busy work

Idioms  

1. Activity meant to take up time but not actually be productive. For example, We have to put in an eight-hour day, even if we do nothing but busy work. [c. 1840]

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Example Sentences

But the same survey reported that up to one-third of students, teachers and parents rated the quality of some homework assignments as fair, poor, uninteresting or just busy work.

From Los Angeles Times

In the episodes, the influencer is seen juggling her busy work schedule with looking after the couple's two-year-old daughter, Bambi, at home in Manchester.

From BBC

Students can feel that an assignment is busy work or not understand its purpose.

From Los Angeles Times

Anytime you have stuff to do, without just acting, like you’re doing busy work — you’re, like, here’s how you do an appendectomy — and you learn and when you’re picking up the right tools, you’re saying the right stuff, you’re making incisions — that stuff you’ve got to learn.

From Los Angeles Times

“I marked it ‘received,’ and put it in the file,” said Fresno County Registrar of Voters James Kus, adding that he then went about his busy work of conducting the election.

From Los Angeles Times