How much of your work-day is actually spent working?

[Teflon Billy]

About 1/2 most of the time...3/4 on a busy day.

I'm a barber, so a good amount of sitting around watching ESPN and reading the paper is pretty much in the job description.

 

[adwyn]

I find about 3/4 of my work day is working if you count schmoozing with people working, but I spend at least a quarter of my "off" time working, so somewhere I hope it balances.

 

[RangerWickett]

Back in my school days at Emory University's library, I'd be busy about 30% of the time, except during mid-terms and finals when it was more like 90% of the time. I got paid $8.75 an hour, and I got to work with books.

From January to April this year, I worked at a grocery store and had no time at all to do anything but scan groceries. If it got slow, the best I could manage was having a piece of scratch paper and a pen to jot down ideas. I got paid $8 an hour, and sometimes had to work until midnight, or open at 6:45am.

Monday I start a new library job. I'm getting paid $11.37 an hour, and I get to sit at a desk. I honestly couldn't care less how busy I am, because I've been a grocery store clerk. A library job, where my hours are regular every week, and my evenings are always free, is phenomenal compared to that.

 

[Turanil]

Only when things get tough, and the deadline is there do I work at 100%. However most of the time it's 0 to 50%. 0% when having no work, 50% when having actual work. I am speaking of professionnal work, I am a freelance working at home.

 

[Nifft]

Urf. It's Saturday, and I'm going to work about half a day (from home, though, much easier, don't have to dress up).

I've neglected several personal matters this week which I hope to clear up as well...

This would be cause for great belly-aching if I didn't like my work

-- N

 

[the Jester]

About 106%.

Meaning it usually takes me an extra half hour to finish everything up and get out, especially now that we close (we used to be 24 hours until about two weeks ago).

 

[spatha]

I'd say 1/2-1 hour out of 8 hours is actual work on an average day. The project I work in I take on average 10 calls a day with an average talk time of about 6 minutes. I love my job. Today I have been on the phone for a total of 22 minutes and have been here aprox. 6 hours. Today is a slower than normal day.

 

[DarrenGMiller]

I work at pretty close to 100% all of the time. Once or twice a week I may get to check enworld from work or do something non-work related, usually if I am just waiting for a student to catch a ride home. Additionally, I often go in on days when other teachers are home and work. Like today... the school year is over and I had drum line rehearsal from 10am - 2pm. All of the other teachers have started their summer... I am starting next year.

DM

 

[Eltern]

I'm a student, but I work part time as a pizza delivery guy. I have to say that while I'm generally "working," it never feels like work. I run in, grab the pizza, find the address on our Big Map, then get out. I then procede to sit in my car, listening to NPR, talking with friends on the phone, flipping through CDs, contemplating the meaning of life, etc., while I drive. Deliver the pizza, turn around, and do the same thing on the way back to the store.

If things are slow and there are no runs up, the drivers all hang out in the back of the store, folding boxes and shooting the breeze. Maybe eat any extra pizzas. Whatever.

It's an amazingly low key, (relatively) high wage job. I love it

No internet access, though.

 

[Desdichado]

Oh, anywhere from 35-85% of my day is actual work

That sounds about right to me too, at least in my current job. In my last job, I did considerably more work per day and the work I did was considerably more stressful. My current job (with the same company; we tend to rotate around every few years or so) is like a vacation, relatively speaking. My postcount has shot up the last year too. There is a connection.