4 signs you're a slacker
(MoneyWatch) Who is more committed to their work -- the office strivers who toil away industriously every day in order to build a successful business, or the kind of employees who spend half their day loitering by the coffee maker and tweeting their lunch adventures? The answer isn't as obvious as you might think.
A new survey by Leadership IQ found that in 42 percent of companies, slackers report having the highest levels of satisfaction and engagement in their jobs. And why not? The Wall Street Journal explains that bosses are partially to blame for this phenomenon because they assign the slackers the easy projects. So instead of being stressed out at work, they generally have little trouble accomplishing their tasks. After all, diminished expectations are easier to achieve.
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How can you tell what category you fall into -- striver or slacker? Ask yourself the following:
How many times per day do you typically check Facebook, Twitter, Pintrest or other social media sites? Unless monitoring the Internet is part of your job, if the combined total is more than, say, three, you might be a slacker.
How long does it take you to refill your water glass or coffee mug? A trip to the office kitchen shouldn't take more than five minutes. If your trips are averaging 20 minutes a pop, you're probably spending more time chit-chatting than working.
Are you planning something big that's not work-related? Getting married? Buying a house? Researching colleges for your child? If you're super-focused on this big project, you may be spending too much of your time at work working on this project. Your boss isn't paying you to research flower decorations.
Do you always get the easiest projects? If your coworkers are beavering away while you often find yourself twiddling your thumbs, take that as a hint. Your boss may be giving you easier work because you can't be counted on for more challenging assignments.
