18 Productive Things To Do When Bored At Work
Boredom is the biggest killer of success.
A few months ago, my friend Jimmy called me up to share an “interesting” problem.
“I get bored at around 3 pm every day — after lunch, when things become a bit slow and my morning motivation runs out.”
Jimmy’s a stellar performer at work with a calm & composed personality. He seems to be on track for a lucrative promotion. But this boredom is derailing him.
It might not sound like a big problem but it’s gradually started affecting his work.
Boredom At Work Is More Relevant Today Than Ever
Because of the pandemic, a large number of people got used to the concept of “work from home (WFH)”.
WFH showed how efficient we can be from home. It saves us conveyance, time to commute, the need to spend on work clothes, and physical & mental energy. We can even work flexible hours to maintain a good work-life balance.
As more and more employees are going back to work, they’d start questioning whether being at the site is necessary. At home, due to no commute, they can start and finish work early. In many cases, due to them being in a comfortable environment, they’d be more efficient as well.
So, it’s obvious that they might feel bored being at work just for the sake of it. Boredom will come and it will come with three costs.
3 Ways Boredom Affects You At Work
Correlation with performance
Regularly feeling bored at work will lower your performance. You’d be unwilling to give your best if the work doesn’t interest you. It might not be a problem for a day or two. But over time, the lower quality works will pile up.
Boredom has affected my performance in the past as well. Despite working in the exciting field of marketing, there was a phase when I was finding my work to be quite monotonous. I had to fight to change my environment as my work quality was starting to suffer.
Optics of energy
Energy is contagious. It’s also good for your personal brand. At work, it’s often about optics. If you are perceived to be disengaged, your performance might be judged in a different light.
I have seen one of my co-workers remain very disengaged for months. While choosing project members, I ended up favoring energetic individuals over him as their energy helps the whole team.
Lack of dopamine
Boredom means your mind needs a dopamine boost. If you can’t get it from clean sources, you might end up doing something you’d eventually regret.
Getting bored at work for a long time may reduce your interest in work. That can eventually derail your career. Sometimes boredom is a sign that you need a new job. But in many cases, it’s just a phase.
The Experiment to Find Activities That Suit You
Jimmy & I discussed the problem at length and we reached the same conclusion. Jimmy needed a bit of productive distraction to keep his mind fresh.
Together, we devised a list of 18 activities that he could try over 3 months. He’d then rate each activity based on how effective they were in removing boredom.
The core idea was to find a customized solution that’d help him stave off boredom. The activities needed to be easy enough so that he could do them even when he would lack motivation.
And that led us to try the following activities —
18 Productive Things To Do When Bored At Work
Here are the 18 productive things you can try at work. They’ll not only keep you energized but also keep you productive.
- Listen to podcasts: Podcasts increase your knowledge while you’re having a good time. For example, for a marketing professional, The Long Game is an inspiring option. The Long Game focuses on personal and business success stories where long-term thinking won over short-term plans.
- Watch a TED talk: TED talks are short, informative, and entertaining. Seth Godin’s “Purple Cow” was a fun & informative talk on marketing. Amy Cuddy’s “Fake It Till You Make It” is one evergreen talk on self-confidence. Options are endless!
- Learn a new skill: With LinkedIn learning and other online learning platforms, you can find a new skill and start listening to it.
- Practice gratitude: Gratitude is like a muscle. The more you use it the stronger it becomes. The benefits of gratitude are endless. You can practice it at work as gratitude can improve your life radically in just 4 weeks.
- Personalize your desk: Cleaning up your desk may not seem tempting. But organizing comes with hidden psychological benefits like reducing stress. Clean it up and then personalize it with your favorite mementos. (Even Dwight Schrute had a bobblehead on his desk)
- Spring clean your phone: How often do you clean your phone? Externally, it’s exposed to dust and germs. Internally, it gets occupied with random pictures, unused apps and so much more. Clean it out both internally and externally to enjoy a squeaky clean & fast experience.
- Build a work playlist: Research has shown that listening to music can reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and pain as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness, and memory. A work playlist can improve your mood or help you get into a flow state.
- Set S.M.A.R.T. goals for you: Create goals to become a better person. Follow it up with a routine to ensure you would be able to achieve at least 90% of your goals.
- Write a letter to your future self: It can be with your 5-year goals or annual plans. Commit to yourself what you want to change and it will be fun to see your progress when the time comes.
- Help out a colleague: Giving enables receiving. Help out a colleague with something you are good at. You’ll strengthen your personal network, create a friend, and feel good in the process.
- Learn how money works: Plan to build your wealth and passive income. Financial freedom is not only for those who have their own business. You’d want it for yourself too if you want to reduce your dependence on salary. Ask yourself — “Are you financially free?”
- Plan a trip: Planning a trip may not sound productive but it is. Without rest and refreshment, there won’t be any productivity. A trip will rejuvenate your mind.
- Take a walk around the office: Say hi to colleagues. After all, you are seeing most of them after working from home for a long time. Go to different corners of the office just to change your environment a little.
- Read articles on your field: Reading a couple of articles will help you learn. Have a look at these marketing articles if you are into marketing.
- Schedule a cup of coffee with a business connection: With time, your career starts depending on the strength of your career. Send a LinkedIn message to a contact to catch up or schedule a call.
- Make a list of books, training, and other learning materials: I have 7 books and 4 pieces of training waiting for me. All of these enable my personal & professional growth. I plan to finish them within the next six months. Create a list like that to help you grow.
- Use Pinterest to build boards: Pinterest is a great platform to find ideas. Create boards (albums) with workspace ideas, work wardrobe plans, ways to organize desks and so much more.
- Get a good cup of coffee and do nothing: Life is not a race. You don’t need to always do something. Just get a good cup of coffee and do nothing. Maybe your mind is signaling you to change your surroundings. Maybe you are too much into your comfort zone which is hindering your growth. Listen to your mind.
Final Thoughts
Over those three months, Jimmy eventually found five activities that helped him stay productive and manage boredom. He realized he loves blocking out the world sometimes and working on himself.
He is now taking courses, listening to podcasts, setting goals while listening to a playlist, and reading up on personal finance. His performance and energy are back at his usual high levels.
You can do the same by testing what works for you. Remember, boredom is not a problem but an opportunity to find new answers.
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