\u201cI shouldn\u2019t stop them.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nThat\u2019s the real benefit.<\/p>\n
Walking fast doesn\u2019t just make you look busy. It discourages conversations.<\/p>\n
No one wants to interrupt someone who looks like they\u2019re solving a company-wide crisis.<\/p>\n
Bonus points if you occasionally glance at your watch while walking.<\/p>\n
Now you don\u2019t just have somewhere to be.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re already late.<\/p>\n
2. Carry a Laptop Everywhere<\/h2>\n Years ago people carried folders.<\/p>\n
Today?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s laptops.<\/p>\n
A laptop instantly creates the illusion that you\u2019re headed somewhere important.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re presenting quarterly numbers.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re meeting with the CEO.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re just looking for a quieter place to watch YouTube.<\/p>\n
Nobody knows.<\/p>\n
Even better, occasionally stop in the hallway, open the laptop for five seconds, nod thoughtfully, close it again, and continue walking.<\/p>\n
Congratulations.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve just completed what appears to be an extremely important mobile productivity session.<\/p>\n
As an added bonus, carrying your laptop also gives you a perfectly reasonable excuse for disappearing from your desk for extended periods.<\/p>\n
If someone asks where you\u2019ve been?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been working in another conference room.\u201d<\/p>\n
Technically, they never asked which<\/em> conference room.<\/p>\n3. Keep an Open Spreadsheet at All Times<\/h2>\n Nothing screams productivity quite like Excel.<\/p>\n
Even people who have absolutely no idea what\u2019s happening on the screen immediately assume spreadsheets equal serious work.<\/p>\n
The best part?<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t even have to be your spreadsheet.<\/p>\n
Rows. Columns. Random numbers. Maybe a colorful chart.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s all most people need to see.<\/p>\n
If someone walks by, lean toward the monitor and squint slightly.<\/p>\n
Click a few cells. Type a couple of numbers. Delete them. Type them again.<\/p>\n
Throw in an occasional frustrated sigh.<\/p>\n
Now it looks like you\u2019re solving a problem only a handful of people in the company could possibly understand.<\/p>\n
Nobody questions the spreadsheet person.<\/p>\n
They\u2019re too busy trying to remember how to freeze panes.<\/p>\n
4. Email Yourself<\/h2>\nPhoto Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis might be the easiest trick on the list.<\/p>\n
Have nothing to do?<\/p>\n
Send yourself an email.<\/p>\n
Seriously.<\/p>\n
Need to remember something for later? Email yourself.<\/p>\n
Interesting article? Email yourself.<\/p>\n
Grocery list? Email yourself.<\/p>\n
Vacation idea? Email yourself.<\/p>\n
From across the office, it simply looks like you\u2019re buried in correspondence.<\/p>\n
If anyone walks by, they\u2019ll see Outlook open, messages flying back and forth, and plenty of typing.<\/p>\n
They don\u2019t know every email is going to\u2026you.<\/p>\n
An added benefit is that you\u2019ll actually remember things later.<\/p>\n
So unlike many of the items on this list, this one accidentally becomes productive.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s multitasking at its finest.<\/p>\n
5. Fake a Windows Update<\/h2>\n This may be the greatest office prank of the modern era.<\/p>\n
There are websites that display incredibly realistic fake Windows update screens.<\/p>\n
Open one.<\/p>\n
Hit full screen.<\/p>\n
Walk away.<\/p>\n
To everyone passing by, it looks like your computer has decided today is the perfect day to install critical updates.<\/p>\n
Again.<\/p>\n
You aren\u2019t slacking. You\u2019re a victim.<\/p>\n
What can you do?<\/p>\n
IT has betrayed you.<\/p>\n
Just be careful with this one.<\/p>\n
Leave it running for twenty minutes and people will sympathize.<\/p>\n
Leave it running for three hours and someone from IT may actually stop by to \u201chelp.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then you\u2019ll have some explaining to do.<\/p>\n
6. Block Off \u201cFocus Time\u201d on Your Calendar<\/h2>\n Calendars have become modern force fields.<\/p>\n
Nobody wants to schedule over someone\u2019s calendar block.<\/p>\n
Especially one labeled:<\/p>\n
Deep Work. Strategic Planning. Quarterly Review.<\/p>\n
Or everyone\u2019s favorite:<\/p>\n
Focus Time.<\/p>\n
The beauty is that nobody knows what you\u2019re focusing on.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re finishing an important proposal.<\/p>\n
