Career Boredom – Our Greatest Enemy
Workplace boredom can lead to reduced productivity, sloppy job performance and even stress and depression. Boredom may stem from a general dislike of your job, or it may be connected to low motivation, job dissatisfaction or a lack of enthusiasm over the direction of your career.
Career Check
Consider whether you’re really happy and satisfied with the work you’re doing. You can have the most genial colleagues, an understanding boss and a generous paycheck, but if you have zero interest in your job and find it professionally unfulfilling, you’re going to be bored. Take a career aptitude test or personality assessment to determine if you’re really suited to your current career path. You might be happier and more enthusiastic if you seek new training and education and pursue a different career option. You can find free aptitude tests online. The ones from government or educational institution sites are the most reliable.
Find Something to Like
Rather than focus on what you don’t like about your job and why you’re bored, think about what attracted you to the position in the first place. If you’ve drifted away from your original professional focus, get back on track by taking initiative, volunteering for team projects and asking your boss for new challenges and responsibilities. Motivate yourself by establishing specific goals and objectives to work toward.
Challenge Yourself
Push yourself to take on new challenges. Lead a committee, find a mentor or throw your hat in the ring for a promotion or new position in the company. Write out a career plan that helps you establish short- and long-term professional objectives and devote a little bit of time each day to work toward those goals. Create daily checklists so you’ll be focused on tasks rather than let your mind wander toward boredom.
Boredom and Stress
Many people associate workplace stress with being overworked, but being bored in a job that feels monotonous and never-ending can cause stress, too. Practice stress-reducing techniques like meditation, relaxed breathing, healthy eating and exercise routines. If you find yourself distracted by boredom, get up and walk around, get fresh air and refocus.
Introduce Fun
A workplace can be both productive and enjoyable. Alleviate your own boredom and help your colleagues enjoy their work lives more by planning office events like potlucks, inter-office contests and boredom-busters, like outdoor meetings, jokes of the day or team-building events. Bowling parties or mini golf outings are possibilities. Encourage opportunities for brainstorming and teamwork to promote group interaction.
