Needing to find things to do at work

I need to find things to keep me busy and especially make me LOOK busy while at work. I am again in the situation where I have nothing to do. I’m surfing the ‘net but am only going to shopping sites so that could be VERY dangerous. I am also playing Spider Solitaire and it is getting boring.

Today at 9 am I was going out of my tree. I did nothing but start playing solitaire and was completely bored by 9. I would normally ask for things to do but no one is really busy and I don’t want to give them a reason to get rid of me. I’ve also been told by my boss to make sure that I always look busy, so you know they have reviewed my position and don’t deem it useful.

I’m also in a very high traffic location and people are walking by my desk all the time. I do have my back against the wall so people can’t see what I’m working on, but if they come around either corner they can get a glimpse of what’s up. I also have an extra monitor on my desk so can jump between the laptop and second monitor screens. This helps out a bit.

I do have some old paperwork at my desk that I constantly move around and pretend to look at. I’m a clean freak so every night before I leave I ensure nothing is left on my desk. So during the day I look busy with all this paperwork strewn around my desk. That I’ve mastered. It is the “keeping myself from going nuts” that I’m having problems with.

I haven’t even received one email today. How sad!