r/howtonotgiveafuck • u/Tactful_line • Dec 12 '25
𝙿𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚘𝚙𝚑𝚢 Just don't care about anybody and do your work.
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u/lemonlimeaddict Dec 12 '25
This sounds like the opposite of not giving a fuck, since it actively putting on a show for the benefit of others
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u/FallingUpwardz Dec 12 '25
Its not for the benefit of others though. Its for the benefit of yourself. Look busy, get given less work, chill more
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u/FionaMcBroccoli Dec 14 '25
It’s so not for the benefit of others, hehe. It’s for the benefit of yourself. If you look chill people will find a way to give you more work, NEVER look like you’re chilling if you have an office job! Learned it the hard way
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u/Old_Kodaav Dec 14 '25
Well you have to not give a f. in order to do this. I can't pretend to work and I do not intend to. I'm actually thinking of my own business at my young age since I'm already at my limits regarding bullshit on the job market
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u/Rich-Mark-4126 Dec 12 '25
To an extent, this is true
But taking the initiative to ask for work when needed is also good to an extent. Your manager shouldn't have to keep an eye on you to ensure you're working
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Dec 12 '25
This is only true if you make your own extra work, like finding ways your company could improve and bring in more money thus making room in the budget for a raise for you.
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u/itsnouxis Dec 12 '25
If I get paid for the initiative then my pleasure otherwise why
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u/Rich-Mark-4126 Dec 12 '25
My comment is targeted at newer hires who don't have many tasks to do and likely have a lot of free time
If you want to establish yourself in the workplace as someone who will never take the initiative to ask for work and will sit at their desk for hours doing nothing instead, then go ahead. Just don't be surprised when your manager doesn't like you and checks on you every 30 minutes to make sure you're working and you end up being micromanaged
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u/GrimbyJ Dec 16 '25
Keep your head down and collect your paycheck. If there are benchmarks you should optimize those even at the cost of actual productivity.
When the time comes for layoffs they won't remember what you did. They'll remember they like Steve because he's outgoing and funny.
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u/Rich-Mark-4126 Dec 16 '25
I know people endlessly repeat this "cog in a wheel" narrative where no one remembers what you did, but I really don't believe it's accurate. I worked in an entry level role in a corporate office, and when I told them I planned to leave if I couldn't go part-time, the request went all the way up to the director to approve/deny and I was given a generous pay rise.
Frankly, the logic makes no sense to me: If your work is tested by your benchmark/KPI's, which you would have a long history of, why would they choose to keep Steve instead over someone with strong KPI's? Isn't that totally contradictory to the idea you're proposing that you're a cog in the wheel?
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u/GrimbyJ Dec 16 '25 edited Dec 16 '25
It depends on who makes the decisions.
You know based on how you wrote that your experience isn't typical. Sometimes a company will come through for you. Mostly it won't.
Usually doesn't matter if you do extra work unless that is reflected in your KPI. They'll remember for a little while of course but it won't matter in a year unless you're consistently working harder than you need to.
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u/CoffeeTastesOK Dec 12 '25
The only office job I had was so busy I had to quit after 8 months due to stress!
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u/Tactful_line Dec 12 '25
Moreover: Always look stressed and be in hurry to go from one place to other.
People should be scared to take even 2 minutes of your busy time
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Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25
This is an idiots way of thinking. A fool.
This is like dimming down your inner light just because everyone else lives in darkness.
Putting on an “ act” is not, not giving a fuck. You are giving a fuck about what would happen if you went against your co workers. Not being “You”.
It’s you actively trying to avoid work to be lazy. Just because others do it? This isn’t good for your mind. It needs to be used.
Looking stressed is a very bad thing. Being approachable is a great thing. It means you’re trusted. These work in all aspects of life but especially in a professional setting.
Overall. Very poor advice and promotes you to not become the best version of yourself.
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u/TakingMyPowerBack444 Dec 12 '25
Idk why you’re getting downvoted. I totally agree that it’s “dimming your light”. This post is a fear-based approach to life. You can’t reach your fullest potential with this poverty mindset 🤷♂️
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Dec 12 '25
There’s a lot of posts like this in this sub, that in fact if you break them down are really bad advice.
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u/crownbee666 Dec 12 '25
"Best version of yourself" for minimum wage.
Thanks, but I'll save the best of me for people I actually enjoy.
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Dec 12 '25
It has nothing to do with “wage”. If that’s how you view yourself and others “by the wage they make” and not the effort they put into themselves to make their life better, then your a horrible person.
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u/crownbee666 Dec 12 '25
It has everything to do w wage. If you put the absolute minimum legal worth you can to my time, why THE FUCK would I give you my best?
It's that boomer mind-set of yours that I'm not the first, or the last, to call out. Feel free to be better.
