My boss in Phoenix makes us submit a 500-word daily report on a 'collaboration' spreadsheet nobody reads.

I timed it, and filling out that sheet takes 23 minutes every afternoon, time we could actually be working. I asked him last week what the data was for, and he said 'visibility' but couldn't name one decision made from it. Has anyone else had a manager create pointless busywork just to feel in control?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugos673mo ago

Ugh, that sounds like the most soul-crushing waste of time.

willow_king3mo ago

Bro, been there. I used to just power through and hate my life. Now I set a timer for 25 minutes of pure focus, then take a 5 minute break to do something I actually like. Makes the whole thing way less painful.

emma_burns9614d ago

Oh man, @hugos67 nailed it - soul-crushing is exactly the right word. I've been there too, and honestly the only thing that helped me was asking my boss to let me batch the reports at the end of the week instead of daily. Maybe try that? They might just say yes if you frame it as a way to get more actual work done during the week.