10 Things to Get Done When No One is in the Office

It is a quiet work week and many workplaces are empty.

However, if you are one of those who find themselves at work in an empty office, it can be a great time to be productive.

What can you get done while no one is at work this week?

Get Things Done When No One is Around

Your office is empty because of the holidays. (Or maybe just because you came in extra early.)

There is no one around. It is quiet. And there are few, if any, interruptions.

Some think this time is non-productive because their colleagues are absent. After all, it’s hard to have a meeting by yourself…!

Yet, when the workplace is empty, it can actually be one of the best times to get work done.

“Sometimes the best time to get work done is when no one else is in the office.”

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You can work without unnecessary interruptions. It is quiet enough to do your tough tasks. And you have extra time to complete lesser priority items.

Here are 10 Things You Can Get Done When No One is in the Office:

1. Empty Your Inbox – While the office is empty, is a great time to catch up on your inbox. Not only is it quiet, but you won’t have to deal with the normal deluge of incoming email.
2. Review Your Calendar and Todo List – Downtime provides an opportunity to scrub your todo list and calendar. What tasks are lurking on your list? Perhaps, some you have already completed or simply need to delete. As well, look at your calendar and see what upcoming obligations (and potential conflicts) you have.
3. Clean Your Desk – Busyness often leads to a cluttered desk. Utilize the quiet time to clean your workspace. A clean desk is productive, giving your more room to work and presenting fewer distractions.
4. Do Creative Work – Writing, designing, and creating are best accomplished without interruptions. An empty office provides solitude to unleash your creativity and dream up new ideas.
5. Get Ahead of a Deadline – While others are off is a great time for you to get ahead of the game. Work ahead of a project or deadline. You will reduce your stress level now, and have more time for review later.
6. Learn a Skill – When was the last time you learned a new skill? Take a course, or watch an instructional video. From Udemy to YouTube, you can learn something new right at your desk.
7. Admin Work – Get your expense reports, filing, and other miscellaneous paper work completed. These are low priority maintenance tasks that typically don’t get done due to interruptions and higher priorities.
8. Tasks from your Someday List – Take a look at your Someday-Maybe List. You probably have many tasks that have been hiding out there for some time. Use the slowness of an empty office to get some of those “forever” tasks done.
9. Read a Book – Very few people actually read in the workplace. Browse that important report, or peruse a professional journal or book that will increase your knowledge in your career.
10. Make a Plan – Even if some of your work awaits the input or action of others, you can plan the next steps in your tasks and projects. Investing time to plan now, will make you more productive in the future.

Work While the Office is Empty

Don’t look at an empty office as a disadvantage.

Yes, there are certain tasks that will have to wait until your co-workers are present. However, it can be a great opportunity to get your work done without the added noise and interruptions.

Make the most of the downtime in your office to get things done. You’ll be much further ahead when everyone else returns.

Question: What can you get done when the office is empty? You can leave a comment by clicking here.