“Work smarter, not harder” is a motto many people live by when doing their job. Reminding them to look for the most optimal solution instead of spending hours doing something unnecessary, it is definitely something worth keeping in mind.
But when looking for ways to be smart at work, some people might turn to rather unethical means. Though, they, too, often fall into the category of “working smarter, not harder.”
Members of the ‘Antiwork’ subreddit have recently discussed all sorts of unethical work hacks, after one netizen started a discussion about it. And let me tell you, they were quite ingenious! So, if you’re curious to browse what their hacks entailed, scroll just a little down to find them on the list below and marvel at people’s creative problem-solving.
#21
Create slides with poetic opacity. Annotate graphs as “The Lacanian Funnel” and “Engagement as Simulacrum.” Conclude with: "The data speaks for itself."
9points
#22
Forward the same email thread back to the client with a new subject line. Call it an "upgrade."
9points
#23
Submit SEO deliverables as riddles. If they can solve them, they deserve to rank.
9points
#24
Rename your Google Sheet tabs to “do_not_touch” and “client_facing.” They are identical.
9points
#25
Create two Notion boards — one for show, one for go. The second is just a sticky note that says "vibes."
8points
#26
Invent a fake competitor brand named "Larynx." Echo everything they do. Nobody will admit they’ve never heard of them.
8points
#27
Pitch a “content moat” strategy based on a blog post from 2017. It has no traffic. It FEELS authoritative.
8points
#28
End all comms with lyrics from obscure post-punk bands. Bonus points if you still get replies.
8points
#29
Clone yourself in Midjourney. Use the image in Zoom calls. Mute yourself. Nod solemnly. If asked to speak, type you'd “rather not to.”
8points
#30
Replace your analytics dashboard with an Absurdist painting and a caption that reads “Q5.” When questioned, say it’s a new form of data-driven storytelling. Say nothing else.
7points
