collapse

Try doing your stealing from work maybe?

db2@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 02:28 collapse

And don’t forget to tip your landlord!

FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au on 15 Sep 03:54 collapse

Are we on /r/antiwork or something?

sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone on 15 Sep 01:39 next collapse

I like podcasts at work

mic_check_one_two@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 15 Sep 01:54 collapse

I’m a fan of audiobooks, but it’s the same basic concept. I host an Audiobookshelf instance, so I always have something fresh to listen to if I finish my current book.

It’s nice because you can listen while doing menial tasks. It keeps you entertained, even while being productive. As long as you don’t actually need to interact with anyone, you’re fine.

MantisToboggon@lazysoci.al on 15 Sep 01:41 next collapse

How many times a day are you capable of beating off?

ComradeMiao@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 12:27 collapse

4

MantisToboggon@lazysoci.al on 15 Sep 12:58 collapse

Man that’s perfect, that’s one at each break and a wild card for discretionary use.

ComradeMiao@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 18:05 collapse

Thanks for your continued support

zxqwas@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 05:16 next collapse

Chess puzzles

TranquilTurbulence@lemmy.zip on 15 Sep 05:32 next collapse

Practice juggling. Buy 3 juggling balls (you know those bean bag types that don’t roll away), and keep them with you. Don’t use tennis balls, because they have a tendency to bounce and roll. When you have some downtime, start practicing. Watch a few video tutorials to get the hang of it.

If you can have a backpack with you, consider bringing a tablet with you. If you have one with a pen, you can draw. Watch a few more tutorials, and learn to draw something you like. Landscapes, portraits, fantasy dragons, pokemons whatever.

Tablets are also fine for reading ebooks. Check what your local library has to offer. Maybe you can borrow library books and read them on your tablet.

Melobol@lemmy.ml on 15 Sep 06:48 next collapse

Get some audio books / tts books / podcasts and craft away. You could even start etsy.
Easy to put away and clean crafts: crochet (amigurumi), knitting, needle felting, tatting, embroidery (cross stitch), hand sewing (English paper pieceing), sketching… There has to be more that I can’t recall… Macrame needs too much space.

pruwybn@discuss.tchncs.de on 15 Sep 06:55 next collapse

I once had a data entry job and got through a couple of audiobooks a week.

RBWells@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 14:38 next collapse

I do read, go for a Pokemon go walk, browse on my phone or listen to music when I get a break at work.

Chivera@lemmy.world on 15 Sep 16:27 collapse

I listen to educational YouTube videos during work. We don’t have down time but we have no supervisors on my shift. I can get my work done while listening to videos.