How to Kill Time at Work(10 Ways)

Last updated on September 30th, 2023 at 07:40 am

Is it a rather slow day at work? Have you finished all of the chores that you needed to accomplish for the day, week, or perhaps the month, and do you not have anything else to do? Are you having one of those days where your production levels have sunk to the depths of the Mariana Trench, or is this a more often occurrence for you? Do you have a job that is really uninteresting?

Here are some useful activities that you may do at work to pass the time more effectively and make it to the end of the day without completely losing your mind

Here are 10 ways to kill time at work:

1. Read and study new career-related subjects!

One of the easiest — and most productive — ways to kill time at work without getting in trouble with your supervisor is to read up on the most recent news, events, and industry-related information. Whether from a blog, a diary, or a book you bring to work, there is always something fresh to learn that can ultimately improve your effectiveness at work.

For instance, if you’re an SEO professional, you may study up on the most recent SEO-related news, techniques, and methods, then apply all you’ve learned to your job and even teach your coworkers.

2. Organize your email

If your profession entails dealing with clients and partners and sending emails left, right, and center on a regular basis, you should organize your inbox (if you haven’t already). Not only will it help you pass the time, but it will also make managing your inbox easier and help you remain on top of your emails.

3. Plan your short-term and long-term goals

Killing time at work may be reasonable for a short time, but it adds up when tasks must be completed. And planning your work is a terrific method to provide structure to your day and, eventually, increase your productivity.

Invest in a weekly desk calendar [paid link] or make your own. If you prefer a paperless method, open an account on a project management website such as Trello and schedule your upcoming chores, projects, and objectives.

Create a list of all your everyday responsibilities. This may include monitoring email and social media, making phone calls, and attending team meetings. Then, create a separate list of all your ongoing and forthcoming tasks and due dates. After gathering this information, you may begin arranging your job based on its urgency and significance.

4. Seek your favorite forms of entertainment

Whether it’s playing brain games like Sudoku, laughing at memes on 9GAG, making your own blob opera on Google, or watching amusing cat videos on YouTube, the internet is an inexhaustible supply of pleasure. (According to scientific research, viewing cat videos is beneficial for your productivity and stress levels.)

5. Offer help or mentorship to your coworkers

While your teammate struggles to complete a project with an impending deadline, do you have nothing to do? Ask them if they require help.

After all, you don’t want to be the employee sitting at their desk while everyone else in the workplace is rushing around like chickens with their heads cut off.

Even if they reject (because it’s a one-person project, for instance), they’ll appreciate the offer, and they’ll likely return the favor the next time you’re under pressure to meet a deadline. Your supervisor will also take note, and your eagerness to assist others and, in essence, be a team player, will definitely be appreciated and will be brought up in your next performance evaluation.

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6. Declutter and clean your workspace

If your office is entirely disorganized, it may be time for a thorough spring cleaning.

A clutter-free desk just makes work life simpler. You know precisely where everything is, and you spend less time searching through massive heaps of paperwork for the report you need, therefore increasing production and efficiency and reducing stress. Plus, you’ll earn the admiration of Marie Kondo, tidying expert and author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up!

7. Learn a new skill

There is always room to improve your talents or acquire new ones, and not only when you have idle time at work. Learning should be a pursuit that continues throughout one’s life. In the end, settling for what you already know is detrimental to your personal and professional development. 

When you commit to constant learning, though, you are able to leave your comfort zone with more ease, and it also opens possibilities for you as you raise your profile and remain relevant in your sector.

You can typically find local seminars, workshops, conferences, and lectures on industry-related topics, all of which give the extra benefit of allowing you to extend your professional network. Consider attending a webinar or finishing an online course if you cannot find something suitable nearby or do not wish to travel. Coursera, Udemy, and MasterClass are all excellent possibilities, and depending on the course you complete, you will obtain certification.

8. Reconnect with your creative side

Some people were quick to criticize Hillary Clinton in 2012 for doodling on her speech notes before the United Nations General Assembly, but it’s not a terrible habit. In reality, research indicates that doodling is beneficial: it increases concentration and memory recall, encourages creativity, and provides a mental rest.

9. Incorporate mini-challenges into your tasks!

It is not uncommon to lose a feeling of purpose and get unmotivated when performing the same repetitive chores at work day after day. However, this may be remedied by making work enjoyable.

Make work more enjoyable by transforming tasks into games: see how many emails you can respond to in 10 minutes, assign a point for each page of a report, or imagine that your coworkers are villains and the only way to stop them from taking over the world is to complete the project you’re working on.

10. Listen to a podcast

Podcasts are abundant on the internet, and there is always something for everyone. And if you have nothing better to do, listening to a podcast on business news and insights will not only keep you occupied, but you’ll also likely learn something new that you can share with your colleagues or apply to your own job. 

How do you pass the time at work if you have nothing else to do? Have any further suggestions? Share your thoughts in the comment area below!