What To Do When You’re Bored at Work

(Reading Time: 10 Minutes)

You’re struggling.  As the end of the weekend rolls round you get a bad case of Sunday Night Blues.  Monday morning arrives and you hit snooze on your alarm repeatedly.  You feel lethargic and exhausted before you even get out of bed.  Everything feels like a battle as you try to muster some energy to get up and at ‘em. You’re so bored at work you don’t know what to do.

Uuugghhh. It doesn’t get much better when you arrive.  You feel a sense of pent up frustration and a distinct lack of energy and inspiration as you arrive in the carpark and then drag yourself up the stairs.  Try as might, you just don’t feel excited about your job anymore.

Does this sound familiar?  Well, it’s likely that you’re here because you’re looking for solutions to this energy-sapping problem.

In this article we’re going to take a deep dive into the reasons why you might be bored at work, what to do when you feel this way, the potential implications for your career direction and some of the broader issues you should consider.

Why do I get bored at work?

Whilst boredom is a common feeling it should not be ignored.  Rather like the tip of the iceberg, it can be symptomatic of a deeper or more complex problem especially if it happens on a regular basis.  Boredom occurs if a person is unsatisfied, unfulfilled or disinterested in something.  Additionally, the feelings can arise when you feel full of energy but have no avenue through which to channel it, so you end up feeling frustrated and angry.  Being bored often affects our behaviour negatively and we end up becoming engaged in behaviours that are detrimental our wellbeing such as overeating or being argumentative.

What does the research say?

Cognitive scientist, Art Markman Ph.D., referring to the work of Eastwood, Frischen, Fenske and Smilek states that attention plays a big part in being bored.  We need things to sustain our attention and expend our energy.  Situations that don’t keep us interested can be frustrating and tiresome.  It’s that weird feeling you get when you feel exhausted, pent up and frustrated all at once.

Similarly, boredom can occur when people have trouble focussing their attention because of issues in their environment.  For example, when there is too much going on it can be difficult to concentrate so the mind skips from one subject to the next causing feelings of boredom.  In this instance you feel like you can’t get ‘stuck in’ to something.  Sure, there might be lots to do but you feel like you’re not getting anywhere.

Issues can also arise when bored people begin to daydream, letting their minds wander freely.  Although the mind is occupied, research has shown that as people are aware that they are daydreaming they are conscious that they are in a boring situation.

Markman also refers to a lack of control which goes hand in hand with feeling bored.  For example, sitting in hospital waiting room, or waiting for a late train?  Yes, there is not a thing that you can do about it and you’re likely to be incredibly bored (and frustrated).

So, why is all of this relevant to my place of work?  Why am I bored at my job?

Well let’s apply the research outlined by Markman to the world of work.

There are several reasons why you feel bored at work:

1. Nothing sustains your attention.  There is a lack of mental stimulation.

You need to feel mentally stimulated.  Not only is it important for your mental health and the maintenance of your cognitive functioning as you grow older, mental stimulation staves off boredom.

Do you have enough to do at work or do you find yourself pushing paper round your desk?  Of course, you need a healthy work-life balance and you need to take regular breaks at work but when you have too much free time on your hands you begin to daydream.  As Markman recounted, this is the point at which you realise that you are bored.  This can affect your sense of self-worth as you then take note of the fact that this is not a good use of your time.  This can make you feel frustrated.

Are you being stretched?  Do you regularly step outside of your comfort zone? Are you growing and developing?

We need to feel that we are using are abilities fully and that we are being challenged regularly.  When this doesn’t happen, we become lethargic and bored.  We find ourselves struggling with motivation and, eventually, self-worth.

2. You can’t concentrate.  Either your workplace, or your personal life, is chaotic.

Practically speaking is it possible for you to focus at work?  Is your working environment productive or is there so much going on in your busy office that you can’t even think straight? Do you find yourself jumping from one distraction to the next?

Alternatively, is your personal life eating into productive work time? Do you arrive at work feeling overwhelmed and emotionally exhausted before the day has even begun?

At stressful times in our lives many of us like to think of work as our salvation but sometimes there is simply too much going on to make this separation.  The problem is still there at the end of the day.  Issues often continue to buzz around in our brain even when we are not actively thinking about them.

