I use the forum to clear my head between tasks. For instance, I just did an estimate for a couple of sliding doors for a CarMax in Myrtle Beach. I will write up the estimate, click over and check in on the forum for a few minutes and then go back and go through the estimate with a fresh perspective to make sure I haven't overlooked anything. Occasionally I'll adjust something and go back to the forum for a few minutes and think about it.
There's only so much productivity you can get out a person, hence the studies showing that longer workdays just plateau the productivity rather than let it continue to increase. People aren't machines, our squishy flesh-computers need distractions or they get out of whack and productivity over the long haul decreases. Less true if you're, let's hyperbolically say, swinging a hammer 8hrs a day but you probably go on autopilot with a worksite radio playing some tunes. So yea, I check GRM regularly at work. I rarely post but I do revel in the distraction but that's mostly because I'm currently getting paid to twiddle my thumbs while watching the smoke and mirrors show.
NickD said:I use it all day at work. And, yeah, it's definitely slower on the weekends. If it's slow, or I'm waiting for a vehicle to program, or I'm waiting on the service writer to sell work, then I poke around on here.
I am sitting in a Flex right now, running the air out of the cooling system. 265k miles and original water pump and timing chains, he wanted them done pre-emptively as he plans to keep the vehicle another 200k.
The Internet says they fail every 50k or so 
. I forget how many miles his other Flex has but it is well north of 100k...
1988RedT2 said:As an avowed Luddite, I firmly believe that the business world would be better off with paper ledgers, 10-key adding machines, and slide rules. The primary use of computers in business is solitaire, forum use, and general web browsing to the detriment of productivity. When I'm the boss, all the computers go in the dumpster and we get out the paper and pencils!
A lot of comics (including early webcomics, which allowed wider publishing) were pen and pencil doodles while at work.
So you are not wrong, but also not entirely right
Yes, got to keep with the Voice of the Customer.
barefootcyborg5000 said:I saw this thread during my morning routine but waited till I got to work to actually read it. Am I doing this right?
Absolutely!
birdmayne said:I always have a GRM tab open at work, on my phone, my personal computer and anywhere else I go.
My job allows me that freedom without effecting my productivity, which is nice.
This.
My job is variable hours of variable intensity and variable freedom.
Grm is my brain candy.
I wish! When I'm at work, it's not unusual for me to start planning ahead for when I might be able to get to the bathroom.
The exception is my lunch break (if I get one) when I will always have GRM open on my phone while sitting in my car (like right now).
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ said:I have two monitors- one is for CAD, one is for GRM.
Similar: 3 monitors, including the laptop monitor. Two with work stuff on it, the laptop with email or web browser.
Yes, I tend to be more active during work hours, although I browse other times as well.
I lurk more than I post, but I'm always checking in. Whenever I have 30 seconds waiting for a computer to load, waiting for parts, or even going up or down with a hoist.
The mobile format is excellent.
In reply to Toyman! :
I used to do the same thing at work. Seeing your own writing/thinking with a fresh set of eyes is really valuable.
Also, shout out to the 6AM crew that come in and clean up the spam that shows up over night. Yinz the real heroes.
In reply to CrustyRedXpress :
Today I learned: Crusty Red Xpress is from Pittsburgh.
Crusty Red Xpress said "yinz". 
Crusty Red Xpress must also be a fan of Ghost in the Shell. 
I never browse the GRM forum at work, because I never use my work computer for non-work related tasks (really) and I don't use my phone to browse the web. Plus, if I'm browsing the forum, I'm not working.
I have tasks due every week at my job. Probably 40% of them are not possible during the hours of 06:00 to 23:00 Eastern, because those are the core business hours and we can't go making changes when traffic is highest.
That said, the difference between working and browsing the forums is a 90 degree swivel of a chair and a change of monitors/computers. Since I don't have a start time or a stop time, it doesn't matter if I look at the forums for 10 minutes here and there.
I usually check the forums when I get into the office at 7:00 as I finish up my coffee. I’ll check in again mid morning and while I’m eating lunch. Depends on the day obviously, some are more bananas than others.
My job is full of a few minutes of downtime. Firmware this activate that and oh the customer has to go pick up their kids so wait in my van 20 minutes because I can't be in their house alone.
My white collar tech job frequently has me waiting on process hurdles and approvals and other such things where I have many small periods of downtime throughout the day that can't realistically be used to do other work.
If I'm current on everything in my inbox and nobody is waiting on anything critical from me, my bosses really don't care what I do with that free time, so I usually work a bit of forum browsing and general internetting into those periods.
What else am I going to do when I poop?
I find myself using this as a thought processor; somewhat like toyman, I'll flip through while contemplating an issue or deciding on a course of action. I rarely post during the day mon-thurs but if I'm stuck then I'll find myself here.
1988RedT2 said:As an avowed Luddite, I firmly believe that the business world would be better off with paper ledgers, 10-key adding machines, and slide rules. The primary use of computers in business is solitaire, forum use, and general web browsing to the detriment of productivity. When I'm the boss, all the computers go in the dumpster and we get out the paper and pencils!
And I bet productivity would go down because paper and pencil takes freaking forever to do actual work with. I can draft a lease in minutes on the computer that would take hours or days to do manually. That's a 26 page document. You gonna make people take those days just so they can't spend 15 minutes on GRM after getting two days of work done in an hour?
there's a reason our national productivity keeps going up despite our limitless distractions. Efficiency. Computers are efficient at doing the crap we have to do.
you remind me of the teachers that make you sit and stare at the clock on a beautiful day despite all the work being done. Can't have people enjoying themselves on my time!!
I haven't read a personal email at work in at least six years. GRM? Forget about it. I'd love to but I have way too much E36 M3 that I'm expected to complete. berkeley me to tears.
And I am shocked at that forum traffic chart. Thousands are on here right now. Seriously?
OHSCrifle said:I haven't read a personal email at work in at least six years. GRM? Forget about it. I'd love to but I have way too much E36 M3 that I'm expected to complete. berkeley me to tears.
And I am shocked at that forum traffic chart. Thousands are on here right now. Seriously?
Maybe consider a career change? Unless you're happy with your current employment.
In reply to OHSCrifle :
Tens of thousands, but yeah. I recall that it's growing YoY, which is pretty unique for forums in 2022.
I check 3-4 times a week from work. About as many not at work
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