Maybe you\u2019re deciding what to order for dinner.<\/p>\n
Either way, your calendar says you\u2019re busy.<\/p>\n
And calendars never lie.<\/p>\n
Well\u2026Usually.<\/p>\n
Just don\u2019t get greedy.<\/p>\n
Blocking every afternoon for \u201cStrategic Alignment\u201d tends to raise questions.<\/p>\n
7. Keep Your Teams or Slack Status on Busy<\/h2>\n The little red dot has become the digital equivalent of a closed office door.<\/p>\n
People see it and immediately think: \u201cThey\u2019re tied up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether you\u2019re actually working\u2026<\/p>\n
Watching a webinar\u2026<\/p>\n
Reading the news\u2026<\/p>\n
Or trying to beat today\u2019s Wordle\u2026<\/p>\n
Nobody knows.<\/p>\n
Busy is busy.<\/p>\n
Some people even schedule recurring calendar appointments simply to keep their status red all afternoon.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s one of those office tricks that\u2019s so common it almost feels official.<\/p>\n
The funniest part?<\/p>\n
Half the office is probably doing the exact same thing.<\/p>\n
8. Wear Headphones All Day<\/h2>\n Headphones have become magical.<\/p>\n
The second you put them on, people assume one of two things:<\/p>\n
You\u2019re on an important meeting.<\/p>\n
Or you\u2019re concentrating so intensely that interrupting you would jeopardize the company\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
In reality?<\/p>\n
You might be listening to:<\/p>\n
\nclassic rock<\/li>\n a true crime podcast<\/li>\n baseball highlights<\/li>\n ocean sounds<\/li>\n absolutely nothing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nSome people don\u2019t even plug them in.<\/p>\n
The headphones are simply a universal symbol that says: \u201cPlease pretend I\u2019m busy.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nIt works surprisingly well.<\/p>\n
Most coworkers would rather send an email than interrupt someone wearing headphones.<\/p>\n
Which means fewer interruptions\u2026<\/p>\n
And more time to\u2026listen to another podcast.<\/p>\n
9. Master the Concerned Face<\/h2>\nPhoto Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFacial expressions are incredibly underrated.<\/p>\n
Someone smiling at their desk? Probably not that busy.<\/p>\n
Someone laughing? Definitely slacking.<\/p>\n
But someone staring intensely at the monitor with one eyebrow raised?<\/p>\n
Now we\u2019re talking.<\/p>\n
Occasionally rub your forehead.<\/p>\n
Lean back in your chair. Cross your arms. Squint at the screen. Shake your head slowly.<\/p>\n
Maybe whisper: \u201cThat can\u2019t be right\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nNobody knows what you\u2019re looking at.<\/p>\n
But it clearly isn\u2019t good.<\/p>\n
The concerned face has one major advantage.<\/p>\n
People hesitate to interrupt someone who appears to be solving a complicated problem.<\/p>\n
Especially if they think that problem might eventually become their problem.<\/p>\n
10. Carry Random Papers<\/h2>\n This trick has survived decades for one simple reason.<\/p>\n
It works.<\/p>\n
Nobody questions someone carrying papers.<\/p>\n
The papers don\u2019t even have to be important.<\/p>\n
Print yesterday\u2019s meeting agenda. An old report. A restaurant menu. A blank spreadsheet.<\/p>\n
From ten feet away, paper is paper.<\/p>\n
Now walk briskly through the office.<\/p>\n
Stop outside someone\u2019s door.<\/p>\n
Look down at the pages.<\/p>\n
Nod thoughtfully.<\/p>\n
Keep walking.<\/p>\n
Congratulations.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve just completed what appeared to be a critical business mission.<\/p>\n
Extra points if you occasionally shuffle the papers while walking.<\/p>\n
For reasons no one fully understands, that somehow makes the mission look even more urgent.<\/p>\n
11. Become the Master of Corporate Buzzwords<\/h2>\n Every office has that one person who can talk for five minutes without actually saying anything.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re just trying to increase cross-functional collaboration while aligning deliverables with our strategic objectives.\u201d<\/p>\n
What does that mean?<\/p>\n
Nobody knows.<\/p>\n
But it sounds incredibly important.<\/p>\n
Corporate buzzwords are the camouflage of the modern workplace.<\/p>\n
Instead of saying: \u201cI\u2019m working on it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nTry: \u201cI\u2019m circling back with the stakeholders before we finalize next steps.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nOr: \u201cWe\u2019re waiting for alignment before moving forward.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nBetter yet: \u201cI\u2019m trying to avoid creating unnecessary redundancies.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nEven if your coworkers have no clue what you just said, they\u2019ll usually nod and walk away.<\/p>\n
