How did people waste time and goof off at work before the internet?

Factual Questions
1

I know it probably seems like a silly question, but I’m really curious. Most people waste time in the office - that is, take small breaks while working on their daily tasks - by looking at websites, reading e-mail, or even chatting on AIM.

But what did people do before the internet was commonplace in offices? It’s only human nature to goof off, take small breaks, blow off steam, and so on while on the job - it’s expected and even accepted as an inevitability. Nobody comes in and works nonstop from the moment they arrive until the moment they leave.

So what did people do?

2

my guess is that they gossiped and talked more.

3

When I was in the army, whenever we were in our unit HQ, we’d hide in the skiff or the map room and read travel brochures or play board games.

4

Having a long pre-internet career highlighted by goofing off – which I continue to defend as “creatively recharging throughout the day” – I am an expert on:

Hanging out at someone else’s desk

Ordering from mail order catalogs

Running errands during lunch, then eating lunch at my desk

Writing letters (writing letters was great, because you looked like you were working)

In other words, pretty much all the stuff you can do online today.

5

**How did people waste time and goof off at work before the internet? **

  • Computer games
  • Reading the paper or mags
  • Do homework
  • Work on your journal/book/letter
  • Personal phone calls
  • Crosswords

Not that I did any of that!

6

“I just kind of zone out for a couple of hours”

  • Guy in Office Space
7

Getting stoned behind the store/restaurant/humvee is still a cherished goof off tradition even in this digital age.

8

Choose your own adventures
Fighting Fantasy
Lone Wolf
Extremely Long Toilet Breaks
Frequent Exremely Long Smoking Breaks
Act Busy

9

I used to work in a government office that had its share of slackers. One of my colleagues spent several hours a day playing solitaire (for you youngsters, that’s the old style of solitaire, using a deck of playing cards). This guy would lay out the cards in his largest desk drawer, and if anyone walked in on him, he’d slide the drawer closed so that the visitor couldn’t see what he was doing.

10

Fucking.

11

“My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the assholes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men’s room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that doesn’t so closely resemble Hell.”

Stranger

12

Back before the internet, no-one goofed off. It was called creative time management.

13

There used to be this thing called “reading…”

14

VAX Mail.

15

A lot more people used to smoke, and that was a good way to kill 10 minutes.

16

Here’s a complete list:
http://monster-island.org/tinashumor/humor/unprod.html

Discovered it during my first real job… :smiley:

17

I once had a job where it seemed like almost everyone was running some kind of business on company time, including some of trhe managers.

18

I’ve noticed that I hear “the watercooler” used more and more frequently lately as a synonym for gossip or idle chatter. Once upon a time, the watercooler really was the place to gather for those short breaks – go get yourself a drink and hang out for a little while.

Years ago, I did receive special permission from one boss to read at my desk when things were slow. There were always personal phone calls, and of course visiting friends in a different cubicle (which I did often enough to earn a reprimand).

Then someone decided that it would be a good idea to put a complete reference library and entertainment center on my desk, and things haven’t been the same since. :smiley:

19

Banging Amber in Treasury.

20

So you’re suggesting that the internet has caused cigarette smoking to decrease? Anyone have a cite for that?