How to Look Busy at Work (and When to Just Be Honest)

Updated October 16, 2026 · 5 min read · By Varinder

Everyone has slow days: the project is waiting on someone else, the meeting was cancelled, and it's only 3 p.m. Here are some tongue-in-cheek ways to look busy, and a few that actually help.

The screen says "busy"

A blank desktop gives the game away. The fake work screen shows a code editor typing a report script or a spreadsheet with numbers changing all by themselves. It's also a good prop for videos and photos of an office.

For the full Hollywood effect (definitely not for a real office) there's the fake hacker screen.

Stop the laptop from locking

Nothing says "away" like a locked screen. The mouse jiggler page keeps the screen on from a browser tab. It won't keep a Teams status green, though: see how to keep your computer awake for why.

Classic office moves

• Carry a notebook everywhere. A notebook makes any walk look purposeful.
• Keep several documents open, ideally one with a chart.
• Use headphones. People assume you're concentrating, or on a call.
• Walk briskly. Nobody stops a fast walker to ask what they're doing.

Better: make the slow time count

Looking busy wears you out faster than being busy. A few things that genuinely help:

• Learn something useful: a spreadsheet shortcut, a short online course, the internal tool everybody struggles with.
• Tidy up: files, inbox, documentation, the task nobody wants. Future you will be grateful.
• Ask for more: telling your manager you have capacity usually goes down better than they'd expect, and it's how people get interesting projects.

A note on fake activity

Many companies monitor activity, and some treat mouse jigglers and similar tools as a disciplinary matter. The fake work screen is for fun, pranks and props; it's not a way to mislead an employer, and we don't recommend using it for that.