Stay Productive in an Unproductive Environment

Freelancing techniques for the office hours

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Today again, it is one of those days when I cannot help it, I need to go to the office. I carefully organized my day with each party that I am working with, I have 4 consecutive meetings at the same company from 9 to 4, including a lunch break meeting for maxing out my time — once I’m already there.

I planned it so carefully. And then everything goes south.

My first meeting gets cancelled. As I had arrived half an hour earlier to be prepared mentally too, I had been fumbling around with my things, not wanting to jump into anything, as the meeting will start soon. Only it doesn’t and it gets cancelled 5 minutes after the scheduled time. I lost 35 minutes. I go and get a coffee, chat with the girls over it, we gossip and complain about colleagues and life.

I have almost an hour until the next meeting starts. It would be enough to do some work, only people start to talk to me, asking me about status updates and asking for my opinion on random things. So nothing gets done. Again. Another hour is lost as for the remaining 15 minutes the best thing I can do is… Facebook, Instagram, Medium. Feels irritating.

Especially that this second meeting starts 15 minutes later, thanks to one colleague who is…