If you’ve ever suspected that no one’s truly productive for a full eight hours, you’re not far off. From sneaky breaks to napping at work, our workday looks a lot more like a patchwork of sprints, scrolls, and strategic resets.
To dig deeper, Kickresume surveyed 1,897 employees worldwide to see how people really slack at work. We paid closer attention to generational differences to find out if older employees are actually any better at staying on task.
And just like in our Ghost Vacations feature—where one-third of workers admitted to taking time off without telling their boss—our data shows we’re still playing the game of looking busy while protecting our sanity.
Here are some notable highlights from our survey:
- Only 18% say they’re truly productive for 7–8 hours a day.
- Nearly 60% admit they’re not fully honest on their timesheets.
- Over half have napped during work hours.
- 93% of employees admit to taking unofficial breaks at work—and for 44%, a trip to the bathroom is the preferred getaway.
- Gen Z is least likely to run errands at work, but the most likely to scroll or nap.
The 8-hour workday is a myth—most of us peak at 5
How many of us really stay focused throughout a standard workday? Our survey put this to the test by asking people how many hours they’re actually productive at work.
The results? Only 18% say they’re able to focus for the classic 7–8 hours. Most workers fall far short of that: 39% report 5–6 good hours, and nearly a third manage only 3–4.
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Across all age groups, the pattern is surprisingly consistent—regardless of age, most people cluster around that 5–6 hour productivity range. So what about Gen Z? Does the stereotype of distracted young workers really hold up?
- Most Gen Z workers describe themselves as reasonably productive, with the largest share (37%) saying they’re productive for 5–6 hours a day—a pattern very similar to Millennials and not far off Gen X.
- On the other hand, they’re also less likely than older generations to claim very high productivity (7% say more than 8 hours, 15% say 7–8).
- A relatively large group of Gen Z respondents (33%) admit to just 3–4 productive hours per day.
One reason could be that Gen Z puts a big emphasis on mental health and work-life balance. Because of this, they may not feel as much pressure to exaggerate how many hours they’re productive.
While our previous study showed that salary is their top priority when making job decisions, it also found that Gen Z weighs factors like flexibility and well-being more heavily.
As for Millennials, their productivity matches the overall average:
- Most (39%) get about 5–6 solid hours of work done each day.
- About one in five make it to 7–8 hours.
- Just 10% say they work longer than the classic 8 hours.
This adds up—Millennials are established in their careers, often in mid-level or management jobs where steady output matters. What’s more, balancing work and family helps keep their productive time within standard hours.
Meanwhile, Gen Xers are raising the bar when it comes to staying productive:
- Nearly 14% say they’re going strong for more than eight hours a day.
- Another 19% report clocking in a solid 7–8 hours—which is noticeably higher than the younger generations.
- Still, the largest portion of Gen X (44%) clusters in the 5–6 hour range.
- Only 20% admit to just 3–4 productive hours, the lowest of any group.
This makes sense given that many Gen Xers hold senior roles with more experience and routines honed over long careers.
All in all, it’s clear that staying laser-focused for an entire workday just isn’t realistic for most people, regardless of age. Real productivity has a ceiling, and being honest about it is a healthier way forward for everyone.
But admitting it to ourselves is one thing. What happens when we have to put those hours down on an official timesheet? That was our next question.
Lying on your work timesheet? Nearly 60% admit they do it
We all know there might be a gap between the work people actually get done and the story they tell on their timesheets. So, just how honest are workers when it comes to reporting their hours? Our survey took a closer look.
We found out that true transparency with timesheets is less common than you might expect:
- Only 41% of people say they're fully honest about their hours.
- Most admit to rounding up now and then (44%) or sometimes stretching the truth a little (12%).
- Very few (3%) regularly over-report their work hours.
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The generational split is telling:
- Gen Z is the most likely group to admit to rounding up (49%) and stretching the truth (13%), and the least likely to claim perfect honesty (just 35%). This could be because younger workers aren’t as tied to traditional ideas about clocking in and out, or perhaps they’re just more upfront about the little white lies everyone tells.
- Gen X, by contrast, is the most committed to accuracy, with 46% saying they’re completely truthful—a nod to more experience, routine, and perhaps a stronger sense of playing by the rules.
- 43% of Millennials say they’re totally honest and 42% admit to rounding up from time to time. Their approach seems to blend a bit of tradition with the realities of busy lives and shifting work styles.
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In the end, for most, tracking time is more of an estimate than an exact science. As long as outright hour-padding is rare, this flexible approach seems to work for most workplaces.
