Renew Enthusiasm For A Long-Standing Job

No matter how much you love your job, you’ll likely feel occasional bouts of boredom. Feeling bored at work can color your days gray and ultimately derail your career goals. That feeling is uncomfortable and can lead you to question whether you’re in the right role. It might even cause you to consider if you chose the wrong career altogether. But ultimately, that feeling of boredom can be a gift.

Boredom that’s temporary in nature can push you to look for fresh challenges and update your skills. Instead of finding yourself in the same position years down the road without a solid plan, boredom can drive you to make changes that lead to a robust and exciting career.

When you’re excited about your job, your work time flies by more quickly, and you’re also more likely to stand out to your employer or clients as a professional they want to promote, rehire, or refer.

Boredom is actually a fascinating way for your brain to communicate with you. It’s distinctly different than relaxing downtime. Dr. Erin C. Westgate, Social Psychologist at the University of Florida, shares that boredom is a signal that your brain wants to be engaged. So, if you’re struggling with boredom at work, that’s a great sign that your brain wants to reengage with your work.

Does your company support volunteering? If not, consider projects that you can complete virtually. When you use your skills to help others, you might discover a renewed interest in your knowledge and abilities. Plus, volunteering can be a fantastic boost to your resume, bringing you closer to a new job or career change if you decide it’s time to make a move.

Maybe instead of donating time, you could share your knowledge. There are certainly others who would benefit from what you know. A small business owner, perhaps, or a local high school with a mentorship program.

Could you create a Skillshare class or add tutorials on YouTube? Sharing your knowledge with others can reignite your passion for your own work. As a bonus, teaching can help you stand out to hiring managers, especially if you want to land a leadership role.

If you don’t already know, read through your employee handbook to discover if your company offers paid time off for volunteer pursuits. If not, look at your schedule and be realistic about how many hours you can commit weekly or monthly to a volunteer project. Then, reach out to local organizations or explore sites to find a volunteer project that blends your passions and skill set.

Your mind might be unable to focus because it’s cluttered with other thoughts. If you generally find enjoyment in your job, consider other ways to free up mental space for better focus. One of the most accessible options is to start a journal or writing habit. You can use prompts or simply let yourself write whatever comes to mind.

Schedule dedicated writing time first thing in the morning or in the evenings before bed. You may find that you need to start with shorter periods and build up your writing muscles.

Whether you work from home or not, your office may be last on your list of priorities when it comes to decorating. But if your space is drab and doesn’t inspire creative thinking, it’ll be more challenging to push through your routine tasks.

Updating your office space doesn’t have to cost a small fortune either. It might be as simple as rearranging your furniture to utilize natural lighting better. Add a new throw rug, a few plants, and maybe a piece of artwork or two to create a more inviting workspace.

Start with a clear understanding of how much you can change. If you’re renting, for example, are you allowed to paint and hang pictures? Once you understand your options, spend a bit of time browsing Pinterest or online decorating sites to get inspiration. Set a budget and make a plan. A few pops of color and a more personalized workspace might be all it takes to kick boredom to the curb.

Having a strong social network is one of the key indicators of happiness (and overall success). It’s easy to feel detached and despise your job when your co-workers are strangers. Turn that around by making an active effort to get to know them. If you fall into the trap of avoiding people in the hall, taking lunch breaks alone or just simply disengaging from your workplace, you may wind up exacerbating your career unhappiness in the short and long term.

We’re all busy. Most of the time we barely have time to “socialize” at work. Perhaps you relocate to a new position where you don’t know anyone. You might attend orientation with a co-worker and you hit it off, but they are now working in a different department and you rarely bump into that person. You’ll likely need to make an effort to call them and schedule a time to connect, perhaps during lunch time.

Don’t become a stranger in your own work setting. You might look back and realize you’ve been there for months and still barely know anyone. Break the silence from the beginning and learn about your co-workers. Kick off a casual conversation or just give them a genuine greeting the next time you pass each other. I’m sure that some of them are the most amazing people you could know.

Have you lost the ability to find passion in your job? What does that even mean, being passionate about your work? Are you supposed to feel unbridled excitement for every task?

Let’s be honest, that’s unrealistic. No matter how much you embrace a role, there will always be tasks that you find more tedious than others. Instead of unbridled delight, Forbes magazine describes passion in the workplace as a “positive and driving energy,” which is one of the most straightforward definitions of a complicated subject.

When you’re passionate about work, you don’t dread Mondays. People will enjoy being around you because your enthusiasm is often contagious. Your mission aligns with the company, and you feel valued. So, what do you do when your passion is ebbing? The answer is—it depends.

Take some time to assess why you’ve fallen out of love with your job. Were you passionate about work before? Do the company values and mission match yours? Is it possible that you need a new challenge? If so, then it might be time to reenergize your current role.