Be Lazier » Work

Limit Firefox’s URL Suggestions To Get More Work Done

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:00:13 +0000

Firefox has a wonderful feature that suggestions about 10 sites in your url drop down menu to make it easier to surf the Web. Firefox learns what you click most and where you most often navigate to. The problem is that the suggestion bar can make it difficult to work since every time it drops down there are you favorite websites mocking you from your screen.

You can easily limit the number of suggestions or turn them off completely when you’re at work or really need to get a project done.

Type about:config in the url bar.
You’ll be warned about voiding your warranty. Good thing Firefox doesn’t have one, click “I’ll be careful, I promise!”.
Scroll down to browser.urlbar.matchonlytyped and double-click. Change the value to True and click OK.

That’s all you have to do to stop the suggestions and temptations of your favorite websites. You can also resize the AwesomeBar, move tabs between browser windows, and use HideTab when you are being lazy at work.

[photo by: Alex Hecht]

The Easy Way To Do A Self-Evaluation At Work

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:00:05 +0000

The next time you’re at work and asked to evaluate yourself or do a self-appraisal before you next review make it easier on yourself by following some simple rules. Always talk positively about yourself, except when it comes to your best quality. That’s where you want to low ball yourself since it’s likely that your boss will disagree.

By giving yourself low marks on your strongest quality you’ll accomplish the following.

Make it seem like you’re hard on yourself.
Give your boss a reason to improve your score on one thing and likely a few others too.
Takes the stress off of finding negative aspects of your working habits.
Helps you deflect from the things you are really not good at.

Plus having a set plan for a self-appraisal will also make the entire process a shorter one so you can get back to doing what you do best – being lazy.

[photo by: +fatman+]

Study Finds Working At Work Improves Productivity

6 Tips For Lazy Workers

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:00:30 +0000

CNN gives some tips for lazy workers to get ahead although they really seem like ways for lazy workers to get even lazier. The name of this site is Be Lazier so I guess it’s a perfect match.

E-mail can wait. No, really, it can. You don’t have to answer an e-mail the moment it pops up on your screen. < It can? Well fine then, I’ll just let the inbox pile up.
Saying ‘no’ won’t get you fired. If you’re drowning in work, however, telling co-workers that you just can’t get to their request right now won’t necessarily hurt you. < If you’re lazy you probably aren’t overloaded with work as it is.
Don’t multitask. The ability to simultaneously talk on the phone, send an e-mail and heat up the meatballs for the monthly potluck is an admirable quality but not necessarily the most beneficial. < Meatballs?
Give yourself a break. Literally, just get away from work for five minutes. Take a walk around the floor or step outside for some fresh air. < Lazy people have this down to an art. Walk around all you want and make the most mundane tasks take twice as long as they need to.
Don’t eat lunch at your desk. Eating at your desk can be an occasional necessity, either because you’re close to a deadline or you’re in a productive zone that you don’t want to interrupt. < Besides, you can watch reruns of He-Man on Hulu while you’re on the clock.
Schedule some “me” time. Go into your calendar and block off a period of time for whatever work you need to do without interruption. Treat that time as if it were an important appointment with your boss and consider it non-negotiable. If someone tries to schedule a meeting with you, tell him or her that you’re busy but can try for another time. < Or just schedule some “no meetings” time where you can take a nap.

Seems like lazy and work go hand in hand.

[photo by: greghartmann]

H1N1 May Kill You But A Good Excuse For A Week Off

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 07:00:22 +0000

According to MSN, you can take the hysteria about the swine flu (H1N1) and use it in your favor to take up to a week off from work. Even if you’ve already called in “sick” this flu season, fudging the truth with some H1N1 might give you the time you need for a break or to have some fun.’

The ploy worked for one twentysomething New Yorker, looking to get a day off work. “My brother goes to a school that had been hit really hard, and since I visited him, it was completely plausible I could get it,” says Jessica, who works in ad sales. (She didn’t want her last name used to protect her secret identity as a swine flu faker.)

“The truth of the matter was that it was a Friday, and I was nursing a serious hangover,” she continues. “Things really backfired on me, though — I work at the same company as a family friend. He called my parents saying he hoped I was feeling OK. They drove an hour to take care of me at my apartment. I had to do a full-on acting job for two full days.”

By the way – when did “twentysomething” become a word? Regardless don’t be stupid and take the day off with your friends, unlike this “twentysomething” who worried her parents half to death – and forcing them to take time off from work. Maybe that’s contagious too.

