Geocaching while on the job?

[Geo4life1]

I'm new to geocaching, having participated with a friend. My friend does it while on the job. He is in sales and finds time to mix the pleasure of geocaching with business. How many of you do this? How often do you do it? Do you worry it might get you fired from your job?

[DannyCaffeine]

If its your break I see no issue. Personally I would not cache while I was supposed to be doing something.

[+simpjkee]

I work at a group home for individuals deemed 'seriously mentally ill'. I am encouraged as part of my job to take our clients on social outings to the parks and such for exercise, social interaction, orientation to society, etc. I'm also encouraged as part of my job to teach our clients when I can. There are some parks around our site that will get new caches published in them every so often. When the clients are up for it, I'll grab my GPS and we'll go to the park for a social outing. Some clients just want to shoot hoops, but others will take a walk around the park with me to get a cache or two. While doing it, I'll teach about navigation, lat./long., compass headings, etc. basic stuff. The clients wouldn't want to go on a 3 hour urban caching trip or anything so that doesn't happen, but within reason, geocaching is completely encouraged at my place of business.

 

I my job.

[+Caped Crusader]

As a security guard, I find myself driving past caches while en route from one property to another. Sometimes I end up making such good time, I have to slow myself down so I don't finish my rounds too early. How do I do that? I find those pesky caches that taunt me on the nights that I have to rush to my properties.

[+cmatter29]

I can actually go get them but I am able to look them up and work ones giving me problems. This will soon end due to changing jobs, but will most likey start back up after training. The future supervisor is a geocacher as well.

[+Borst68]

I can't geocache when I am on the job since I am not permitted off site but at least I can visit the forums here.

[+KJcachers]

working in the IT service industry allows me to be on the road almost every day. If there is a cache near a location near my lunch break then I may go for it. mostly just the park and go's though. nothing too time consuming.

Edited March 28, 2010 by KJcachers

[Bolivar Bill]

I spend a lot of time on the road on the job. I'm allowed 15 minute breaks in the AM and PM which I often skip as sitting in the truck for 15 staring out the windshield is a big yawn. If there's a cache nearby, though.....

Nothing like pulling up with lights flashing, cones out, and walking around with a hard hat on and clipboard in hand for hiding in plain sight. I totally look like I belong so nobody wonders why that guy is searching around the area.

[+CanDMan47]

I drive just over 1000 miles a week for work. There are a lot of caches in the amount of space. I don't have a start or finish time, just so long as I get my work done. If I have time (daylight) and don't have to drive to far out of my way (I don't pay for the gas), I look for caches in areas I wouldn't be otherwise. Just guessing, but maybe 1/3 of my finds are on my route.

[+moparots]

I work at a group home for individuals deemed 'seriously mentally ill'. I am encouraged as part of my job to take our clients on social outings to the parks and such for exercise, social interaction, orientation to society, etc. I'm also encouraged as part of my job to teach our clients when I can. There are some parks around our site that will get new caches published in them every so often. When the clients are up for it, I'll grab my GPS and we'll go to the park for a social outing. Some clients just want to shoot hoops, but others will take a walk around the park with me to get a cache or two. While doing it, I'll teach about navigation, lat./long., compass headings, etc. basic stuff. The clients wouldn't want to go on a 3 hour urban caching trip or anything so that doesn't happen, but within reason, geocaching is completely encouraged at my place of business.

 

I my job.

 

I had to chuckle a bit when I saw that you were teaching "individuals deemed 'seriously mentally ill'" , "social interaction, and orientation to society", by having them lurk around the park bushes looking for mysterious hidden boxes. We have the most suspicious looking hobby, dont we?

Edited March 28, 2010 by moparots

[+brslk]

I'm a courier. I drive all over the city and area about 200 KM's a day.

I have found more caches in the last month since I got an I phone than in the previous six months BIP (before I phone)

It is just too easy when I am in an area to touch the phone to find nearby caches and hunt them.

The old etrex is always with me and I use it to spare the horribly weak I phone battery but the I phone is perfect for caching while working.

 

Just so I don't get called a slacker... I only get paid for deliveries I do. Downtime is my time.

[+CanDMan47]

Snip...

I have found more caches in the last month since I got an I phone than in the previous six months BIP (before I phone)

 

My iPhone came before my geocaching, so its all I've ever known, but I agree, it makes it a lot easier to just push the button whenever and where ever I am ready to hunt.

[+obsidianspider]

While in the office I go caching on my lunch breaks on nice days, though the radius near my office is getting cleared of caches I can do while not getting dirty.

 

When on business trips I try to cache when I can. I only wish I'd known about Geocaching sooner!

 

I was in Arizona this past week and while I only had two days where I had some free time before dark, I was able to get six finds.

Edited March 29, 2010 by obsidianspider

[+simpjkee]

I work at a group home for individuals deemed 'seriously mentally ill'. I am encouraged as part of my job to take our clients on social outings to the parks and such for exercise, social interaction, orientation to society, etc. I'm also encouraged as part of my job to teach our clients when I can. There are some parks around our site that will get new caches published in them every so often. When the clients are up for it, I'll grab my GPS and we'll go to the park for a social outing. Some clients just want to shoot hoops, but others will take a walk around the park with me to get a cache or two. While doing it, I'll teach about navigation, lat./long., compass headings, etc. basic stuff. The clients wouldn't want to go on a 3 hour urban caching trip or anything so that doesn't happen, but within reason, geocaching is completely encouraged at my place of business.

 

I my job.

 

I had to chuckle a bit when I saw that you were teaching "individuals deemed 'seriously mentally ill'" , "social interaction, and orientation to society", by having them lurk around the park bushes looking for mysterious hidden boxes. We have the most suspicious looking hobby, dont we?

 

Social interaction and orientation to society involves a vast spetrum of things. Anything from "Parks are places to engage in responsible recreational activities" to "Caches should be placed back as found so the next person can find them" to "saying 'hi' to the person who walks by on the way to the cache and how to react appropriately if they don't say 'hi' back". All are valuable lessons. It hasn't happened yet, but in the case of a muggle perceiving us as suspicious, that is a great lesson in social interaction and orientation to society as well. ie. Being understanding of peoples concerns, and appropriate and inappropriate ways to react to someone who misunderstands your behavior.

[+team mx]

I drive a truck all over the UK, whenever i get parked up anywhere over night i always look to see if there's any caches nearby just to get myself some exercise

[+missionMode]

In my work I have responsibilities to meet "billable targets" and to ensure that my work is getting done. How I do that is considered my business, as long as I am being truthful and responsible about it. That means it hasn't stopped me from dashing out once or twice to get an FTF. I just have to work a bit later or at home in the evening to make up the time. Also it happens that one of my senior clients is a geocacher who I have known for 15 years. We are starting to make a habit of some lunchtime caching to get away from the stress of the day.

 

Just like some of us enjoy Geocaching as a way to be more active, it can also be a great way to encourage us to take our breaks.

[+HawkLawless1]

Unfortunately, working on a gov't facility, there are no "nearby" caches, unless I drive out the front gate. Try to get some at lunch every now and then. For the most part, however, I do most of my prep work and planning for caching trips between jobs at work.