Boring Job? You Have Options

Q. My job is boring. I’m dragging myself up the steps to work each morning, and watching the clock all day. The rest of the week is the same. I used to accept this, but now it’s getting to me. I need the job and don’t have many other choices in my company. Any suggestions? —Tom F.

A. Yes, plenty. Start by asking, “What’s your reason for going to this job every day?” In many cases, it doesn’t have to be THIS job. We spend at least a third of our waking hours at a job. Being miserable for that part of our lives probably makes bored people sleepless (robbing another third of their lives) and bad company (wasting the final third). Life is too short to spend it this way.

Learn a different skill if you need to, but move on to a more fulfilling career. Maybe you’re in this job because you have a goal to reach, such as putting a child through college. If that’s the case, then “keep your eyes on the prize”: When things seem dull, picture your child in a cap and gown, smiling and hugging you while saying, “Thanks, Mom and Dad!”

Is The Job Repetitious?

Actually, there’s also an opportunity hidden within a repetitive job. We can choose to be bored, or we can look at the task as an opportunity. While our hands are occupied, our mind is still available. You could make a deal with a nearby, like-minded co-worker to read a news story on a certain topic each day, and discuss it as you work. (It’s important to set a ground rule: if differences of opinion occur, don’t allow them to mar your relationship).

Or you could memorize something of interest to you, such as vocabulary or grammar for a language you’re trying to learn. You could mentally write something creative, then write it out when you get home. You could try to solve an intriguing brain-teaser (check Lateral Thinking Puzzles by Paul Sloane) or a crossword puzzle clue, even think how you might rewrite a piece of music you almost like. I know some hard-working people with jobs that demand difficult thinking who’d be grateful for a day of “mindless, repetitive” work to free up their thoughts. And to many a police officer, surgeon, nurse or other highly stressed professional, a repetitive, uneventful day is actually welcome.

You’re Under-Challenged?

Do you think you’re smarter than the boss? Think you should be making more major decisions (and more money)? You may be right. But nobody promotes a sullen employee who is more concerned with his own day-to-day feelings than with the success of the company. Few organizations feel obliged to keep employees interested in, and thrilled with, every working day. Talk to your boss or HR and ask what can be done. Let them know you’d like more challenging work. Let them know you’re interested in advancing within the company. Ask what openings are available to help you advance your career. This calls attention to management that you’re a person who wants to grow, and also help the company succeed.

There are always ways to make a positive difference in your work environment. It starts with you, and your attitude toward the job. Relieve your boredom by challenging yourself to find ways to do the job better, faster, more easily, and with a bigger smile than anyone else. Millions of people came to our country without knowing where their next meal would come from, and worked hard to attain success in their lives. Ask them how they did it, and they’ll probably say that it was largely because they were determined to succeed in whatever they did.

Is It Beneath Your Capabilities?

If you really think you’re in a job that’s beneath you, ask yourself if you’ve put solid, committed time into your job; worked diligently to improve yourself; contributed ideas that significantly increased the company’s bottom line. If you can say yes, and you’re still low-slotted, there’s probably a reason. Maybe all promotions are pre-decided, based on time in the company; “owed favors,” having an “in” with the boss.

If that’s the case, maybe it’s time to make an objective list of the opportunities vs. the discouragement. Look closely at your last two or three performance appraisals. Do you have any behavior traits that are causing a problem in the company? If so, it might mean you have to make some difficult self-evaluations, maybe take some honest responsibility. Are you less-than-pleasant to your co-workers? Have you embarrassed your boss or others?

If you still decide that the fault isn’t with you, and it’s time to move on, your self-evaluation will prove useful as you revise your resume.