ULPT: How to look busy when there's nothing to do?

Posted by _bagelcherry_@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 42 comments

I work in a fast food restaurant and i get paid by hour.

Sometimes i literally run out of tasks to do and i just sit somewhere. Then my manager sends me home earlier.

It's not ideal, because less hours in job=less money on my bank account

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Green_Yesterday3054@reddit

If there’s time to lean, there’s time to clean.

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metalflygon08@reddit

If there's time to talk there's time to stock!

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erisod@reddit

Don't sit somewhere. Do something useful. Pick up trash, pull weeds, clean windows, restock something, wipe a counter.

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Forward-Surprise1192@reddit

Do you know where you’re at right now?

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Clean something. Or look like you're cleaning something. There's always something to clean. Bonus points if cleaning it means taking steps that will have to be reversed, like putting chairs on tables. First you put up the chairs; then you sweep; then you mop; then you put the chairs back on the floor; then you make sure they're all perfectly lined up. The trick is to keep moving.

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Thrwaqway@reddit

AND clean the chairs! Underside too lol

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crustyflute@reddit

that’s honestly the classic move.

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svh01973@reddit

OP can even discretely make some minor messes that need to be cleaned. Splash some drink on the floor under a table, then you have to mop.

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Particular_Shock_554@reddit

If the table wobbles, you can fix it indefinitely.

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housevil@reddit

When paid by the hour, work expands to fill the time allotted for it.

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kevinh456@reddit

Always have a reason for what you're doing too. There was something wrong with it and you just fixed it up before they could even notice.

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Tandom@reddit

At my local Taco Bell someone goes full OCD on the sauce packet bins out front and they always look eat and tidy and awesome.

When I go elsewhere and see a squished jumbo bin of random packets/sauces/ketchup I makes me sad.

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Alternative-Golf8281@reddit

Wipe down shelves, walls, sweep the walk in, ... do them slowly until a customer walks in.

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Soggy-Attempt@reddit

Relabel the freeze Clean something that’s already clean Check restrooms

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GooseGosselin@reddit

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received, from an old timer....if there's nothing to do, pick up a broom. I did, and sure enough the job finished early and everyone was hanging around doing nothing, so the boss sent everyone home, except for me.....I was "sweeping up".

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Mysterious-Status-44@reddit

“If You’ve Got Time to Lean, You’ve Got Time to Clean” -Ray Kroc

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billymumfreydownfall@reddit

You got time to lean, you got time to clean.

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in_the_cabbage@reddit

Costsanza says “always look annoyed. Everyone always thinks I’m extremely busy because I look annoyed whenever I’m in the office”

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OuttHouseMouse@reddit

Yea pretty much just take your time at your leisure at work. Who tf wants to work hard for a place like a resturaunt anyways. The pay is low, so should be your effort.

Take plenty of short breaks

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MacintoshEddie@reddit

Learn from the bartenders, they can wipe down a countertop for hours and still have more countertop to wipe.

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Sea_Substance9163@reddit

If you have time to lean, you have ti.e to clean. Boss at my first (fast food) job.

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Unkindly-bread@reddit

There’s always something to clean.

I learned this better when I was in the Navy and there was always something to paint!

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HotdawgSizzle@reddit

Hide in the bathroom, have cleaning supplies in hand at all times but barely clean anything.

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mattsl@reddit

It makes me really happy that when asked for unethical tips the consensus response is the Boomer catch phrase "Time to lean time to clean". Cleaning even when it's not needed is unethical. Rewarding people who look busy but aren't productive is unethical.

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GoodMilk_GoneBad@reddit

If I'm being watched and hourly, I'm not going to give them a reason to cut me early if I want that money.

So yeah, the appearance of keeping busy on my own initiative is going to keep me from being sent home and getting an even shittier paycheck.

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Sk8r_2_shredder@reddit

Considering the sub we are in. Don’t give yourself more work. If the employer wants to punish you for being quick to complete tasks (send you home or find you more work to add to your list of responsibilities), then slow down and take your time in the tasks that you do complete. Don’t slow so much that you won’t complete everything asked of you within your shift. But don’t make it so that the boss will automatically think of you everytime they need something done. Eventually you become the go-to person to dump extra work on. And if you’re paid by the hour there is no reason for you to bust your ass to get more done in a day. Employers need to understand the value of paying employees what they are worth.

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