[photo by: Ben Chau]

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HideTab Firefox Extension A Good Way To Be Shady and Lazy At Work

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:00:22 +0000

Discretely waste time on the Internet by automatically hiding your time-wasting Firefox tabs with the great little plugin, HideTab. The plugin lets you select which (or all) of the Firefox tabs you want to hide so the next time your boss walks by he won’t notice you surfing science-fiction websites or reading the latest sports scores.

Clicking the HideTab button at the bottom right of the browser will hide any of the tabs with websites you’ve designated at time wasters. The little icon will turn red whenever there are any tabs being hidden. You can also set a default “kosher” page to open when you hide one or more tabs. HideTab is easy to use and a quick install for Firefox only.

Sitting On A Ball At Work, Good For Your Back Bad For Your Butt

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:00:24 +0000

As demonstrated in the video below by technology writer Leo Laporte who sits on one while he records his podcasts.

At least he recovered pretty quickly.

3 Workouts For Your Neurons Without Reading Or Thinking Too Much

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:29 +0000

Sure reading and learning can be a real power boost for your brain, but it’s also a major drag on your slacking off. Basically since your brain is lazy too and gets more efficient doing things over and over, a few tweaks here and there can keep your mind sharp.

Hack Your Brain By Switching Toothbrush Hands – Brushing your teeth in the morning with you non-dominant hand stimulates the growth of new brain cells. These new cells help make the task easier over time.
Stand On One Foot – Cross your arms across your chest and stand on each foot for a minute at a time. If you’ve ever sprained an ankle you likely damaged some of the nerve endings in your foot making it hard for your brain to get a good sense of your balance. You can rebuild these neuro-receptors by doing this balancing act for a few minutes daily.
Sit On a Ball - Exchange your office chair with an exercise ball to get your brain working on giving you balance and stability. This simple act of sitting on a slightly bouncy ball is not only fun and good for a brain boost, it can help you burn a few extra calories during an 8-hour workday.

Using your brain without thinking is the most efficient way to grow neurons and look stupid trying to brush your teeth with your left (or right) hand. Best not try switching your hands on the job if you work as a butcher though.

[photo by: hurleygurley]

Get An Extra Day To Finish Your Homework Or Work Project With Corrupted Files

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:00:44 +0000

Instead of getting your work done on time and sending it to your professor or boss, use the Corrupted Files to send in scrambled versions of your Mircosoft Word documents. For about $5 you can purchase a 1,2, 10, whatever-page document to buy yourself some time to actually finish the work you were supposed to do.

It’s probably going to take a few hours or days for that teacher or corporate manager to realize that the file you sent them doesn’t work (because they’re lazy too, trust me.) To make this all more believable, rename the Word file to something like, “My_Homeword.doc”. In the meantime start writing that paper!

Otherwise you’ll have spent 5 bucks stalling and failing that class or losing your job. Of course, you could just corrupt the file yourself for free but that would be too proactive. If you’re going to spend the time doing that, just finish the assignment instead.

[photo by: mandiberg]

Study Finds Working At Work Improves Productivity

Can The US Economy Be Saved By European Vacations?

Mr. Lazy — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:00:46 +0000

The solution for most American companies being hit hard by the tanking economy is to layoff employees, reduce wages, or take government bailouts. European experts are suggesting something for US corporations to consider, give your employees more time off.

But the implications of the question of layoffs versus cutting hours or increased time off go beyond individual families. In the United States, 6 in 10 workers who have become unemployed over the last 12 months have not received any unemployment benefits. Thus, more than one out of every two unemployed workers ends up having to severely curtail their consumption, which pulls down economic growth since 70 percent of the United States economy is based on consumer spending.

Work less, get paid, and keeping your job sound like crazy European ideas that work because, well, the alternatives suck. If you’re on the job market and dedicated to being lazy, keep applying for the top slacker jobs and just pretend you’re French until you get one.

[photo by: mikebaird]

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Join The Slow Movement: TimeBanksUSA

Mr. Lazy — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 07:00:52 +0000

Oil, food, and cost of living prices are skyrocketing but still aren’t anywhere as valuable as our time. Attorney Edgar Cahn though, is fighting for your right to be lazy.

Cahn is a leader in the “slow movement,” a national campaign that claims that speed kills. Its leaders say that Americans are so starved for time, our need for speed is destroying our health, families and communities.

To help us in our “time crisis” (or time of crisis) Cahn created TimeBanks USA.

TimeBanks members barter blocks of time known as “time dollars.” One member may, for example, buy groceries for a stranger in exchange for someone else walking their dog.

Maximizing your free time is what we’re all about since it’s vital to good health and sex. When you’re not relaxing while awake, make the most out of your naps.

[photo by: alumroot]

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