waster
I have found one activity that when performed reguarly in the modern office, has almost no negatives, and will endear you to everyone. It has the added benefit of actually being useful, requires no significant skills, can be dragged out for a while, can be performed many times a day, and whats more, warms you up. Your colleagues will like you, your office managers will love you, senior management when they catch glance of you doing this will mentally note that you appear to be a team player, you dont mind getting your hands dirty, and you are willing to ensure a healthy, productive and friendly workplace.

I'm talking about doing the washing up. If youre in the type of office with a kitchen, there are loads of tiny little tasks you can do. Run fresh hot water, squirt a bit of washing up liquid, (additional timewaster: run out and get some fresh supplies when youre running low/bored), get a nice fresh cloth (a-tw: wash cloths, buy new ones, wring them out, hang them up nicely), wash round sink, surfaces, taps, clean out the plug.

Dont forget to reorganise the cupboards, make them more 'efficient', wipe them out, chuck out old stuff, buy new mugs. Dont forget the fridge - its filthy isnt it? That could take a while. Why not nip out and get some milk as well. Maybe get over to Costco for coffee/teabags/sugar etc? How fun is Costco?! you could do a day there really.

Then, you can offer to make a round of drinks, every hour or so. Dont forget to clean up after that, it never ends! Dont forget to start conversations with everyone who pops in.

If you have a vending machine or a canteen, then obviously you cant do this duh. Never mind, do some work.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Mon 12 Jan 2009, 12:29, 4 replies)

Just an idea
I suppose you could service the vending machine to curry favour?
(powervator and NONE SHALL PASS, Mon 12 Jan 2009, 12:41, closed)

i was going to suggest
befriending the engineer and offering to help out with the maintenance, maybe become the office contract for the machines.

I have found volunteering for the various H&S functions is quite good, fire, first aid, health and safety. Whilst you have to go on a load of courses, you rarely have to do anything, and it all makes you look good.
( I have run out of coke is a little sweaty, Mon 12 Jan 2009, 12:49, closed)

Ah Costco
Giant pizzas that won't fit inside your oven and huge packs of freshly baked cookies you can't possibly finish without going hyperglycemic.
( monkeybananaraffle, Mon 12 Jan 2009, 12:48, closed)

I like the idea of this
but there's NO WAY I'm cleaning out our fridge. NO WAY!
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 12 Jan 2009, 13:01, closed)