Comments on: Work: being productive… or keeping busy? http://www.thetlog.net/2005/09/08/work-being-productive-or-keeping-busy/ Sat, 11 Oct 2008 04:13:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dehumanizer http://www.thetlog.net/2005/09/08/work-being-productive-or-keeping-busy/#comment-79 Dehumanizer Thu, 08 Sep 2005 19:44:44 +0000 http://www.thetlog.net/?p=47#comment-79 Thanks for the reply! In a way, it's both satisfying and depressing to know that the problem is widespread. Maybe I'm weird in one respect, though: I like, I <i>need</i> to have free time! I like to think that I <b>earn</b> it by working quickly and efficiently - that the remaining time until the end of the day is rightfully mine, my reward for doing a good job. Of course, if some problem arises, or a co-worker needs help with something, I'll help, but otherwise, I hate the idea that I should either pretend to be working, or do the work of 2-4 employees so that I <i>really</i> stay busy. But bosses really seem to have a problem with that... Hmm, I got an idea for a part 2 of this article. Maybe later today... Thanks for the reply! In a way, it’s both satisfying and depressing to know that the problem is widespread.

Maybe I’m weird in one respect, though: I like, I need to have free time! I like to think that I earn it by working quickly and efficiently - that the remaining time until the end of the day is rightfully mine, my reward for doing a good job. Of course, if some problem arises, or a co-worker needs help with something, I’ll help, but otherwise, I hate the idea that I should either pretend to be working, or do the work of 2-4 employees so that I really stay busy.

But bosses really seem to have a problem with that…

Hmm, I got an idea for a part 2 of this article. Maybe later today…

]]> By: Andreea http://www.thetlog.net/2005/09/08/work-being-productive-or-keeping-busy/#comment-78 Andreea Thu, 08 Sep 2005 17:49:04 +0000 http://www.thetlog.net/?p=47#comment-78 Well I've thought about this too. :) At my actual workplace there is a person (one of the bosses) that's sermonizing the exact thing: always be busy. What really disturbed me was once when we were still in training phase and as I finished my task before my colleagues I was waiting for them to finish and he said something along the lines of: you can't not work, you have to always do something. So not only he didn't praise me for being faster (not that I expected any praise) but he condemned me for that. I mean there wasn't anything I could do/work at while waiting for them as we were supposed to go at the same pace, what the hell did he expect me to do? I had to open MSDN and read random articles just to look as if I was doing something... But here's another method they have for always keeping busy (and that I somehow agree to). My boss is a wonderful person and sort of gives me all the time I need to do something. And whenever I finish (be it sooner or later that I was supposed to) I go to him and he gives me something more to do. So that way I can keep busy 8 hours a day almost non-stop. :) Yay! (whether I like being busy 8 hours a day or not, that's another issue :) ) So the conclusion is: there are people and people. While the problems you outlined are real (I guess everybody in IT can tell you that) it doesn't mean that they are absolutely everywhere. :) Well I’ve thought about this too. :) At my actual workplace there is a person (one of the bosses) that’s sermonizing the exact thing: always be busy. What really disturbed me was once when we were still in training phase and as I finished my task before my colleagues I was waiting for them to finish and he said something along the lines of: you can’t not work, you have to always do something. So not only he didn’t praise me for being faster (not that I expected any praise) but he condemned me for that. I mean there wasn’t anything I could do/work at while waiting for them as we were supposed to go at the same pace, what the hell did he expect me to do? I had to open MSDN and read random articles just to look as if I was doing something…
But here’s another method they have for always keeping busy (and that I somehow agree to). My boss is a wonderful person and sort of gives me all the time I need to do something. And whenever I finish (be it sooner or later that I was supposed to) I go to him and he gives me something more to do. So that way I can keep busy 8 hours a day almost non-stop. :) Yay! (whether I like being busy 8 hours a day or not, that’s another issue :) )
So the conclusion is: there are people and people. While the problems you outlined are real (I guess everybody in IT can tell you that) it doesn’t mean that they are absolutely everywhere. :)

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