Because nobody wants to admit they didn\u2019t understand the sentence either.<\/p>\n
12. \u201cI\u2019m Just Waiting on Someone\u201d<\/h2>\n This may be the greatest excuse ever invented.<\/p>\n
Boss asks how the project is going?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just waiting on accounting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coworker asks why the report isn\u2019t finished?<\/p>\n
\u201cLegal still has it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Someone wonders why you haven\u2019t submitted your proposal?<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m waiting on marketing.\u201d<\/p>\n
The beauty of this strategy is that almost every project really does involve another department.<\/p>\n
Waiting happens.<\/p>\n
Sometimes a lot.<\/p>\n
And unless someone immediately calls Accounting to verify your story, the conversation usually ends right there.<\/p>\n
Just don\u2019t blame the same department every single time.<\/p>\n
Eventually Accounting might start wondering why they\u2019re responsible for everything.<\/p>\n
13. Walk Into Meetings You Weren\u2019t Invited To<\/h2>\nPhoto Credit: Deposit Photos.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThis one requires confidence.<\/p>\n
Walk into a conference room carrying your laptop or a notebook.<\/p>\n
Sit down.<\/p>\n
Nod occasionally.<\/p>\n
Take a few notes.<\/p>\n
If someone asks whether you\u2019re supposed to be there, simply say: \u201cI thought this was the operations meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Apologize politely.<\/p>\n
Gather your things.<\/p>\n
Leave.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll look slightly embarrassed.<\/p>\n
Everyone else will think you\u2019re incredibly busy because apparently you have so many meetings you can\u2019t even keep them straight.<\/p>\n
Of course, if nobody questions you\u2026<\/p>\n
Congratulations.<\/p>\n
You just got free coffee and donuts.<\/p>\n
14. Type Like You\u2019re Defusing a Bomb<\/h2>\n Timing is everything.<\/p>\n
The office may be completely quiet.<\/p>\n
Then you hear footsteps.<\/p>\n
Suddenly\u2026Your keyboard becomes the fastest keyboard in human history.<\/p>\n
Click. Click-click-click. Enter. Backspace. Mouse. Click. Scroll. Type.<\/p>\n
Repeat.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t matter what you\u2019re typing.<\/p>\n
You could be writing a grocery list.<\/p>\n
Searching vacation rentals.<\/p>\n
Looking up the score of last night\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
From a distance, all anyone sees is someone absolutely crushing productivity.<\/p>\n
For extra realism, occasionally stop typing and stare intensely at the monitor before diving back in like you\u2019ve just solved a major problem.<\/p>\n
15. Keep Way Too Many Browser Tabs Open<\/h2>\n Some people have three browser tabs.<\/p>\n
Others have forty-seven.<\/p>\n
Guess which person looks busier?<\/p>\n
A monitor filled with:<\/p>\n
\nspreadsheets<\/li>\n email<\/li>\n Teams<\/li>\n project management software<\/li>\n dashboards<\/li>\n PDFs<\/li>\n reports<\/li>\n<\/ul>\ncreates the illusion that you\u2019re managing multiple critical projects simultaneously.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile\u2026<\/p>\n
Three of those tabs might be fantasy football.<\/p>\n
Two are YouTube.<\/p>\n
One is Amazon.<\/p>\n
And another has been open since last Tuesday because you\u2019re still trying to decide whether to buy a new coffee maker.<\/p>\n
Nobody walking past your desk knows the difference.<\/p>\n
All they see is organized chaos.<\/p>\n
16. Take the Long Way Everywhere<\/h2>\n Need to refill your water bottle?<\/p>\n
Excellent.<\/p>\n
Instead of taking the direct route\u2026Take the scenic route.<\/p>\n
Walk past accounting.<\/p>\n
Loop through marketing.<\/p>\n
Wave at someone in HR.<\/p>\n
Peek into the break room.<\/p>\n
By the time you return, you\u2019ve covered half the building.<\/p>\n
To anyone watching, it looks like you\u2019ve spent the last fifteen minutes solving important problems across multiple departments.<\/p>\n
In reality?<\/p>\n
You were getting ice.<\/p>\n
Office veterans know this trick well.<\/p>\n
Sometimes the longest route isn\u2019t about avoiding work.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s about avoiding getting assigned more work.<\/p>\n
17. Perfect the Fake Phone Call<\/h2>\nPhoto Credit: Shutterstock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nNo office survival guide would be complete without this classic.<\/p>\n
Grab your phone.<\/p>\n
Walk with purpose.<\/p>\n
Occasionally nod.<\/p>\n
