Having seen this type of Dilbertian situation occur before more than once, it's really not as pleasant as it sounds. You're not being given free time to do as

Having seen this type of Dilbertian situation occur before more than once, it's really not as pleasant as it sounds. You're not being given free time to do as you please. You're being ordered to "do something productive" with no definition as to what "being productive" actually looks like and with the threat hanging overhead that someone will eventually notice your predicament and ask "Well, what the deuce have you been doing all this time?". (The answer had better not amount to "Nothing." unless being terminated on the spot sounds like your idea of a good time.)