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BORED AT WORK?

Let’s face it, some of us are kind of twiddling our thumbs right now. We are living in a period where many things seem to be on pause. That doesn’t mean you have to though! Okay, maybe you’ve taken a few days to slack off but you’re ready to get back in the swing of things! Only….things aren’t exactly swinging right now. So how do you jump back in?

Remember when you first started your new career? You were nervous yet eager to dive into anything and everything that was set out in front of you. You were on a mission to live out your dream and make the most of every opportunity you came across. 

That excitement may still be there, but it’s not the same high you had on your first day. Now that you’ve become familiar with your role and have settled in, the “new opportunities” sometimes become annoying challenges. You aren’t as appreciated as you once were and things start to become somewhat mundane. 

Not to say this is the case everyday, but we all have days where we aren’t as motivated as we could be. So what do you do about it? 

We have compiled a list of activities and ideas to fill in your day, spark that inner drive and get you excited about your journey again!

Review/Reflect Your Accomplishments

Sometimes we are quick to dive into what we need to do next before appreciating where we started. No matter where you’re at in your career, take time to reflect on the things you have accomplished and all of the relationships you have built. Keep in mind that learning is an accomplishment too! You don’t have to have any plaques or banquets held in your honor to accomplish something. If you have learned anything since your first day on the job, you are on the right track! When thinking about all of the relationships you’ve built, think about how those relationships came about and how they’ve grown over time. You’d be surprised at how large your professional circle can grow very quickly in a short amount of time. 

Write an Intimidation List

In the spirit of self-reflection, let’s continue learning about ourselves. What intimidates you? Is it an older co-worker? Taking the lead on a project? Talking with customers? It’s okay, we’re all intimated by something or someone. Start a timer for 5 minutes and use that time to solely reflect and write down what intimidates you most in the workplace. 

Once you’ve identified what intimidates you, ask yourself why. Why are you intimidated by that? If you conquered that intimidation would you become a better version of yourself? Would that help you get it where you want to be?

You don’t need to conquer the whole list in one day. Start with one item. It could be asking a co-worker to go to lunch with you or suggesting an idea to your superior. Even if it takes you a year to get through your list, you are at least doing it! One of the best ways to grow is to do the things that make you the most uncomfortable.

Set New SMART Goals

Specific: In order to keep your goal specific, use the five W’s. 

Who? Who is involved in this goal? 

What: What is my goal? What will be accomplished?

Where: Where will this goal occur? 

Why: Why do I want to see this goal come to flourishion? 

When: What is the time frame for this goal? 

Measurable: Make sure your goal is measurable or you define how it will be measured. Let’s say your goal is to excel in your position. That’s a great goal, but at the end of the road how will you know if you excelled? Define ahead of time what kind of measurement you will use to measure your goal. 

Attainable: Don’t set yourself up for failure! You don’t have to shrink all of your goals, but make sure your goals are attainable. 

Relevant: Think about how your goals relate to your professional goals and your company’s goals. Are your goals relevant to what you are trying to accomplish? Do they line up with your vision for yourself? 

Timely: When you set a goal for yourself, it’s crucial you give yourself a time frame. Without a time frame, it’s more of a wish instead of a concrete goal. Make sure your time frame is reasonable and realistic for your goal. You’ll find that it’s helpful to set smaller goals or benchmarks for a larger goal that might take a significant amount of time.

Make A Vision Board

Don’t shy away from the idea of a vision board just because you don’t know exactly what you want out of life or your career. That’s a constant journey of exploration for all of us! No one has to have it all figured out right away or even 10 years down the road. We are all growing and changing over time. That being said, a vision board is a great way to gain clarity for your future, kick start your journey and stay on track! It’s hard to manifest the life you want, if you don’t give yourself any direction.

Redecorate & Reorganize

Now that you have your vision board, maybe it’s time to add a little more life to your office space. Fill your space with pieces that make you feel alive and inspired! Whether that be some abstract art, a zein garden or a few plants. Make your space your own. 

On the flip side of that method of redecorating, maybe you need to declutter your space. Some of you can get pretty messy. You know who you are. Go organize that stack of papers, throw away all of the junk mail you swear you need to look through and get rid of pieces that are creating too much chaos. There is such a thing as too much. You’ll know when you start clearing things up, which pieces need to stay and which need to go. 

Once you have all of your new pieces added to your office and/or you got rid of some clutter, it’s time to reorganize another aspect of your office. Your computer. Your computer isn’t something you necessarily think of as being messy, but it can get quite cluttered when it’s neglected. Take some time to organize your files, run those updates you’ve been ignoring for weeks and back up any important documents.

Watch a TedTalk or Listen to a Podcast

TedTalks and podcasts are a great way to kick start your creative juices. Listen to one on your way to work or on your lunch break. You can find topics on almost anything! 

If you aren’t in a “thinking” mood, slap on some feel good tunes instead. You don’t always have to be doing something work-related to be inspired at work!

Fine a Quote, Write It Down

When you recognize you are feeling a negative emotion, acknowledge that emotion and ask yourself why you are feeling that way? 

For example: “I am feeling very nervous and anxious. Why am I feeling this way?…… I started feeling this way when I realized I was going to have to go on a sales call. Okay, so I am nervous about facing a fear.”  

Once you have defined the feelings you are experiencing and recognized why they came about, it’s time to find a quote. Head over to your pinterest board or google and simply type in “quotes for facing your fears”. Pick one that resonates with you and write it down three times.

Connect With Your Team

Maybe you’ve been at your company for ten years or maybe you’ve only been there for a couple of weeks. In that time, have you made an effort to establish a relationship with everyone you work with? Your supervisors, your peers and/or your subordinates? Even people you don’t necessarily work with? It may be on your intimidation list to connect with some of these people, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t! Not only will you grow by getting outside of your comfort zone, you’ll grow your personal and professional circle. You never know when you’ll be put on a random project with a whole new circle of peers. 

Reconnecting with your peers is a great way to help increase your comradery at work and your overall motivation!

Brainstorm Company Project Ideas 

Who doesn’t love a good brainstorming session? Maybe this brainstorming session is between you and your notebook or maybe it’s grabbing a few co-workers and bouncing ideas off of each other. No matter the logistics, a good brainstorm session is a great way to spark some energy and motivation.

Not only could a brainstorm session ease your boredom, it could actually help move you forward in your career! Whenever you find yourself getting bored at work, make a point to make a difference. Whether that be thinking of projects for your team internally or for your customers. Don’t waste your time by just watching the clock, get going!!

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(319) 469-3961

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