Everybody has days when you can’t wait until 5 o’clock and go home. You feel like you’re sluggishly moving along and everything about work has become routine. There is no adventure, no excitement. In other words, you’re bored out of your mind and it’s only 11 am. Preventing boredom at work can greatly increase your productivity and improve your daily experience.
Make Your Cubicle Less Boring
It starts with your cubicle. Your surroundings can greatly affect your mood. If your cubicle looks drab, then you’re probably uninspired, which can lead to boredom. Jazz it up a bit with some exciting decorations. Change your desktop screen to a motivational image, buy comfortable and ergonomically correct chairs so that you’re sitting up straight, or add a small potted plant or two for some greenery.
Fight Exhaustion
Sometimes it’s not really boredom, but tiredness. Why are you tired? Maybe it’s because you didn’t get your 8 hours last night or maybe you’re not properly rested. Eating and sleeping right can have a big impact on you how to feel when at work. Taking better care of yourself can lead to better performance and less boredom.
Challenge Yourself
The best way to get out of a funk is to challenge yourself to become better. Setting the bar higher and creating challenges for you to accomplish can make you feel inspired. This will not only boost your self-confidence but your performance too, which can earn you serious brownie points in the office.
Become an Overachiever
Becoming an overachiever will give you something to do all the time. If you keep challenging yourself, taking the initiative or thinking outside the box, it will keep your attention and keep you engaged. There’s no time to be bored because you’re always up to something.
New Responsibilities
If you feel like your usual responsibilities are not enough to keep you occupied, perhaps a set of new responsibilities will keep you on your toes. Negotiating a change in your job description can make things more interesting for you.
Learn A New Skill
Skills are great because you can’t unlearn them, they stay with you forever. Learning a new skill that is beneficial to the company is a great way to improve yourself. You can learn a new skill at work by listening to educational podcasts or you can use personal breaks for self-improvement like learning a new language. However, be aware of company policy when it comes to pursuing learning project while on the clock before actually doing them.
Take Browsing Breaks
Seriously. When you’re bored you’re tempted to surf the web if only for entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with this, just as long as you don’t go overboard. In fact, studies show that taking browsing breaks can increase productivity. It’s hard to concentrate on work 8 hours straight. Take browsing breaks; just remember to use them wisely.
Quit
There are times when boredom is just part of the job and we have to deal with it. However, there are also times when boredom means that you’re in a soul-crushing job, and it’s time to call it quits. If you’re constantly underperforming or if you don’t want your boss’ job, it’s probably time to throw in the towel and find a new job.