Every so often say things like: \u201cAbsolutely.\u201d \u201cThat works.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll send that over.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll follow up after lunch.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trick isn\u2019t sounding dramatic.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s sounding incredibly ordinary.<\/p>\n
Real business calls are surprisingly boring.<\/p>\n
If you really want to sell the performance, stop walking every now and then and jot something down in a notebook.<\/p>\n
Now it looks like you\u2019re discussing quarterly projections instead of wondering what\u2019s for dinner.<\/p>\n
Just make sure your phone screen isn\u2019t obviously showing Spotify.<\/p>\n
18. Recruit an Office Buddy<\/h2>\n Every workplace has two people standing in a hallway staring at something.<\/p>\n
Nobody knows what they\u2019re looking at.<\/p>\n
But it must be important.<\/p>\n
Grab a coworker.<\/p>\n
Stand near a whiteboard.<\/p>\n
Point occasionally.<\/p>\n
Nod thoughtfully.<\/p>\n
Every now and then say: \u201cHmm\u2026\u201d \u201cI hadn\u2019t thought of that.\u201d \u201cInteresting.\u201d<\/p>\n
If someone walks by, quickly gesture toward a chart or document.<\/p>\n
It instantly transforms a casual conversation into what appears to be a high-level strategic planning session.<\/p>\n
The best part?<\/p>\n
Neither of you actually has to be discussing work.<\/p>\n
19. Randomly Sigh at Your Computer<\/h2>\n Nothing says \u201coverworked\u201d quite like an exhausted sigh.<\/p>\n
Not an exaggerated sigh.<\/p>\n
Just enough for nearby coworkers to hear.<\/p>\n
Maybe rub your temples.<\/p>\n
Lean back in your chair.<\/p>\n
Take off your glasses\u2014even if you don\u2019t wear glasses, maybe don\u2019t try that one.<\/p>\n
Then return to typing.<\/p>\n
The sigh tells everyone: \u201cThis project is testing me.\u201d<\/p>\n
In reality?<\/p>\n
Maybe Outlook froze.<\/p>\n
Maybe Excel crashed.<\/p>\n
Or maybe you\u2019re trying to remember your Netflix password.<\/p>\n
The mystery only makes it more convincing.<\/p>\n
20. Become Impossible to Find<\/h2>\n Have you ever noticed that the busiest people are somehow never at their desks?<\/p>\n
They\u2019re: \u201cin another meeting.\u201d \u201cworking with another department.\u201d \u201cdownstairs.\u201d \u201cchecking on something.\u201d \u201chelping a client.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody really knows where they are.<\/p>\n
And somehow\u2026<\/p>\n
Nobody questions it.<\/p>\n
Obviously, don\u2019t disappear for hours every day.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s less \u201cbusy employee\u201d and more \u201cmissing person.\u201d<\/p>\n
But occasionally working from a conference room, another floor, or a quiet corner of the building can create the impression that your responsibilities take you all over the office.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s amazing how productive someone appears when nobody can quite figure out where they are.<\/p>\n
Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n If you\u2019ve made it this far, you\u2019ve probably recognized at least a few coworkers on this list.<\/p>\n
Maybe the fast walker.<\/p>\n
Maybe the spreadsheet wizard.<\/p>\n
Maybe the person who\u2019s permanently \u201cwaiting on someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Or maybe the employee who somehow spends half the day wearing a headset while never actually speaking.<\/p>\n
The truth is that nearly every workplace develops its own unwritten culture around looking busy.<\/p>\n
Sometimes people really are swamped.<\/p>\n
Other times they\u2019re simply trying to avoid interruptions long enough to finish their work.<\/p>\n
And occasionally\u2026<\/p>\n
They\u2019re just trying to make it until 5 o\u2019clock.<\/p>\n
Of course, the easiest way to look productive is to actually be productive.<\/p>\n
But where\u2019s the fun in writing an article about that?<\/p>\n
Now if you\u2019ll excuse me, I have a strategic cross-functional alignment meeting to attend.<\/p>\n
At least that\u2019s what my calendar says.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURES. FOR MORE INFORMATION. The funny thing about office life is that we\u2019ve all worked with someone who always looks incredibly busy. They\u2019re constantly walking somewhere. They\u2019re carrying papers. They\u2019re typing furiously. They always seem slightly annoyed. Yet somehow\u2026 nobody can explain exactly what they do. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7041794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[3793,8023,418],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7041793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-busy","tag-ways","tag-work"],"yoast_head":"\n
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