How much work do you do at work?

[Charlie]

I've been in my first proper full-time position for just over 2 months now. One thing I quickly realised is that myself, and seemingly a lot of other people who are also starting jobs, have a lot of 'spare' time throughout the day to go on Facebook or here.

 

On average, how much work would you say you actually do a day?

 

I find a lot of the time that my boss will give me tasks to do and will think they take much longer than they actually do and he's surprised when I tell him I've finished them already.

[Magnus]

Now I'm imagining Charlie raising his hand during meetings and going, "but boss, we'd easily be able to finish this thing in half that time!" and being the most hated person at his workplace.

[Raining_again]

pretty much constantly loaded with work to be honest.... 220-280 calls per day between 3-4 staff, data entry, data cleansing and lots of other random jobs. We're taking on a lot of new caseloads so there's a lot of prep work system wise to get done too.... which results in more calls.... and the cycle continues lol

 

as i was employed by a temping agency at a time i put my hand in to do pretty much as much as possible (that's how you get keeping your job!), and i guess the habit hasn't stopped =P

[Ashley]

Sod all, which is why I'm so utterly bored of my job.

 

There's loads of things I could be doing to improve processes and such but they'll all get shot down by the higher beings.

 

I'm now spending most of my time at my desk learning programming.

[jproux]

Depends on what you do Charlie. I barely have enough hours in the day. Some jobs are more demanding than others. One thing I would say. If you do not get stimulated at work, move on mate. Find something you love and gives satisfaction. Otherwise your life will become a 'bore.'

[Raining_again]

the day certainly goes in faster when you're actually doing stuff!

[Ashley]

the day certainly goes in faster when you're actually doing stuff!

 

So do I.

 

[Pyxis]

About 15 mins a day. I havent done any work for the last three weeks. people think im doing stuff but ive just turned not doing anything in to an art since that is my job these days.

 

Just make yourself look like ure thinking really hard about things, type away at the keyboard when youre just googling random things and rush around like you are busy.. That is my life at the moment and ive been told that im doing a great job.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Pyxis

[EEVILMURRAY]

I've been in my first proper full-time position for just over 2 months now. One thing I quickly realised is that myself, and seemingly a lot of other people who are also starting jobs, have a lot of 'spare' time throughout the day to go on Facebook or here.

 

On average, how much work would you say you actually do a day?

More than I'd like, mainly because the boss is renowned for checking the CCTV on days she doesn't work on, which are the exact days I work. It also doesn't help one of the people I work with ducking into the back to fap with his phone/extended toilet breaks/rolling up and smoking cigarette.

 

But I think we all do our fair share, it's just a shame I'm not getting the amount of hours I'd like.

[Jimbob]

My job is all script work, follow that you can't go wrong. I clear 60+ calls a day, and thats without trying. Considering 50 calls is what they expect you to do a day, i clear the target with ease. Heck, the scripts are so easy to follow that i memorised a few of the ones i do on a regular basis. So when i'm in the middle of a call, i even pop online to see whats what as well.

 

Plus the fact that the job is that easy, it's crap. I prefer a challenge in my job, so that i can earn my monies. At the moment, it feels like i'm being handed just over £1000 a month.

[Daft]

I have people book me on projects through the day and I specify how many hours something will take me, so when there are projects, I am busy. Things can get a bit crazy if there are loads of little things people need me for, but if there's too much happening I just tell the producer to sod off (or do it quickly if I actually like them).

 

Having said that, a lot of people need my time so I don't tolerate it being wasted. If someone is meant to brief me and hasn't got their shit together I am at their desk getting answers. It amuses me that even though I assumed I came in as a junior, I take charge a lot of the time and am considered more senior than the other copywriter who's been doing it a lot longer than me. And since there are only two copy writer I've decided (in my head) that I'm acting Head of Copy...until that role is filled soon.

 

At the moment there don't seem to be that many projects so I have a lot of downtime. Which is nice since I'm feeling pretty lazy.

[Dog-amoto]

Just depends on how much work I can get. Obviously the more I do, the more I get paid. Some weeks are busy where I'll be doing 40-50 hours which equates to a 60 or 70 hour week with travelling time, but I can make about £800 a week after expenses. Other weeks, I'm stuck with less than 20. Plenty of time on the Xbox, but would rather be working to be honest. I'm so conditioned to be working pretty much every day, that I feel a bit guilty having a bit of time off. Problem with this job is you're either too busy or too skint to do anything with your free time.

 

I've not had a holiday in over 3 years, just have a couple of days off here and there, but I'm pretty used to it now.

 

In about 7 years, my mortgage will be paid off, so I'll only need to do about 10 hours a week to pay my bills, so I may go part time then.

[Cube]

The kind of work I have to do means that I often have to wait a couple of seconds for something to load/save (such as saving listings on out website/eBay/Amazon) - this time is spent flicking over to my incognito browser to read a small amount/click a link/type a few words

 

Which is why it looks like I'm on here for most of the day - those few seconds of waiting for something to happen does add up, but that short amount of time isn't long enough to do something that requires much thought.

 

As for actual tasks I have to to. If I was given no more tasks to do (I get given new tacks on a fairly regular basis) it would probably take a good few months (working 9-5 Mon-Fri) to do everything currently on my list.

[Murr]

I do a fair amount of work I guess. SQL writing is pretty good because it's kinda endless, I can constantly amend existing stored procedures to make them more efficient.

