# What to do while I'm bored at work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 5, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469 "2006-08-05T17:43:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sad\_and\_Deranged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Sad\_and\_Deranged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sad_and_Deranged)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/1 "2006-08-05T17:43:20Z")
There’s no much to do as a receptionist other than answer the phones and greet people who come in. I’ve read almost every thread in the forums here, the ones I’m interested in anyway. I’ve already read through [livescience.com](http://livescience.com) this morning, not much of an update for a Saturday. I’ve read through [snopes.com](http://snopes.com), no update since last night. What else can I read and/or look at??? I’m going out of my mind here! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/2 "2006-08-05T17:50:17Z")
eBay is good. Search for weird stuff–French/Russian dictionaries or something. You might even find something you want. Or you can enter items you own and see what people are paying for them. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/3 "2006-08-05T17:53:23Z")
Books? I take two or three with me to work every day for the lulls between calls and just stock up at the public library on my days off. ---
**Author:** ![934spe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/9/90db22/32.png) [@934spe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/934spe)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/4 "2006-08-05T17:56:30Z")
I find I can waste many hours here: [http://www.pointlesssites.com/](http://www.pointlesssites.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Sad\_and\_Deranged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Sad\_and\_Deranged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sad_and_Deranged)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/5 "2006-08-05T18:09:41Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Books? I take two or three with me to work every day for the lulls between calls and just stock up at the public library on my days off. Funny thing about this work place is that I don’t actually have much “work” to do, but to maintain professional decorum, I should appear to be working for the people who walk in. So, while I can’t read books, I can read things on the computer, just because the people walking in can’t see what is on my computer and thus can’t tell if I’m responding to important company emails or fooling around on a message. > [@934spe](#): > > I find I can waste many hours here: [http://www.pointlesssites.com/](http://www.pointlesssites.com/) That is actually a very good site. I spent about ten minutes playing around with [the first link I found](http://www.angeloplessas.com/elasticenthusiastic/). Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/6 "2006-08-05T18:14:21Z")
[www.elouai.com](http://www.elouai.com) is mindless fun, especially if you’re a girl. I can waste hours there. [www.isketch.net](http://www.isketch.net) is fun, but can be noisy. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/7 "2006-08-05T18:32:31Z")
There are several online crossword and word-find sites that can keep you busy for a while. Word puzzles are nice and calm, so unlike some other games you could play, you probably won’t start clicking madly and screaming "DIE!!! " at the screen when you get really into it. ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/8 "2006-08-05T20:59:41Z")
Little flash games: [orisinal.com](http://orisinal.com) and [popcap.com](http://popcap.com). They don’t require you to download, and you can mostly mute 'em if needed. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/9 "2006-08-05T23:01:06Z")
Check out these awesome webcomics: [Something Positive](http://www.somethingpositive.net) [Questionable Content](http://www.questionablecontent.net) [The Adventures of Dr. McNinja](http://www.drmcninja.com) [Kristy vs. the Zombie Army](http://www.kristyvsthezombeiarmy.com) [Stuff Sucks](http://www.stuffsucks.com) [Diesel Sweeties](http://www.dieselsweeties.com) > [@Sad and Deranged](#): > > So, while I can’t read books, I can read things on the computer, just because the people walking in can’t see what is on my computer and thus can’t tell if I’m responding to important company emails or fooling around on a message. See if you can scare up some eBooks you can read on your computer instead of a PDA. (I read mine on a PDA, so I can’t help ya.) ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/10 "2006-08-05T23:10:47Z")
There’s this message board called The Straight Dope where, I understand, all the best people waste precious work time. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/11 "2006-08-05T23:15:14Z")
> [@934spe](#): > > I find I can waste many hours here: [http://www.pointlesssites.com/](http://www.pointlesssites.com/) As uf I didn’t already have enough places to go waste time. Thanks **934spe**! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/12 "2006-08-05T23:43:14Z")
[I Am Bored](http://www.i-am-bored.com/) , another great time-wasting site. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/13 "2006-08-06T00:00:09Z")
Um, perhaps you could study for a qualification to get a more interesting job? ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/14 "2006-08-06T00:07:31Z")
While you’re at it, give me your job. I need one ASAP, I’m qualified and a half and I’ll gladly sit at a computer all day long. ---
**Author:** ![Sad\_and\_Deranged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Sad\_and\_Deranged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sad_and_Deranged)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/15 "2006-08-06T01:50:27Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Um, perhaps you could study for a qualification to get a more interesting job? Ha! Give up this job to persue higher education??? Are you nuts? Actually, it’s summertime right now, so no classes. Besides, the hours I’m working are such that I get to keep it when I go back to school in the fall. This is perhaps one of the cushiest jobs I have ever had, minus the one I had at school where I did basically the same thing for better pay (but less hours total). Make no mistake, I’m not complaining about my job being boring and tedious, just that I have this perfect opportunity to get paid for sitting around and surfing the internet, and damn if I’m not going take advantage of it. ---
**Author:** ![Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Can\_Handle\_the\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Can_Handle_the_Truth)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/16 "2006-08-06T01:59:27Z")
Read books at [Project Gutenberg](http://www.gutenberg.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/17 "2006-08-06T02:31:26Z")
jayisgames is great, also bbcworldservice and bbcradio4 ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/18 "2006-08-06T02:32:00Z")
> [@Can Handle the Truth](#): > > Read books at [Project Gutenberg](http://www.gutenberg.org/) I second this. At work this year, when we had periods of nothing to do (not a good sign for that company!) I went to Gutenberg and downloaded a few books. I read both Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Peter Pan, and 3/4 of the Three Musketeers before I quit working there. It’s text files, so you can size them to look like email or pretend it’s something you’re typing. Got me through many 8.5 hour days of “look busy”. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/19 "2006-08-06T06:09:59Z")
> [@fetus](#): > > Check out these awesome webcomics: > > [Something Positive](http://www.somethingpositive.net) > [Questionable Content](http://www.questionablecontent.net) > [The Adventures of Dr. McNinja](http://www.drmcninja.com) > [Kristy vs. the Zombie Army](http://www.kristyvsthezombeiarmy.com) > [Stuff Sucks](http://www.stuffsucks.com) > [Diesel Sweeties](http://www.dieselsweeties.com) My favourite: [Two Lumps](http://www.twolumps.net) ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469/20 "2006-08-06T21:16:26Z")
> [@Sad and Deranged](#): > > Ha! Give up this job to persue higher education??? Are you nuts? Actually, it’s summertime right now, so no classes. Besides, the hours I’m working are such that I get to keep it when I go back to school in the fall. This is perhaps one of the cushiest jobs I have ever had, minus the one I had at school where I did basically the same thing for better pay (but less hours total). Make no mistake, I’m not complaining about my job being boring and tedious, just that I have this perfect opportunity to get paid for sitting around and surfing the internet, and damn if I’m not going take advantage of it. I’m glad that things are going well for you. 🙂 I didn’t actually mean higher education, more office skills. Could you learn about your business software or maybe offer to help someone? I was just thinking that it’s a great opportunity to be in an office environment with time to spare. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-to-do-while-im-bored-at-work/367469.md?page=2)