AS ONE B767 CREW MEMBER RELIEVED THE OTHER FOR LAVATORY BREAK; THE FLT CTLS WERE MOMENTARILY LEFT UNATTENDED.

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SOMETIMES YOU JUST DO SOMETHING REALLY STUPID. AS PER ACR PROCS; THE CAPT WENT AFT TO USE THE LAVATORY. THE AISLE WAS BLOCKED OFF. A FLT ATTENDANT CAME ON THE FLT DECK. I HAD OXYGEN ON. CAPT RETURNED; GAVE PASSWORD; AND I DECIDED WE WOULD SWITCH OUT SO I COULD RELIEVE MYSELF. I MADE UP MY MIND TO EXPEDITE GOING THROUGH THE DOOR; SO AS TO MINIMIZE TIME WITH THE DOOR OPEN. THE CAPT KNOCKED A SECOND TIME. FLT ATTENDANT DID NOT MOVE TO OPEN THE DOOR; SO I POPPED UP; OPENED THE DOOR; AND SWITCHED PLACES WITH THE CAPT. AS I LEFT; HE SAID 'THAT WAS REALLY DUMB.' AS I SHUT THE LAVATORY DOOR; I REALIZED THAT MOMENTARILY NO ONE HAD BEEN AT THE CTLS. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS A BLUR; AS I SAT IN DAZED CONTEMPLATION OF MY STUPIDITY. I CAN'T BELIEVE I MAY HAVE ENDED MY CAREER ON A BRIEF TRIP TO THE LAVATORY. FATIGUE; LACK OF CURRENCY (50 DAYS OFF PRIOR TO THIS LEG); AWKWARD PROCS; RELIANCE ON AUTOMATION; BIOLOGICAL NEEDS; COMPLACENCY; AND DISTR ALL PLAYED ROLES. I ALSO THINK THE LEVEL OF DISTR AND NON FLYING CHORES IN THE COCKPIT HAVE INCREASED SINCE SEP/TUE/01. SOMETIMES WE FORGET TO FLY THE AIRPLANE; AND LET THE AUTOPLT DO IT ALL.