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Dec 12 '25
So age has come into play now? Dude im 37. But again has nothing to do with anything here.
You can do the bare minimum and thats going to keep giving you the bare minimum. Living just as a pawn.
Smart phones are smart but the people that use them? Questionable.
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Dec 12 '25
Nah, I tried to do that and just got slammed with work I couldn't keep up with and then management came for me as to why things weren't done or completed. If i explained im drowning in work and don't have enough time, I just got assigned more work. It's like my employer wanted me to work for them 24/7 and get no sleep. So if that makes lazy, so be it. Now I'm with a new employer and honestly, I keep my head low, make sure like I'm always busy, don't accept additional work if able to and my workload and mental health is way better. As far as co-workers approaching me...nah thank you, all they want to do is gossip about so and so and im not about that life I come to work, do my job, leave and then get paid.
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u/Super-Estate-4112 Dec 12 '25
best version of yourself.
Best for who? trying to become the "Best version of myself" will require a lot of dedication, anxiety, and frustration until it is achieved, and for what? Just to serve others at my expense?? fuck that
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Dec 12 '25 edited Dec 12 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/mrjehovah Dec 12 '25
The best version of myself is getting paid x amount of dollars for the least amount of work. So if I am happy being paid x amount, why would I want to build 50 boxes a day when I can build 5 and get paid the same? Work is literally doing something you don't want to do to pay for the things you do want. That is why it is called work. Now it is completely different when you are trying to climb the corporate ladder or branching out into new careers. But if you're happy and the boss is happy with minimum effort? If you want to do more at that point, you are special needs.
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u/Fast-Moment1761 Dec 12 '25
Then don't. The world is full of selfish people that don't want to improve themselves. You know that becoming the best version of yourself isn't about "serving others at your expense", but you purposefully want to maintain this kind of thinking because you want to justify yourself doing nothing.
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Dec 12 '25
Yeah you're 100% going to live a sad life if that's how you view work. Best of luck.
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u/Super-Estate-4112 Dec 12 '25
There is nothing noble about selling your work in exchange of a wage.
It is just a trade, nothing else, if they make it worth it I may try harder.
Lying to yourself wont make your life any happier either.
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u/Fast-Moment1761 Dec 12 '25
Likewise, telling yourself that there's no point in trying at all won't make you any less miserable or bitter.
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u/AnnualAdventurous169 Dec 12 '25
nah, if it’s your first your you really hurt your learning, looking young lets you get away with asking so many dumb questions
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u/Tarik_7 Dec 12 '25 edited Mar 02 '26
This specific post was taken down by its author. Redact was used for removal, for reasons that may include privacy, security, or data exposure concerns.
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u/gamblinonme Dec 12 '25
Carry a clipboard with you and pen, sometimes it helps if you clip your keys on your belt loop too
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u/TooCupcake Dec 12 '25
Yes, you shouldn’t be blamed for inefficient distribution of tasks, so if you are in a situation where you need to look like you are working and you have already done everything, you must pretend.
This doesn’t mean that you refuse to take on tasks or actively avoid working just because you can pretend to be busy.
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u/jmlipper99 Dec 12 '25
How are they not to blame for the inefficient distribution of tasks, when the person responsible for the efficient distribution of tasks can’t analyze it properly because they’re mucking it up?
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u/TooCupcake Dec 13 '25
How is it your fault to not have enough work assigned to you? You can ask your boss but if they don’t allocate more work to you, are you to blame for having to look busy?
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u/MilkNo4604 Dec 12 '25
I always suspected office workers got paid to fuck off. And most of those positions are held by women.
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u/mck12001 Dec 13 '25
What a strange comment
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u/MilkNo4604 Dec 13 '25
I'll clarify.
The entire context of this post is that office jobs are largely bullshit and people who do them are paid well to do comparatively little.
Most office positions are held by women ( roughly 70-75%)
So, most of the people getting paid to do jack shit are women.
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u/mck12001 Dec 13 '25
You’re choosing to believe that most people in office jobs are the cushy ones with nothing to do.
Every workplace is going to be different.
Reality is not the same as a meme.
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u/Hoosier-OG Dec 13 '25
It’s like acting. The busier you are perceived to be the less anyone pries into your value. You do need to complete your projects on time and be competent in your position. However the moment you start to slack and it’s visible, you’re cooked.
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u/dsp_guy Dec 16 '25
When I was 19, I had an internship at an engineering firm. The work I did for them, I don't think my supervisor really understood very well. He understood what he wanted, but not how to get it done. I spent the first two weeks teaching myself SQL and the next week producing the data that he wanted. I got some comments back on how they wanted things displayed.
I had no other tasks. For the other 6 weeks. None. I made the fixes they wanted and ran these reports twice per week. I learned how to "look busy." My concern was, as an intern, they could just cut me at any time. I really wanted that paycheck.
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