There is not a single person on Earth who has not been affected by boredom at some point in their life. If you are not constantly occupied, boredom will eventually creep up on you. Or, if you’re anything like me, you get bored even when you have assignments to complete. Relax. It definitely isn’t a disorder. No drugs are needed to help you concentrate (in most cases.) You simply need to incorporate activities that involve you moving about more frequently, which could possibly allow your mind to focus more without distractions.
When I find myself making too many consecutive errors on my reports at work, or accidentally deleting my entire thesis paper, I stop working altogether. Without a break, I would continue until I crash. Knowing that boredom occurs when I am tasked with an assignment that doesn’t intrigue me, I try to make my tasks fun. I set goals such as timeframes, and measuring accuracy to keep me motivated to complete the assignment ahead of time, while still ensuring it was completed properly.
In addition to setting goals for my tasks, I also try to make sure that my environment promotes productivity. Working from home, it’s rather easy to get comfortable and that could lead to more lounging than actual work being completed. In the office, the lighting could be too dim causing you to feel tired and lethargic. A simple fix for working at home would be to create a space for work, and work alone. When clocked in, you should work in the designated area until it’s time for a break. If you get bored in that space, write in a journal. This not only helps you keep track of your goals, but it is also a productive way of monitoring your progress. In between assignments, or if I get bored in the middle of a task, I start writing my upcoming responsibilities in my journal. Also, if the office lighting isn’t bright enough to lift your spirits, bring your own office decorations in. Give your work area a splash of color, and you will feel the energy in your workplace lifting.
What do you do when none of that works? You find a career that interests you. You are bored because the work is either not challenging enough, or it’s simply not something you are interested in. Either way, you won’t be productive, and if you are, you won’t be for long. You don’t have to quit immediately, but you do have to start evaluating your career path, because you should not continue in a career that doesn’t serve your personal agenda.