 

Also seem to get new reporting server requests daily, so always have something to do.

 

But I do like to browse here, GAF, IGN, Gamesradar, CBM, Memebase for a few minutes a day throughout the day just to take my mind of SQL for a while...

 

you can only write like a robot for so long... unless your name is Cannad.

[Fierce_LiNk]

It differs. At times, it can be relentless. It can be quieter and a bit more peaceful. It's a fun school to work at, though.

 

Thursdays are the worst, as I've got a staff meeting at 10:30, then I'm on lunch duty and afternoon break duty, too. Sometimes, there will be another meeting after school or even an evening duty which lasts until 9. So, I'm working without really stopping from half 8 until 9 in the evening on those days.

 

But then, Friday is my normally quiet day and I don't need to be there until about 1.

 

I do differ between being quite laid-back and then being a bit of a slave driver.

[Mr_Odwin]

I used to have to work harder than I do now. When I started at my current workplace my monitor screen was easily visible to my boss, I had to learn loads of stuff and I was given all the smaller jobs that came in. Now I'm more senior I have a nicer office where no one can see my monitor screen, and I delegate bucket loads of crap to the junior guys. However, a lot of my time is spent being available for their questions and to help them. If I was stressed with my own workload I wouldn't be as good a manager.

I follow a rule I read on slashdot for time estimates in work when someone asks how long it will take to do something.

1. Think of how fast you could do it in a rush
   
2. Double that time
   
3. Move up a time unit, e.g. minute->hour, hour->day
   
4. Adjust for credibility
   

[Ellmeister]

So step 4 means you nothing to you then :p

 

 

Ohhhhh just kidding Oddy.

[Iun]

Put it this way: I arrive at work at 8am, leave at 4:30pm and I am usually lucky to get 10 minutes to eat my lunch.

[Mr_Odwin]

So step 4 means you nothing to you then :p

 

 

Ohhhhh just kidding Oddy.

 

Sorry, can't come up with a witty reply, too busy working right now.

[Ellmeister]

I find at my work, I have a lot to do in very little time. This is partly to my own inefficiency at my job since I haven't been there long and it is quite a steep learning curve initially. I can't guess how long it will take me as a) I haven't done these tasks enough times to be able to formulate a decent time it could take me and b) there is a time set for how long we will be at the client, I have to 98% of it done by then or else!

 

This is only when I'm actually on jobs, when I'm in the office on more menial tasks I find I have loads of time and waste a lot of it chatting which then means I have to hurry the work up near the end!

 

I also get time off for study leave (aka now) so it isn't always manic.

[dan-likes-trees]

I have people book me on projects through the day and I specify how many hours something will take me, so when there are projects, I am busy. Things can get a bit crazy if there are loads of little things people need me for, but if there's too much happening I just tell the producer to sod off (or do it quickly if I actually like them).

 

Having said that, a lot of people need my time so I don't tolerate it being wasted. If someone is meant to brief me and hasn't got their shit together I am at their desk getting answers. It amuses me that even though I assumed I came in as a junior, I take charge a lot of the time and am considered more senior than the other copywriter who's been doing it a lot longer than me. And since there are only two copy writer I've decided (in my head) that I'm acting Head of Copy...until that role is filled soon.

 

At the moment there don't seem to be that many projects so I have a lot of downtime. Which is nice since I'm feeling pretty lazy.

 

What is your job / what does it involve Daft? I remember you saying something about it before and me thinking it was vaguely the kind of job I'd be interested in but I didn't ask at the time.

[EEVILMURRAY]

Sorry, can't come up with a witty reply, too busy working right now.

 

Delegate man!

[Charlie]

I do a fair amount of work I guess. SQL writing is pretty good because it's kinda endless, I can constantly amend existing stored procedures to make them more efficient.

 

Also seem to get new reporting server requests daily, so always have something to do.

 

But I do like to browse here, GAF, IGN, Gamesradar, CBM, Memebase for a few minutes a day throughout the day just to take my mind of SQL for a while...

 

you can only write like a robot for so long... unless your name is Cannad.

 

I find when I'm doing either design work or a bit of coding (both which I'm now the guy who does it in the office since I'm better at both than the marketing manager who used to do it all!) I need to take a break every 30 mins to do something else otherwise my brain fries.

 

For things like content writing I can go on for ages and I'm fine.

 

Having made this thread yesterday; I've been really busy today!

[Daft]

What is your job / what does it involve Daft? I remember you saying something about it before and me thinking it was vaguely the kind of job I'd be interested in but I didn't ask at the time.

 

Currently I'm a copywriter. The Xbox newsletter? I write it. Along with other Xbox stuff and other brands (some cool stuff but not sure if I can say). I have my hand in a few other areas, like strategy, too. Not sure if this is what I want to 'do'. I don't think it is but for now I'm good at it and the pay is super ME GUSTA.

[Rummy]

Theoretically, I actually do quite a lot of work at work. Mainly because I'm timesheeted and the only person really doing my jobs resulting in going and leaving when I like(go to work at half 11 and leave at 4? why not!). So yeah, basically while I'm there I work quite a bit, and if there isn't enough/too much for me to do, I'll just leave. Having said that, I do find time to pop on here whilst I wait for stuff to load(a bit like Cube) and find quiet moments, but on the whole while I'm there, I'm doing something. There's something fantastic about the environment I work in and my boss that makes me want to work hard and not slack, yet there isn't even any pressure put on me to do so.