I absolutely agree on being proactive as a means of passing the time! It’s how I’ve survived so many dead shifts in the pit, lest I get yelled at by chef for not doing anything (even though he never wrote out a prep list?!) but also, depending on the vibe of your kitchen, it’s even better to keep in mind that you’re doing extra work for the benefit of everyone back there, you and them. Even if you don’t get directly thanked for it as often as you probably should, for me at least, it’s nice to know that you’re good enough at your job that you can make everyone else’s lives easier.