I'm a receptionist at a hospital and it gets really boring just sitting at this desk sometimes. I'm 17 and of course I'd rather be doing something else but I need this job. I'm actually at work now. I'm surprised this site isn't blocked because everything else is. What are some productive things that I can do at work to pass the time by. By the way, I can't leave my desk and I usually work between 4.5 to 8 hour shifts.

Askyour supervisor if there is some file sorting, or computer data entry you can do that doesn't require you moving from your post. And, don't let them find you browsing the web while sitting there.

Tick

How long have you been working there? I'm guessing not long as you are only 17. Give it some time, you need to earn the trust of your supervisors before they can give you more work.

Just do the best you can at what you're doing and go from there.

How long have you been working there?

I've been working here 2 months

I agree with tickle - why not just ask your manager if there's any paperwork you can do in your idle desk time.

To make a good impression, it's best to follow tickle's advice, always be willing to work and show a strong work ethic. Otherwise, you could read a book, do homework, study or solve a rubix cube.

Hospitals run on paperwork. There is almost always filing, sorting, data entry etc. that you can do. Just ask your supervisor how you can be of help.

Well they bring me papers to alphabetize sometimes but I'd say that happens about once every three weeks. They rarely have filing either, but when they do usually someone else is on shift and does it because I have yet to do any filing... and on weekends, no one is in the business office so I'm stuck out here with no patients coming in, barely any visitors, and rarely any phone calls.