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Crack down on the chronic boredom you’re experiencing at the office
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Feeling bored at work? You’re not alone. So many people experience chronic boredom that researchers have coined the term “bore-out” to describe the phenomenon of workers being burnt out from boredom. Whether you’re looking to make a career change or pass the time at the office, we’ll give you the best options to bust your boredom and find more fulfillment in your daily life.
Things to Do When Bored at Work
If you’re feeling constantly bored at work, reflect on whether your job aligns with your values. If it does, look for opportunities to take on new tasks and challenges. If you try everything and your job still isn’t fulfilling, start looking for a role that is.
Steps
Section 1 of 7:
How to Handle Being Constantly Bored at Work
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1Volunteer for new projects and tasks. Look for opportunities within your workplace to improve on and practice your skills. Offer to partner with someone on an upcoming presentation or take point on a new marketing strategy. By challenging yourself to try new things, you’ll likely cure some of your feelings of boredom at work. [1] X Research source
- Even if you’re not the lead on a task, you may be able to learn something new from your colleagues and gain valuable connections.
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2Look for fulfillment outside your workplace. Being completely fulfilled by your work isn’t a reality for most people—but you can feel less bored at work by filling your tank in your downtime. Find a new hobby, make new friends , volunteer , or attend community events. [2] X Research source
- If you still want your activities to be work-related, join an advisory board or look for mentoring opportunities in your field.
- Alternatively, start a side hustle or side project. You could try a creative passion project, like producing that indie EP you’ve always wanted to, or a work-related side hustle to bring in some more money to fund your long-term goals.
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3Look for training opportunities relevant to your career goals. You may not have the necessary skills for your dream job—for now. Explore opportunities to develop those competencies, either outside or within your workplace. Browse online courses or community college classes that will help you work towards your goals.
- Or, ask your supervisor about any professional development opportunities you’d be eligible for.
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4Talk to your boss about how you’re feeling. Set up a meeting with your boss and express your feelings of boredom and distraction. Express to them that you want to take on new challenges that better fulfill your needs and align with your interests. Be prepared with a solution, e.g., the kinds of tasks you want to take on or changes you want to make to your work schedule. [3] X Research source
- A great boss will not only help you toward your goals but will also appreciate your commitment to growth and learning.
- If you don’t have a positive relationship with your boss, or they’re not the type to accept feedback, you may want to skip this step.
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5Take action against systemic issues in your workplace. Unfortunately, not every workplace is inclusive, and opportunities for meaningful work (and compensation) can be inequitably distributed. If you feel a lack of inclusion in your workplace, the absence of belonging may present itself as boredom and discontent. [4] X Research source
- Even finding fulfilling experiences outside of work isn’t equitably possible.
- Many life-affirming leisure activities, like concerts, sports events, museum visits, writing classes, and therapy, are extremely expensive and inaccessible. Plus, they can take up a lot of time and energy that you may not have.
- To push back against exclusive practices and mindsets in your workplace, you can join or form a union , get involved in political organizing, or establish an affinity group within your company.
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6Start a job search to find work that aligns with your interests. If you try all of the previous methods and you still feel constantly bored at work, it may be time to quit your current job . Now that you’ve taken the time to reflect on your personal values as well as what you really want out of a job, look for fulfilling work that aligns with your values and interests.
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7Take an unplugged vacation. If you have enough paid time off, take a few days to completely step away from your computer and separate yourself from work. Some time off can help you clear your head and try to understand where your boredom is coming from (and what you can do about it). [5] X Research source
- You don’t even have to go anywhere—having a staycation from the comfort of your couch works just as well!
- If you don’t have any vacation time, ask if you can work from home for a few days instead.
- Studies have shown that people who take more vacations are actually more productive than those who don’t. [6] X Research source
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Section 2 of 7:
Easy Boredom Busters to Stay Focused at Work
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1Put on some music. Put on your favorite playlist of upbeat tunes or motivational tracks. Music can add a dose of fun and energy to your workplace, and it may even distract your brain enough to make the hours pass faster. [7] X Research source
- Some studies have shown that instrumental and classical music, in particular, can boost your mood and enhance your cognitive ability. [8] X Research source
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2Complete your to-do list. It can be difficult to motivate yourself when you’re bored, but doing work is probably the best way to stop being bored at work! Remind yourself that you have to be at work anyway, so you might as well complete your tasks rather than staying late or stressing over them later.