These kinds of distractions can lead to a dip in work performance, you become less inspired, motivation suffers, and you become increasingly bored.

3. Your job doesn’t align with your personal values.

Does the job inspire you?  Do you feel proud of where you work?  Does the job and organisation embody the personal values that you hold dear? Heck, do you even know what your values are?!

Many people have to do jobs to pay the bills.  Often, they don’t feel any kind of emotional connection to the nature of the job itself.  However, in the long term, for the sake of your own wellbeing it’s important to find a role that aligns with your personal values.  Not only will you be more interested in the role, work will become much more enjoyable and you will have a greater sense of self-worth.

4. You feel like a Hamster in a Wheel.

Is your job the same day in, day out?

Do you feel ‘stuck’?  Are you provided with opportunities to develop and experience new things?

This story rarely ends happily.  People working in these kinds of roles often start to feel increasingly fed up as time wears on.  There is nothing to be excited for, no opportunities or promotions to strive towards.  Eventually people feel trapped and disillusioned.  Ambition and passion fade. Worse still, people in this situation often start to lose their confidence.  They struggle to move on – even though they know that what they really need is to high-tail it out of there!

You are not alone

Being bored at work is not a new phenomenon.  Neither is its uncommon.

Writing for Forbes, career coach Rachel Montanez states that boredom is common in the workplace.  Interestingly, it’s more common in particular groups:

“Boredom most often occurs with mid-career professionals, individuals that are underemployed (their skill set is at a higher level than the job role) or those that have recently had a significant shift in work and life values; like new parents.”

Although it’s difficult to find the motivation to be productive when you feel bored and lacklustre it’s important that you take action.  If you don’t do anything, nothing will change and the situation will continue long into the future, sapping increasing amounts of your energy.

What happens if I do nothing?

Although it might seem trivial, boredom can have a significant impact on your life and ignoring it is not a healthy option.

• We have already said that bored people often turn to bad habits in order to satisfy a need: over-eating, alcohol, engaging in risky behaviour in search of excitement. Outcomes are rarely positive.
• Feeling stressed, frustrated and harbouring pent-up anger and resentment is not healthy and needs to be addressed.
• We all need to pay attention to our mental health and bored people often lack self-confidence, have low self-esteem and a poor sense of self-worth. This needs to be addressed before it gets worse.
• There are financial risks with being bored at work. It is likely that your attitude and demeanour are being noticed.  Bored people are often unproductive, and this is not good for business.

But do not despair – there are definitely things that you can do to improve your situation.  Let’s take a look at some of productive things that you can do to inject some energy back into your job.

So, what should I do When I’m bored at work?

Here’s a summary of some of the productive things to do when you’re bored at work to give yourself a quick boost and make the most of your downtime.

To Develop Your Career:

1. Go above and beyond

It’s good for your career and its good for your soul to over-deliver.

Are you completing things to best of your ability?  If you are finishing things early it’s possible that there is more that can be done – both to impress the boss and also to secure your reputation.

If you have completed all the set tasks, start working on things that are beyond the scope of your role.  Over time your boss or line manager will notice your efforts and initiative.

2. Write a Career Plan

Take some time to work out what it is that you want from your career.  Then set some goals and write a career plan in order to achieve it.

This is important because not only can it be life-affirming, it can also motivate and inspire you.  If you really take the time to do this properly you can ensure that your job aligns with your values and passions which will lead to personal fulfilment.

3. Expand your network

If you are seriously considering your career and your options, expanding your network is a great way to create opportunities.

Use social media, such as LinkedIn, to engage with people in your field of expertise and beyond.  Many career coaches advocate posting daily content to engage with your network, building followers and broadening your contacts.

Talk to new people at meetings, build rapport with customers, gather feedback and use this productively for the benefit of your company.

Attend, or even start, a networking group where like-minded professionals meet on a regular basis to share ideas and get advice on the challenges they face.

4. Go out for lunch

Lunch meetings are an excellent way to inject something different into your day whilst also networking.  Arrange lunch meetings with colleagues that you work with infrequently, arrange to meet up with LinkedIn contacts, you can even use apps like ‘Let’s Lunch’ to make new connections.

