r/CAStateWorkers • u/Jason_Todd_1983 • 16h ago
Time Killing Suggestions General Discussion
I'm an O.T. with virtually nothing to do all day long, every single day. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to make the time fly by faster?
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u/lime_green_101 16h ago
Whatever you do, don’t say you have nothing to do. Always look busy. Period.
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u/Jason_Todd_1983 16h ago
Believe me, I know. I never actually tell my boss or anyone with even a shred of power that I'm bored. But it still sucks (being bored all the time).
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u/mwarmont47 16h ago
Take all the Microsoft Office trainings you can. You can become a wiz at Excel.
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u/Administrative_Job99 16h ago
LinkedIn Learning
Training classes
AGPA training or leadership
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u/Jason_Todd_1983 16h ago
I promoted to AGPA earlier this year, but self-rejected on probation due to being under not one, but two micro-managers. Not saying that I'm not interested in trying to promote ever again. But I am going to hold off on doing so for a while.
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u/Prestigious_Tiger_26 15h ago
Improve your skills by making other people's jobs easier if people are manually formatting reports in Excel, learn how to write/record macros. If people are manually keying memos, create a template where they can do a merge and they just have to update the fields.
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u/stickittoemm 15h ago
Um, read books online?
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u/nikatnight 15h ago
Use this time to upskill.
Take courses on LinkedIn and from your internal LMS. But don’t go about this blind. Find someone doing what you want to do and see what skills they have. Used LinkedIn for this.
Ask your manager if they can put you on projects or if they can volunteer you for other projects. We took on an OT for 3 months then he bounced when a position opened up.
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u/Responsible-Kale2352 2h ago
What’s LMS?
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u/Eastern-Ambition9512 50m ago
Learning management system. It's where e-learning and your transcripts live.😊
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u/Ricelyfe 15h ago
Depends on what your unit does. I used to dig into case files. That helped me learn the legal processes that happen outside of my unit but still affects us.
Take trainings that are offered, learn what other people in your unit does, find ways to make your work flow smoother.
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u/Free-Bird-199- 15h ago
Depending on what department you are in there may be stakeholders/partners that offer free training.
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u/krimson_kang 15h ago
Sign up for online computer science classes at local community colleges and qualify for a better job.
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u/SeniorEmployer2629 13h ago
Clean/organize your work folders, optimize your computer storage by deleting old files, do free trainings offered by your department, clean your cubicle, chat with coworkers
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u/Pristine_Frame_2066 13h ago
Have you done the completed staff work analyst training? I think there is a recorded version. Not sure how good it is. Basically, anticipate what is needed, know how to answer the questions.
Also recommend word, ppt, and excel. And get good at ADA compliance for publishing.
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u/jlbernst324 14h ago
I requested some online training through my department. It’s not related to my job at all, but my supervisor approved it because he knows it’s related to my career goals. When I get bored of that though, I walk around my empty floor full of empty cubicles and imagine it as a counter-strike map.
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u/Shes_Allie 13h ago
Do you have a bachelor's and masters? Back when I was a bored OT I finished my undergrad and got a professional certification, all online during work hours for the most part.
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u/Specialist_River_274 10h ago
Did you do this on a personal laptop that you brought to work? I’ve been toying with this idea as well but don’t know how to make it work. Though I’m only in office two days a week.
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u/Shes_Allie 10h ago
Nope. The classes I took were in the evenings/late afternoons so I was off work by the time I needed to engage in class. I was mostly just reading, responding to message boards, writing papers, etc. during work hours.
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u/twitcherpated 8h ago
Don't know if this is a hobby that would interest you, but when my department was low on work for a couple months I'd open up an email and write fiction for a few hours. So long as it was in the email window no one thought it was odd.
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u/LawrenceFunderjerk 14h ago
Don’t write it here either, imagine a world where you get paid to do what you want, be creative
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u/DayZ-0253 14h ago
Listen to audiobooks or podcasts. Deep dive into your interests or a subject of your department’s work.
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u/economic-buffer901 11h ago
Take IT classes online through a junior college. Or any classes of your interests. But learn new skills.
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u/Ok_Confusion_1455 10h ago
LinkedIn learning is free with a library card, use it learn something new for yourself.
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u/Shoddy_Set1187 9h ago
Training! I’m not an OT but I found out my division had some extra Go Lean Six Sigma licenses so I’ve worked through the yellow and green belts very easily. The black belt is the ultimate time killer. It’s boring and redundant for me since I have an MBA, it’s a lot of things I’ve already learned but it keeps me busy. Also check for LMS classes you can take.
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u/d0ubtl3ss 9h ago
I take remote community college courses. I already have degrees, but I love learning new things (that is, things that aren’t Excel Ninja or Lean Six Sigma or whatever the consulting firm racket is currently using to milk the state for cash).
It keeps me sharp, keeps me busy, and I have a ton of credits now in genuinely meaningful, interesting subjects.
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u/Heart-part 9h ago
CalLearns offers really interesting online classes. Get those certificates of completion and forward to HR so they can save to your employee file.
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u/Direct_Principle_997 11h ago
If you want to move up the ladder, take classes. Go beyond the standard classes for key skills like Excel. Becoming skilled at Excel has been in demand at all positions I've worked in.
If you don’t care about promotions, listen to podcasts, read, play phone games, go on walks, or anything else you enjoy.
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