What To Do When You Get Caught Surfing By The Boss!

By Susan Silva
Posted Sunday, February 20, 2005

It has been a long morning and you need a mental break. You start thinking of your weekend plans and jump on your messaging program to make plans with a friend. You have the movie times and a chat box up on your screen and what happens, your supervisor walks up behind you! You think to yourself Murphy's law is in full effect. What do you do when you get busted surfing or chatting at work? The situation all depends on how you react and handle yourself. Here are some helpful techniques/excuses you may be able to use:

1. I am looking for a job that pays more money. (the defensive excuse)

2. Oh no! I need IT to come out, I have a blinking light that wont go away. (the play dumb excuse)

3. Keep your company website minimized and maximize it fast when the boss comes by and admit you want to learn more about the company. (the cover-up!)

4. You were investigating stuff for a surprise party you were planning on throwing for (who ever just walked in) and now the plans are ruined, way to go! (the guilt factor)

5. I was just comforting a friend who lost a relative to bovinexctrementitis. (the compassion excuse)

6. If you are lucky enough to hear someone behind you, ctrl/alt/dlt and enter to lock the comp when the boss walks up, then immediately turn to him and start discussing whatever project he has you working on. (the get-a-way)

7. Look happy and say "Wow, I have my answer! That chatroom (close your chat so they don't see SWM-30ish saying hi) or website solved my formatting issue. (the seriously it was work.. I swear not goofing off excuse)

8. Just leave your surfing up, know you get your work done, and just keep surfing. (the who-cares who sees, no excuse excuse!)

9. Keep AdminProf.com up and show your boss you surf useful business/work related sites! (the best excuse!)

Most of us surf and take breaks during the day. If we do our work well and get it done when we are supposed to, surfing is much less an issue. Remember don't abuse surfing have fun and make use of the vast amount of resources on the Internet!

About the Author
Susan Silva is the owner of AdminProf.com, a website for office professionals of all types with useful resources, articles, message boards and a bit of fun mixed in. You can visit her site at (http://www.adminprof.com) or sign up for her monthly newsletter at (http://lb.bcentral.com/ex/manage/subscriberprefs.aspx?customerid=14336)