[logicalmonster]

Especially in bigger companies, a part of your job isn't to necessarily be productive all of the time, but to have the appearance of productivity so your managers can report to their managers that everything is going at maximum efficiency. Devote some time every week to come up with a pile of bullet points of potential accomplishments/tasks you did so you always have something irrefutable to say to cover your ass. Always have some bullet points in reserve you're ready to speak about in a pinch.

I think meeting occasionally to discuss a project is great, but anything non-trivial in technology takes days or weeks or longer, not hours. 2 standups a day is highly counterproductive. Have you talked with your fellow engineers about this?