Looking Busy at Work, 101.

As far as this task goes, I'm pretty freakin stellar.  I'm outta here in 5 months, and could not be more checked out from my job.  I'm pretty pos everyone knows what's up, especially since this job has very little to do with my life plans as a doctor (regardless of what I may have said in my personal statement and interviews).  

Now. the predicament is that while I don't want to do work, I also don't want to be lectured about staying on task (never happened yet, but who knows).  And here's what I do at work to make it seem that I'm highly productive, while the truth could not be more opposite.   My computer screen also faces the entrance to my lab.. so there lies a whole 'nother can of worms.. or some applicable metaphor that I can't quite think of right now.  You get the idea.


So onto the rules of Looking Busy at Work:


1.  Always have tons of papers out on your desk.  Highlighter in hand is a bonus.  Plus.  This is the best way to take a nap.  Leaning on one hand while "reading" while you get some needed shut eye is so believable for someone glancing in the lab on their stroll by..

2. Especially while sleeping (or playing hours of Solitaire on your Blackberry), make sure an important looking email is left up on the screen to hide the other sites/g chats you're browsing.  Lotus Notes thankfully is really quick at loading on the screen -- so when there's important-sounding footsteps nearby, a quick toggle is all you need and you're back to work.

3.  The journal papers on your desk aren't the only things you need laying out.  Having multiple lab notebooks open for "reference" while "writing your paper for publication" is also essential.  Again, highlighters mean importance, so throw a couple of those into the mix.

4.  And lastly.  Toggling your personal use of Adobe Photoshop with an impressive and "labor-intensive" figure for your paper for a quick recovery in the event you have someone sneak-attack you in the lab.  

Now, don't get me wrong.  I do actual work here.. however.. it's increasingly hard to stay focused when my time here is slowly dwindling.

The only thing helping me through my day are my friends at work (shoutout to TAP, SSC, and AD), and the fact that I really can't leave until this paper has been sent to publication  (I'm a slacker sometimes, but not a dickhead who wants to screw over the next tech). 

..and the countdown continues..