My Co-Workers Are Starting to Side-Eye Me for What I Do All Day at Work. If Only They Knew Why.

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Good Job is Slate’s advice column on work. Have a workplace problem big or small? Send it to Laura Helmuth and Doree Shafrir here . (It’s anonymous!)

I was hired because headquarters requires a person in my position at every branch location. The person who previously held my position wasn’t just bad at her job; she actually tried to sabotage things (think: deleting crucial files and the like). Now my boss only trusts herself to do my job, and I spend most of my days sitting at my desk watching YouTube videos and getting side-eye from employees who actually have work to do. Any time I’ve brought this up to my supervisor, she politely waves me off and says she’ll train me on my duties “eventually.” Should I suck it up and just sit there looking stupid all day? Any suggestions to make myself look busy when I’m not?

Having to look busy when you aren’t is one of the most annoying problems of in-office work. Another common problem is managers who refuse to give up their responsibilities , which could be because they like to do the tasks they’re good at, don’t like to train other people, are stuck in a rut, or are still fighting the last war with your sabotaging predecessor.

To deal with your supervisor’s “eventually” response, try proposing some other solutions to her: Are there other tasks of hers you could take on to free up some of her time for training? Could you shadow someone with your job title who works at another branch location? Is there anyone else on staff who could walk you through the responsibilities? To build her confidence in you, ask her to train you on just one aspect of your job, and then give her regular updates that you’re doing it promptly and correctly.

While you’re waiting for your manager to let you do your dang job, you could use your free time more productively . If some of the side-eyeing peers do work you’re interested in, volunteer to partner with them on a project. Offer to cover for colleagues who go on vacation. Mentor interns or new hires. Introduce yourself to peers at other branch locations and ask for their advice on best practices for your position. Take online workshops, classes, or trainings that are relevant for your current role or would position you for a different job. Read up on news about your industry or profession. But it’s also fine to not be productive. Use your time stuck in front of a computer to email old friends, comment on Slate articles, or write a novel .

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Months ago, my spouse and I decided that I would take time off from work. I’m young (approaching 50 if you consider that young), but I’ve been intensely doing a white-collar office job for close to 25 years now. I don’t want to say I’ve burned out—it’s not that, but it’s something between checking out and truly burning out.