New Boss returns from her vacation today. She’s been gone since midday Nov. 2. Ugh. It has been a fantastical, fabulous tribute to Slacking Off. And today it all ends 🙁
But, here’s what I accomplished:
First off, she was gone for a payday, so I was certainly busy last week on Monday and Tuesday. I think Wednesday we met The Dude and Thursday is when I had my hot date with The Dude, so all of us pink collars spent a LOT of time Thursday comparing notes about our hot dates w/ him (oh yes, he gets around, heh heh).
Friday? Interminable. Yesterday? I upgraded Internet Explorer, installed some Windows updates, checked each of my 3 email accounts approximately twelve times, chitchatted with my sister accountants, went to an early lunch with Gene, websurfed, answered approximately 4 pieces of mail and filled out 4 Department of Labor Multiple Worksite Reports. Ooh, and IM’d with Julie (no, not THAT Julie).
Now, all of the work related stuff I would have had to do regardless of if New Boss was in town or not. The great thing about being (wayyy) underutilized with her gone is that I didn’t have to work as hard to look as busy.
See, here’s the deal: When your job fluctuates wildly between being incredibly busy (ask me how tomorrow and Thursday will go) and incredibly unbusy, you learn that it’s best to do your work when people are actually watching. They won’t notice if you’re not working when they’re not there, but they will definitely (okay, possibly) notice if you’re clipping coupons at 2 in the afternoon. There is no glory in doing all of your work in the first 30 minutes after you arrive at work (which I could have done yesterday) because then you will have to fill seven and a half hours with….something. And you can’t say Eff it and leave early because your boss isn’t there, and that’s the best way I know to guarantee that 47 urgent phone calls will come in needing your help.
I really dislike this. I feel like my work ethic is being degraded by this entire experience. I swear, I don’t mind working hard (a nice steady hard, not insane hard) and knowing how to just get by is just so depressing. The word from on-high (New Boss’s Boss) is “Work slower.” I am not making that up.
I am already excited about her next vacation, which cannot come soon enough. (Sadly, it’ll probably be well into next year, as her husband has a job where he earns regrettably few vacation days).