I know Lemmy is gonna say “stop being addicted to your phone” but like I’m asking this question with more of a like “fuck corporate” attitude

I gained a reputation in my work as someone always glued to the phone, even when walking home. Not that I care much about what others think, but in my defense, I am trading stocks. I toned down using my phone because I got called out by my supervisor as it had affected my work performance. In my role, we have lots of downtime in between the tasks and using phone is allowed so long as we do the job properly. Anyhow, not that I mind much what they think of me because my plan for early retirement is more important than my company needs who could eventually throw you under the bus 😝 I know companies don’t always appreciate long time employees so why should I give 110%? Some people give too much to companies but not me.

Phone mirror

Just look at it

Your boss wants to start shit when your work is getting done? Fuck them

I don’t care, if I want to look at my phone, I look at it. I get shit done, so nobody gives me grief. This might not work everywhere, but I wouldn’t work at a place that nitpicked over stuff like that.

We don’t have micromanagers in leadership positions so I whip that bad boy out and stare at it like everyone else in the office.

Generally just used it in the bathroom stall and made sure it was on silent. They used to ban all electronics on site with the static explosion excuse even though I’m not in an at risk part of the plant. I read a lot of books and drew in my sketch pads for the first few years. Along with napping and watching some shitty over the air free tv channel programming. Wasn’t worth sneaking it any where else here you’d risk getting fired pretty easily at the time. We still had/have landline phones family could call.

Oldies retired and new sociopaths took over but they chilled on electronics. Now we can have phones or tablets in control / lunch rooms and locker room. A full blown laptop would still get unapproving looks on dayshift, but not on night shifts. It was kinda shit until west Canada finally had larger data plans after another couple years. They’ve been fine with me using a Steam Deck. They generally don’t bug me about stretching the rules because I don’t fuck up nearly as often as everyone else in my department and I’m better at salvaging more material as prime than the others. Basically I’m in-house reclaim.

It’s not the easiest way but it works for me…

Make yourself irreplaceable. That’s what I did.

Retail store manager. Personal devices and headphones are a fireable offense. I allow my team cellphones as long as they get their job done. I have a single headphone with podcasts playing every moment I’m not on a conference call.

When my boss brought it up I just stared at him blankly and said “when I took over this store it was failing. Now it’s third in the district and rising” then stared blankly at him again.

He eventually stopped mentioning it.

discreetly? before being 100% work from home, i used to stream my tv with plex with my tablet on my desk. I’d usually just put one earbud in and leave the other ear to hear people if they needed me.

In highschool however (back in the late 90s) i used to listen to music from my walkman by fishing the corded earbuds from my pants pocket and in thru my sleeve. I’d hold the earbuds in my hand and the oversized hoodie sleeve would conceal everything perfectly. I’d rest my head in my hand with the earbuds and I’d look like any other student getting their work done.

me literally shitposting to Lemmy with one hand while my other hand scrubs a toilet

Huh? Discretely? WYM?

Nondiscreetly.

When boss asks why am I looking at the phone (or browsing around on the internet), I point out they hired me as consultant, so my duty is to look around and be informed of things so I’m not caught up emptyhanded when asked a question.

I browse in the restroom before returning to the cockpit.

Look at your phone while sitting in the stall.

I don’t even try to hide it anymore. My manager and I send each other memes during the work day.

You start taking more bathroom breaks.

#1 mobile data only. No wifi.

#2 have some sort of cover to look busy / stressed. Have an act ready so people don’t question what you do with your time. Keep an unfinished task on hand that you can pick up at a seconds notice.

#3 Hide in plain sight. If someone approaches your work area make it look like you were splitting your attention between the task and the phone, than without looking put your phone down/away and work on the task.