- If you’re struggling to get started, make a to-do list of everything you want to get done in the next week (or hour).
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3Combine repetitive tasks and get them over with. If you’re feeling bored because you know you have a pile of repetitive, tedious tasks to get through…get them out of the way! Do them all at once in a super-charged, super-focused batch of work. Set a timer and see if you can complete all of the tasks within that time. [9] X Research source
- Once you’re finished, you can take a break or move on to more interesting work!
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4Reduce your distractions. Identify the thing that’s slowing down your productivity, whether it’s social media, a full email inbox, or a task that you’re dreading. If it’s something you’re able to control, address the distraction now so you can get some work done. [10] X Research source
- If your main distraction is social media, for example, sign out of all your social accounts or put your phone away in a drawer—out of sight, out of mind. [11] X Research source
- If your distraction is something more difficult to control, like a headache, try taking a walk around the block and drinking a bottle of water before returning to your desk.
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5Give yourself consistent rewards. Reward yourself for your achievements, even if they’re as small as ticking an item off your to-do list (or just writing the to-do list itself). Your brain will start to build the connection between work and enjoyable rewards, which will make you feel more motivated and less bored. Try rewards like: [12] X Research source
- Eating your favorite snack.
- Taking a walk in a nearby park.
- Buying yourself your favorite coffee beverage.
- Spending a micro-break scrolling on social media or playing an online game.
- Visiting a new place in your area.
- Dedicating 10-15 minutes to your favorite hobby.
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6Get some exercise. Use your breaks at work to get some physical movement in and rejuvenate your body. Go for a walk around the block, take a lunchtime jog in the park, or simply do a light stretch at your desk. If possible, do something more involved, like a slow yoga routine or dance workout. [13] X Research source
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7Go on a lunch date. Call up a friend or ask a colleague to grab a break-time coffee with you. Even if you only have a few minutes to spend together, a little lunch date can break up the monotony of the day and give you a boost of energy after spending time with something you care about.
- If you’re not sure how to call, check out the social networking site LetsLunch .
- Connect your profile to the site and set up a public meeting place. The site will match you with someone who wants to join you for a professional networking lunch.
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8Take regular breaks. Set alarms to make sure you take all of your allotted breaks. Even if you don’t have an “official” break, try to take a micro-break of 10-15 minutes after every 60 minutes of work. Taking consistent breaks will help you fight off boredom, as well as exhaustion and burnout. [14] X Research source
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Tips
- It’s also okay for work to be just that…work! If you don’t mind finding fulfillment in other aspects of your life, you can let work be somewhat boring so that you can have the funds and resources to do more valuable things in your free time.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.careeraddict.com/bored-at-work-tips
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/boost-your-brain-with-boredom
- ↑ https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/02/27/the-5-steps-to-telling-your-boss-youre-bored
- ↑ https://news.utexas.edu/2021/03/19/a-culture-that-lacks-inclusion-hurts-everyone/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/boost-your-brain-with-boredom
- ↑ https://www.ustravel.org/sites/default/files/media_root/document/2017_May%2023_Research_State%20of%20American%20Vacation%202017.pdf
- ↑ https://www.careeraddict.com/bored-at-work-tips
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236679292_Arousal_Mood_and_The_Mozart_Effect
- ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-be-more-productive-at-work-and-manage-your-time-effectively-11610743524
- ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/four-reasons-youre-not-being-productive-and-how-to-improve/
- ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-be-more-productive-at-work-and-manage-your-time-effectively-11610743524
- ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/psychology-rewarding-yourself-with-treats
- ↑ https://www.careeraddict.com/bored-at-work-tips
- ↑ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2423009
- ↑ https://buildyourselfworkshop.com/architecture-or-design-career-unfulfilling/
- ↑ https://www.trustedhealth.com/blog/feel-stuck-nurse
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/career-transitions/201304/stuck-bored-and-unfulfilled-at-work
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210914-the-way-we-view-free-time-is-making-us-less-happy
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26864838/
- ↑ https://news.wpcarey.asu.edu/20090114-tired-irritable-restless-it-may-be-boreout
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/burnout
- ↑ https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11031-013-9385-y
- ↑ https://behavioralscientist.org/the-threat-of-boredom-is-a-call-to-action/
- ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053482222000766
- ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10400419.2014.901073
- ↑ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bdm.2160
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-pathology-of-boredom/
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