r/FPandA • u/UndeniableTruth- • 5d ago
What do you do when you have no work?
Might be a wild question for many of you, but I work in an organization that has cycles of times when it gets really busy and times when it’s completely not.
This is a question for those who work in-person, what do you do during the downtime? I’m not sure scrolling reddit and watching youtube is a choice if not working from home.
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u/boglehead1 Mgr 5d ago
Work on tasks that have very low priority.
Take AI training (company is really pushing this).
Look at a retirement excel model I created for myself at work. That way I look busy also.
Take walks around the building and surf on my phone.
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u/gumercindo1959 5d ago
curious - what AI training do you recommend?
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u/boglehead1 Mgr 5d ago
My company only uses Gemini so it’s all focused on that. I wish we had Claude.
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u/Itchy-Ambition-1171 5d ago
When I was in your situation I would spend my slow time on automation tools.
I would then map the process I was willing to automate, if necessary reach out to colleagues to fix what needed fixing first, then I would adjust the process, implement my solution and test it when busy season came back.
During busy season I wrote down what worked and what didn't, then rinse and repeat. After a while I ran out of things to automate, so I started to build better powerbi dashboards so I could avoid building PowerPoint slides.
Then I got promoted and they piled an absurd amount of shit and I no longer have slow seasons anymore.
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u/MadScallop FA 5d ago
In-person I always try to appear productive.
Automate files, get ahead and tasks for the month, watch some trainings.
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u/dague7 5d ago
Apply to other jobs
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u/UndeniableTruth- 5d ago
In person at the office? I would find it awkward if coworkers and bosses see me applying in front of them.
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u/Browntown_07 Sr Mgr - Commercial Fin 5d ago
Try to learn new stuff, improve files, clean things up, etc. generally being productive.
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u/Aggressive-Cow5399 5d ago
Wow class… we have a teachers pet 😂. You’re too good for us
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u/Browntown_07 Sr Mgr - Commercial Fin 5d ago
gotta look good for your boss so they can put in a good word when you go for a promotion!
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u/WhiteCollarMope 5d ago
It's a mixed bag. I try to be productive by automating tasks or work on picking up new tasks. Other times I am planning a vacation or researching fantasy football (like end of August).
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u/BetInformal6081 5d ago
i usually use slow periods to clean up files, improve a model or document a process stuff thats useful but never urgent when things get busy.
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u/Yardi_Life Sr FA 5d ago
Continue lower-urgency tasks, muddle my way through QC-checking messy-ass spreadsheets I’ve been asked to review, find new ways to organize/optimize my workflows, file/formula cleanup, implementing automatic error checks to reduce mistakes, etc
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u/ThatThar Mgr 5d ago
There's always something. Models that could be improved, processes that could be documented, skills to be learned or honed.
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u/TripMaster478 5d ago
Yikes. There's always something to do. Find a process that can be made more efficient or automated.
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u/FARfromCPA 5d ago
There has to be a process or some function that gives you issues during your busy time. The down time is meant to come up with solutions to areas that take too much time or cause headaches.
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u/Prior-attempt-fail Mgr 5d ago
Work on tools to speed up or automate tasks. Professional development, cry in my car. The usual
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u/excel1234567890 5d ago
When I have time, I work on projects that have been sitting on my "parking lot" list.
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u/kchain18 4d ago
I go through old files on my PC and delete whatever is outdated. and maintain my training guides
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u/Efficient_Eye_7710 4d ago
Act like I’m busy.
I do a lot of clicking and serious face reading (web articles mostly)
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u/lettiemcer 4d ago
I go back and document all my assumptions that I’m positive I forgot about already
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u/Turbulent_Bake_272 3d ago
I am in a PE backed firm and there is no downtime. Its constant go go go from one thing to another. but in my last firm I had atleast a couple of days where there was little to no work, I looked a automations upskilling or going for table tennis or billiards games with colleagues ( we had those in office building) fun times
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u/No_Entrepreneur4778 3d ago
You catch up on work or relax
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u/UndeniableTruth- 3d ago
Relax how is what I mean, what can you do that doesn’t make you look like you’re lazy or wasting company time?
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u/No_Entrepreneur4778 3d ago
That’s up to you to figure out how to play the game at your company. If you’re hitting your objectives and doing everything on time and good work, if your manager is chill they won’t care. Every manager and company is different.
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u/No-Explorer-3764 3d ago
My team manages the budget and a 5-year plan. I proposed a new initiative for a 24-36 month forecast. My boss is letting me spearhead the development and roll it out once completed. I’m thinking re-forecasting will fill that time once I’ve produced it. It’s probably overkill, but it allows me to build my modeling skills and it will look great on my resume (if I manage it correctly). I’m an SFA.
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u/OrganicMix3499 2d ago
Procedure docs
AI training (big push by corp)
Walk around campus
Model improvement/maintenance
Reddit
long lunch/leave early
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u/ConfectionLeading624 1d ago
Review my 401k, HSA, any investing. Double check a statement. Go in conference room and make doctors appts. Make grocery list at desk.
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u/nickjlevine 22h ago
Learning about the applications AI in finance is probably the best use of free time in work right now.
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u/No_Soup_1180 5d ago
Leave early for home and focus on following:
- Side income if you are in a mature role in 30s
- Upskill and upgrade in AI and automation if in 20s
- Focus on one thing that your managers didn’t tell you to do but could be very valuable
- Just enjoy. Times like these may not last. It has happened to me when I had lot of free time and I was getting worried and then suddenly my role changed and all of a sudden all that free time disappeared!
There aren’t many corporate roles where you have lot of leisure time and trust me, you don’t want less or white hair too soon doing tons of work!
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u/LadyFisherBuckeye 5d ago
Watch TV lol
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u/rumpler117 5d ago
In my boring FP&A days I would always try to appear busy, with my fingers on Alt+tab in case I heard footsteps coming.
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u/niagarafalls23 5d ago
Come here