You do realize how horrible such jobs are? You are bored, you feel like you are doing nothing because you are just sitting there waiting and you want to be usefull by doing some other things.

In fact, I do realize that kind of job can be boring. What YOU need to realize is that my comment was only half serious. Still, however dull a task is, when answering to superiors, what matters is the end result - in this case, all phone calls missed when that was her only job.

Learn to the difference between "were" and "where".

Either one works in this context. Don't be a dick, and learn when to insert the word "to."

Haha, #24, thanks for spotting that, I don't know how I missed it! I can assure you that it's just a typo and that, despite the fact that English is not my first language, I do know the difference between 'were' and 'where'. I don't mind that you pointed it out, but you should check your own comment for mistakes - it takes away from the effect you must have wanted to make.

No, they pay them to make sure the phone gets answered.

OP never said what kind of business this was. Those 3 missed calls could represent a million dollars in lost sales for all we know. If your business sells luxury cars then yes, you hire someone to answer the phone and nothing else, even when there are only 3 calls.

Frankly I think we need OP's input on this to determine whether they were in the right or wrong to do the other tasks. From my point of view OP was either using initiative or was likely asked to do the other tasks by a superior (assides from the bathroom break) neither of which should be frowned upon

If answering the phone is so important to a company, they would hire more than one person. Obviously you pay someone to (between other things) answer the phone. But more obvious is that, this very person might have to leave the post sometimes (may it be only to go to the toilets). Anyway, in my office, for every missed call we have to call back, so we can avoid any comercial loss.

It wouldn't have been wasted time because OP would have been there to actually do the job she was supposed to do instead of something that was clearly not necessary.

I'm assuming you've never had a boring job. If OP's only job is literally to answer a phone that rings 3 times in an 8 hour period, she/he most likely did the other things as a way to keep her sanity...

I had a job exactly like that. I told the boss I as bored and asked for other work and we set up some other stuff for me to do where I could stay within reach of the phone. When there was no other work to keep me busy, I watched videos and played games on the computer - with his permission, because answering the phone was more important to him than shredding some paper or getting the mail.