Some visitors would know that I am a full-time subtitle translator (with a little bit of text work from time to time). I have it better than most people in the workforce because what I do is mildly enjoyable – the TV shows and films I work on are usually entertaining and even educational at times. That said, work is work, and there are bound to be things you don’t like in an office environment.
One of the things that bother me a bit is what other people do in the office. It’s now the third day in a row that I noticed a few co-workers playing online games1 for a prolonged period of time. I caught myself wondering, “wait, are they getting paid to do this?”
It actually would have been acceptable if they had done their jobs well. However, I cannot recall how many times they have passed down something at the very last moment, expecting other people to finish them on the same day because they forgot about the tasks.
Now, I am typing this during my lunch break and I leave MSN messenger on at work, so I can’t say I’m the most tensed and dedicated worker. However, I try to do what I am required to do and what I committed to do. In my opinion, it all comes down to respect – you have to respect the contract and respect your own promise to fulfil it.
Breaks are necessary when you are working full time, but there is a definite line between what is acceptable and what is not. As much as I love gaming, I would never do it during work… Or I will never be able to meet the deadlines any way! 
- The most common ones are “Pet Society” and “Bejeweled” on Facebook. [↩]
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And then sites like Facebook gets blocked at work for everyone…