Always go with an open mind and something to offer.

5. Explain how you feel

Depending on the way your boss works, and if they are the kind of person who is receptive to feedback, explain in a respectful way how you feel.

Tell them that you want to contribute more, ask them for guidance, areas where you can improve and even for tasks with a greater level of challenge.   A good boss will respect this and admire your ambitions.

To Develop Your Skills:

6. Learn how to Code

This scares the bejesus out of most people but there is no doubt that it is valuable skill to have.  Not only is it great for your career, this kind of mental stimulation is also great your mental health and cognitive functioning.

Throw yourself in at the deep end and have a go – you might be surprised at what you find.

7. Be a lifelong learner

It’s important to stay abreast of developments, research and professional studies in our careers, but it can be equally beneficial to develop our wider skillset.  Being a lifelong learner is important for career development.  Knowledgeable people are respected, valued and admired by colleagues and bosses.

Many people wrongly assume that they don’t have the time or the capacity to learn new things, but this isn’t true.  There are lots of opportunities to broaden your knowledge and skillset.

You can start by watching some TED talks related to your field of expertise and then broaden the scope to things in related fields.  In addition, you can use apps like Blinkist and Audible to consume content quickly and during ‘downtime’ such as commuting to work.

8. Ask a Colleague to Show You the Ropes

Learn about an area of your company that you know little about.  Not only will you make great connections; you will gain a wider understanding of your role and how it fits into the organisation as a whole.

This will broaden your understanding and enable you to see things in a much wider context.  This can help add purpose to your role, enable problem solving and also give you ideas for your next career move.  Organisations love to keep hold of good employees and a new job doesn’t always mean that you need to leave the company.

9. Develop a side business

This can be for financial gain, to add a sense of purpose or to inject a bit of excitement into your life. Regardless, the skills that you will learn developing, launching and growing your own side business are certainly transferrable to the day job.

10. Become a Coach

Lots of people today call themselves a ‘coach’ but the reality is that not all of them are professionally trained and accredited.  Becoming a professionally trained coach can be life changing – it will change your life as well as the people that you end up working with.

Professional coaching skills are invaluable in the workplace and will certainly enhance your career.  In addition, once trained and qualified you can use this skillset as a potential additional source of income.

Commit to professional training of the highest standard – the International Coach Federation is a great place to start.

To Feel More Personally Fulfilled:

11. Take a holiday or an extended break

We all need to look after ourselves and recharge our batteries from time to time.  A well-timed break away from the office can do just this. Make sure that you frame this appropriately in your mind – this is an investment in your future and not just a pointless jolly.

Plan a trip to somewhere that you have always wanted to go (although don’t be calling travel agents during working hours!). This gives you something to look forward to.

12. Do something totally different

Step outside your comfort zone and do something new.  Learn a new language, take up an art class, sign up for a fitness challenge, learn to skydive.

Whilst the skills learned might not benefit your job directly, a new hobby will fill your leisure time and give you something to look forward to. You can even share your experiences with colleagues and ask them to join you.  Feeling energised and excited about something will inject energy into your life.

13. Get Creative

It’s easy to blame the job for you being bored at work.  So, try taking responsibility. Stop blaming the organisation/ your line manager / the world for your boredom and make a commitment to take action.  This can be fun!

Let your mind wander freely. Take some time to consider all the tedious tasks that you have to complete and devise some ingenious, out of the box solutions.  Trial these and see what works.  Share them with your colleagues and, once you’ve worked out effective solutions, your line manager.

Allowing yourself time to be creative, devising and crafting things from scratch is incredibly rewarding on a personal level.  You can feel proud of your accomplishments.

14. Get Organised

Feeling overwhelmed can often lead to feelings of boredom. You struggle to focus your mind and you end up jumping from one task to the next.  Getting organised and on top of things is a sure-fire way to beat this.

It’s great for your professional reputation to be organised – it gives the right impression to your colleagues and clients.  It’s also good for your mental health, productivity and tendency to feel bored.

Set aside some time to get your things in order.  This will empower your personally and professionally.

This can relate to your personal life and your professional life.

Take control back.

