What to Do When Youre Bored at Work

What to Do When Youre Bored at WorkThere can be any number of reasons youre feeling boredat work. If its just a lull in your to-do list, maybe its temporary. If its more of a chronic case of I-hate-this-job-itis, well, you should certainly start thinking about looking for a new job. But in either case, it can be a dangerous habit to fall into. Here are some tips to save yourself before you fall into a full-on goof-off cycle. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) 1. Find something new to do.This doesnt mean you should take online Spanish lessons while your company expects you to be working diligently at your desk. Rather, find something of value that you can learn from your workplace. Whether thats picking up a new skill from another department or talking with colleagues to pick their brains on their own expertises, take this as an opportunity to boost your professional development. Just make sure that your off-the-record professional developme nt doesnt start displacing your regular work duties (you know, the ones youre being paid to do).2. Reward yourself.Completing that report on time may not earn you the applause of your manager, but you can come up with your own reward system. Say, when I complete this task, then I can get coffee, or allow yourself 10minutes of down time for checking something major off your to-do list. Its a way of staying in the game enough to get things done, even when your head or heart might not be. If things get really desperate, theres always the good, old-fashioned candy reward thats popular with kids and bored professionals alike.3. Come up with an escape plan.If your case of I-hate-this-job-itis is a serious one, then even the act of figuring out your next steps can have a rejuvenating effect. Even the most tedious or soul-crushing work activities arent so bad if you know you wont be doing them forever.4. Shoot for good enough.Sometimes a C+ is good enough, especially if youre in danger of f lunking. Its not great to make a habit of doing the bare minimum, but if you feel yourself checking out, create a list of the parts of your job that are absolutely must do so that youre maintaining until things get better.5. Do some networking in your field.Meeting and talking to new people in your field can introduce new opportunities. It can also help you remember what you liked about this field in the first place, and why you chose this job. Either way, it brings something (or someone) fresh into the staleness of your routine.Even if youre halfway out the door and already looking for other opportunities, its important not to let your reputation lapse into slackerdom. If you feel yourself starting to check out, there are ways to slow it down before the blahs affect your job performance or work relationships.