time required to do something, but only deliver ahead of schedule sometimes . You don't want anyone thinking you can do it all the time, or your padding will be useless, and people will start pushing you to deliver sooner than you say. Remember, the padding isn't just to give you time to do it, it's to give you time to do it when you want to , and within the time it's needed. Also, don't give away your secret. Loose lips and all that. Look the part . While I'm a fan of keeping a tidy, organised desk, no one should walk past your computer midday to see an empty desktop or lack of papers on your desk. Don't clutter for the sake of it, but keep a notebook and some scrap paper handy, and keep it out, along with a few pens. Get a second display and keep your email client open in one screen and your work on the other. Keep a few apps open in the background at all times. (Excel is a favourite. I love MS Project for this, but that was because I was a project manager.) Set up a "Boss Key" with AutoHotkey or Process Manager . It's remarkable how far a few extra displays and some open windows goes to making you look busy to someone who either doesn't really know what you do, or can't see your screen enough to know that full-screening email on your laptop display while you work