5 Steps to Beat Boredom At Work

Do you feel stuck in your job and like you’re doing the same boring thing every day with no end in site? 

We’ve all been caught in a monotonous rut whether that be in our career, relationship, family dynamic, and/or social dynamic.

It happens…it’s ok.  

We’re all in the same boat.

Curiosity is the key to beating boredom. 

Thought for this week: When things get monotonous and boring, or better yet before things even get to that point – stay curious.  

1 – Ask. 

2 – Understand.

3 – Learn. 

4 – Improve. 

5 – REPEAT.

1 – Ask Questions…

Who, What, When, Why, How…

If we focus all our attention on the person staring back at us in the mirror, we run the risk of getting bored very quickly.  However, when we focus on asking questions of those around us – family, friends, coworkers, staff, leaders, Guests, and customers – we add to everyone’s experience.  All of a sudden, we have a dialogue rather than a monotonous monologue that can tend to be all about us…too much of that is boring for them and for us.

2 – Understand…

“Seek first to understand, then to be understood” – Stephen Covey

When we’re inquisitive with sincere, genuine intentions the most amazing thing happens…we begin to understand.  When it comes to the people in our lives, we understand why they said what they said, why they felt the way they felt, what really motivates them, when they prefer to do what they like to do, how they like to be treated, and who they really want to be.  When it comes to other areas of our lives like our jobs or our goals, we understand just what skills will get us to the next level.  

We understand more of the why’s behind the decisions our leaders make and the direction our organizations are going.

3 – Learn…

“The moment you stop learning, you stop leading.” – Rick Warren

If we ask questions with every intention to truly understand…we’ll absolutely, positively learn new things.  If we’re constantly learning new things, won’t we be sharper, smarter, more knowledgeable, and in turn, more impactful?  We should also ask ourselves – what can we read, with whom can we speak, and what can we do to constantly learn new ways to do things…new ways to make an impact…new ways to become the leaders we all strive to be.

4 – Improve… 

“Excellent firms don’t believe in excellence…only in constant improvement and constant change” – Tom Peters

Learning combined with action yields improvements.  Constant, steady improvements, by definition, make things better.  We rarely hear folks say, “I’m so tired of things getting better…” So why not take what we learn and put it into action?  With the right frame of mind, we can actively seek out ways to improve our relationships, our finances (both personal and at work), our health, our quality of life, and the coolest part – in doing so we just might improve someone else’s life along the way.

5 – Repeat the Process and Stay Curious

…Ask.  Understand.  Learn.  Improve.  At the very least…you won’t be bored!

“When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do.  And one thing it takes to accomplish something is courage.” – Walt Disney

Have a great day.