For one, our findings highlight the need for employers to reconsider how they measure and value productivity. If most people—even those striving to be honest—see timesheets as estimates, maybe it’s time to focus less on clock-watching and more on meaningful outcomes.
Nearly everyone is taking sneaky breaks at works—44% escape to the bathroom
Breaks are the rule, not the exception—just 7% of workers say they never take any unofficial downtime during the workday.
And while this may not be much of a surprise, we were actually more curious about how exactly people spend their unofficial breaks.
- Coffee or snack breaks are simply the top choice, with 58% of workers claiming they grab a drink or a bite just to step away from work.
- Bathroom “peace” breaks are surprisingly common. Overall, 44% use the restroom as a quick escape, and the number jumps even higher among women (53%) and Americans (53%).
- Most of these bathroom getaways are brief, with almost half (46%) lasting just two to five minutes. Another 27% of bathroom escapes linger five to ten minutes, and about 10% admit to taking a full recharge for more than ten minutes.
- The top five is completed by chatting with coworkers (42%), scrolling or checking socials (38%), and running quick errands (19%).
- While it sounds quirky, even bubble baths (1%) made the list—showing how creative remote workers can get when it comes to recharging.
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But it can’t be that simple. The way people break also shifts by age and gender:
- Women are more likely to use their breaks for a social or self-care boost: they lead in chatting with coworkers (47% compared to 39% of men), scrolling social media (47% compared to 34% of men), and even animal care (11% compared to 7% of men) while on the clock.
- Gen Z is the most likely to check their phones—41% regularly scroll through social feeds, more than any other age group.
- Millennials (21%) and Gen X (23%) are the top multitaskers, squeezing in quick errands between tasks.
Across the board, the message is clear: breaks are both a survival tool and a subtle way to reclaim a sense of control—but not all breaks are created equal. For older generations, breaks tend to be practical or social. For younger workers, even a few minutes on their phone is a reset.
And as the line between work and life keeps fading, perhaps it's time to treat these micro-breaks not as slacking, but as essential fuel for productivity and well-being.
Finished your tasks? You’re probably tidying your desk or chatting with colleagues
Unofficial breaks during work are one thing. But when you’ve finished your tasks and the eight-hour shift is still ticking, how do you kill time at work?
- Most people like to organize their workspace (41%) slightly more than they do chatting with coworkers (40%). We find both guilt-free ways to fill spare moments and keep busy during those in-between times.
- Scrolling social media isn’t far behind (38%), showing just how much digital downtime has become part of today’s workday.
- Others use this time to jump in and help teammates (36%) or get personal errands done online (28%), turning downtime into either actual work or life admin.
- 19% of workers say they rarely have any free time at all—which means for most, these pauses and mini-breaks are a regular feature of today’s workplace.
- At the bottom of the list, just 4% hide out in the bathroom to kill time after finishing their tasks. In comparison, 44% of workers use the bathroom as a “peace” break during the workday—showing that while quick restroom escapes are common, few turn them into a real time-killing ritual.
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All generations share similar top choices when it comes to killing time at work, but some age groups stand out with noticeably higher or lower preferences. What we’ve noticed about these differences is that each generation puts its own twist on those same activities:
- Gen Z is again quick to reach for their phone: 44% scroll through social media to fill the gap. They also mix it up with snack runs, short book breaks, or even a little extra time in the bathroom—openly admitting to a whole range of mini rituals.
- For Millennials, over a third jump in to support colleagues, treating downtime as a chance to lend a hand (or maybe just stay visible). Catching up on chats and personal errands are also popular ways to stay busy.
- Gen Xers are most likely to claim they “rarely have free time” in the first place. When they do, they’re less likely to admit to social media scrolling or zoning out—and more likely to stick to the old-school habit of simply keeping busy.
Napping at work isn’t rare—over half admit to doing it at least once
Napping at work isn’t as rare as some might think—our survey revealed that over half of employees admit to dozing off during work hours at least once, and nearly one in three say they’ve done it occasionally or even regularly.
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Gen Z, in particular, is leading the charge on workplace naps. They have the highest rate of regular napping (10%) and are the least likely to say they never nap at work (only 39%).
In contrast, 54% of Gen Xers claim they’ve never slept on the job, and just 5% do so regularly, highlighting a clear generational gap.
One possible explanation? Our survey once again shows that younger workers tend to be more open about self-care and are definitely less attached to old norms of pushing through exhaustion. Many also benefit from more flexible or remote work setups, making it easier to sneak in a quick power nap.
