How To Do Nothing at Work and Still Get Paid

A few tips and tools to help you do nothing useful at work, and yet be paid your salary.

Here are a few tricks to help you waste those long, tiring hours at work by doing nothing useful at all. Many of the tips below require a freeware to download.

If you are wondering how you can download these free tools at work where it may not be allowed, then you can download the file at home, change the file format and send it to your work email address from your personal one.

1. Destroy important files with File Destructor


File Destructor is a free web service that destroys a file you upload to it. Now what use is this? You can escape from a deadline by blaming your computer for any errors in the file, that have been actually manipulated and derived from File Destructor.

For example, here’s a sample PowerPoint presentation from File Destructor that shows an error when you open it. The next time you can’t complete a report submission in time, just destroy it!

2. Escape from a meeting with GetMeOutOfHere


When stuck in a boring office meeting, simply open GetMeOutOfHere on your mobile phone and set up a phone call you would get, that actually has a genuine voice on the other end to make it look like you will have to exit the meeting in urgency.

3. Access Facebook, Orkut and other blocked websites at work


Read our full post on how to access Facebook, Orkut, GMail and Yahoo from places where it is blocked, like at work.

4. Use a Ghost Browser


Ever wanted to surf at work without worry? Try GhostZilla – a web browser that helps you surf the web in a Microsoft Word or Excel document.

GhostZilla features tabbed browsing, a minimal interface that makes it look like your working and also integrates Google search within the browser. Download GhostZilla now.

5. Tweet from a Spreadsheet


You can use Twitter from work, by making it look like you are working on a spreadsheet. You would actually be tweeting at the time. Check SpreadTweets for the online version and also find options to install it in Microsoft Word or Excel.

6. Play a game that makes it look like you are busy working


Your boss comes around your cube at work. You are actually playing a game. But he doesn’t say anything at all. This scenario can come true if you are playing games from CantYouSeeImBusy.

It is an interesting website featuring games like Breakdown, Cost Cutter and Leadership. Check out CantYouSeeImBusy.

7. Set a BossKey

A BossKey allows you to instantly hide all applications on your desktop with a single key.

This is useful when you are browsing a website not related to work, and your boss comes around. You can decide what you would like to hide, on pressing the BossKey.

Download EFreeSoft BossKey.

8. Decreased Productivity [Firefox Add-On]

If you use Mozilla Firefox at work, try the Decreased Productivity add-on. It helps you discretely browse the web, similar to GhostZilla.

Decreased Productivity basically allows you to modify web pages to make them look work-supportive, instead of consisting of a variety of images or colours.