15. Get a Tight Hold on Your Finances

The overwhelming majority of people work because they need to earn money in order to live.  The downside of this is that people then feel trapped as they cannot survive without their job.  The reality is that many people live hand to mouth, from paycheque to paycheque.

It is a liberating feeling to know that you could survive, at least in the short term, if you lost your job today.  It’s empowering, it gives a sense of real freedom and control.  Face up to your debts, pay them off, live to your means and save money.  You could even consider starting up a side job.  The possibilities are endless.

To push yourself out of your comfort Zone:

16. Speak Publicly

Glossophobia, the fear of public speaking, is incredibly common with as many as 75% of the population suffering from this phobia.

Yes, this might make you want to be sick on your shoes, but if you are really up for knocking career boredom on the head it’s a great strategy to consider in the immediate short term.

You might volunteer to speak at a conference, be on a panel, a guest on a podcast in your area of expertise – you could even do a TED talk.

There are lots of courses available to support you in this.  For some, it’s a big challenge.  Imagine the sense of achievement you would feel?

17. Teach Skills to Others

Teaching is one of the most noble and important professions. As Nelson Mandela said, ‘Education is the biggest weapon through which you can change the world.”

Teaching is a challenge because you need to know your onions! (insert: know what you are talking about!) It’s challenging because it means putting yourself ‘out there’.  However, it’s also one of the most rewarding things to do – and once you get the bug there’ll be no stopping you!

There are lots of ways that you can do this: run sessions in your workplace – particularly to more junior or inexperienced colleagues, tutor someone from a local college or university, you could even deliver a career talk in your local school.  The opportunities really are endless.

18. Write an article

In today’s world there are lots of opportunities for this.   You might write something for your company magazine or website, a research journal, or a website or blog in your industry.

Many of these opportunities are unpaid but come with kudos and build your credibility as a professional.

19. Write a daily journal

As we become established in our careers many of us cease to be reflective practitioners and as a result our professional growth slows.

If you are feeling bored, journaling can be a great way to gradually unpick the reasons for this.  Take the time to learn a few tried and tested methods to reflect deeply and with impact.  Better Thinking for Better Results, by Kathy Lasher is a great place to start.

Hold yourself to account with a habit tracker and commit to writing a reflective journal each day.  Whilst this might start out as a chore, if you push yourself to be open and honest you will be surprised by what you uncover and the impact that this can have on your career.

20. Ask for a challenge from your boss

This one might require a little boldness of your behalf.  Ask your boss for a challenge – something that needs fixing or solving. A thorny issue that rumbles along in the background that causes irritation and annoyance makes for a great challenge.

Devise a working solution to the problem, test it out, work out the limitations and eradicate them.  Then work out an implementation plan and share this with your boss.  This is great for showing that you are a proactive ’can do’ person, it builds credibility and shows that you are committed to the organisation.

To Help Others:

21. Fundraise

Plan a workplace fundraising initiative for a local charity. This is beneficial for everyone – the charity gets much needed resources and the company get great PR. Simple.

22. Volunteer

There are lots of way that you can share your skills to the benefit of others.  Volunteer at a local charity such as a foodbank or homeless shelter, tutor kids on a reading programme, join community initiatives at the weekend – such as litter picks.

A great way to inject some passion back into your role is to see your skills used in a powerful way.  Work in the financial sector?  Great, volunteer some time working with finance staff in a local charity.  Work in the beauty industry?  Fab, cut hair in a homeless hostel, give facials to women at the local domestic violence shelter.  There really are people out there that need you and your skills.

23. Be a Mentor

We can all remember the early days on the job. The fear, the trepidation, the imposter syndrome.  Did you have someone who helped you navigate this difficult period in your life?

Make a commitment to be the kind of mentor you would love to have had back in the early days and find someone to share your skills with. Be their champion, a source of support, guide them and offer advice.  As a newbie in a large organisation it can be life changing to know that there is someone out there that has your back.

24. Ask others if they need help

This is as simple as it says on the tin.  Share your time and expertise.  It’s a simple and effective way to build relationships and a team ethic.

25. Set up a workplace book club

Set up a regular book club which meets often – perhaps in the lunch hour or even in the local cocktail bar after work.  Choose books related to your field that will benefit people and discuss your learning.