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The bottom line is that powering through the whole day without a break is no longer the default. More and more, workers are seeing a quick nap not as slacking off, but as a smart way to recharge and stay productive—a subtle but important shift towards a more forgiving and healthier workplace.
How to look busy at work? Typing randomly tops the list
Beyond breaks and downtime, our survey also explored the subtle ways people use to appear busy—even when they’re not actually working.
Why do people bother faking it? For some, it’s about avoiding awkward questions, staying on the boss’s good side, or simply keeping up appearances.
- Over half of all respondents claim they’re always genuinely working.
- 47% admit to using look-busy tactics when things slow down at work.
- The most popular go-to move is typing randomly (12%), followed by classics such as sending look-busy emails (8%) or using a mouse mover (8%)—a tool that keeps the computer from going idle.
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Looking closer at the generations, Gen X is the group most likely to insist they’re always working (63%), while Gen Z is least likely (just 44%).
This difference might come down to old-school values or simply a reluctance among older workers to admit to slacking. Gen Z, on the other hand, is more willing to fess up—and maybe even more comfortable taking it easy when the chance comes.
But Gen Z doesn’t just admit to downtime; they’re also the group most likely to use creative tactics to look busy.
Nearly one in five say they type randomly just to look engaged, and a full 10% use a mouse mover. This is especially common for young or remote workers, who often feel more watched and have the right tech skills to use when work slows down.
In the end, for younger workers, it might be less about hiding and more about figuring out how to deal with being constantly visible in digital workplaces. For older generations, the impulse to always “look busy” may be more about tradition and reputation.
Either way, these habits suggest that the pressure to appear productive—even when the work slows down—is still alive and well. It’s a reminder that how we perform busyness can be just as important as the work itself.
Gen Z is least likely to run errands on the clock
Everyone has personal errands, but when do we actually tackle them? Our survey shows most workers do their best to draw the line: 35% handle errands strictly outside work hours, and another 34% wait for lunch or official breaks.
Still, about one in five people admit to occasionally squeezing personal tasks into the workday, and 9% say they run errands at work whenever they want—with zero guilt.
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Gen Z is the most likely to keep errands off the clock (39%), while Millennials prefer to use their break time for personal to-dos (36%). Gen X seems a bit more comfortable with blending things, with a quarter admitting they fit errands in here and there during work.
And if you're wondering why Gen Z is more likely to keep errands off the clock—yet less shy about taking unofficial breaks—the answer might be simple.
This generation grew up with open conversations about burnout and work-life balance, so they tend to set clearer boundaries. But there’s also a more practical angle: many Gen Z employees are still early in their careers and may not yet be juggling responsibilities like kids, homeownership, or medical appointments.
And so, with fewer life logistics to handle and a stronger emphasis on protecting their time, Gen Z seems more inclined to keep their personal tasks truly personal.
Final thoughts
Our findings cut through the eight-hour productivity myth: nobody is truly on-task all day, and breaks—even unofficial—are simply how most of us get through. Instead of fighting this reality, it’s time to recognize that short resets and the occasional “slack” aren’t workplace sins—they’re essential for staying focused and healthy.
And if we look at the generational differences, they’re not as dramatic as stereotypes suggest. Gen Z are a bit more upfront about their downtime and boundaries, while Gen X is more likely to claim they’re always working, but the truth is everyone finds ways to recharge and stay sane.
If so many are fudging timesheets or inventing busywork, it’s less about laziness and more about matching old expectations to new ways of working.
So what’s the takeaway? Employers and employees alike can be open about what real productivity looks like. Flexible breaks, outcome-based goals, and honest conversations about downtime help everyone do better work. Maybe it’s time to drop the act and make space for how people actually work best.
Demographics
Gender
- Male: 69%
- Female: 30%
- Non-binary or other: 1%
Age
- Under 18: 2%
- 18–28: 33%
- 29–43: 42%
- 45–60: 21%
- 61–79: 2%
- 79 or older: <1%
Work
- In-office: 40%
- Hybrid: 32%
- Remote: 28%
Location
- Africa: 12%
- Asia: 32%
- Australia/Oceania: 2%
- Europe: 21%
- Latin America: 8%
- North America: 25% (87% based in the USA)
Note
This anonymous online survey by Kickresume, conducted in July 2025, gathered insights from 1,897 respondents globally. All participants were reached via Kickresume's internal database.
About Kickresume
Kickresume is an AI-based career tool that helps candidates source jobs and raise salary with powerful resume and cover letter tools, skills analytics, and automated job search assistance. It has already helped more than 8 million job seekers worldwide.
