Can’t bear the thought of grinding, slogging or toiling your way through another mundane task?
Unfortunately, “busywork” is often an unavoidable part of your work day. When you’re faced with another boring task, use these tips from A.R. Mazzotta to make it a little more tolerable:
Change Your Mindset.
Attitude is everything! If you call a job “boring,” you may be creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. So change the way you think about it. Instead of focusing on the monotony, come up with two or three positive things that your busywork accomplishes:
- Does it make your boss happy?
- Does it allow you to focus on a more important part of your job, once you’ve completed it?
- Does it help out a client, a co-worker or another department?
Look for the upshot of finishing an unpleasant task and it will make it much more bearable. And if you really can’t find an upside, create one – reward yourself with a stroll around the office or a quick coffee break once you’re done.
Turn It into a Game.
When you’re doing a mind-numbing job, set goals for yourself – seriously! The challenge will keep your mind occupied and help you progress through the job more quickly. Here are a few ideas:
- Proofreading. See how many errors you can find on a single page of copy.
- Data entry. See how many records you can key without having to back-up and correct a field.
- Rotating stock. Set a time goal and try to beat it.
While it’s great to have fun while you work on boring tasks, remember that accuracy is still important.
Switch Things Up.
If you have more than one super-dull task to complete in a given day (and your schedule permits), alternate between the two tasks. Or, keep your mind fresh by switching between a boring assignment and a more interesting one. Anything you can do to break the monotony will boost your productivity, motivation and mood.
Move It!
Slouching over your desk for long periods adds to boredom – as well as neck and back problems. Try sitting on an inflatable exercise ball instead of a standard office chair. It will correct your posture, strengthen your core muscles, keep you from falling asleep at your desk and spur lots of interesting conversations with co-workers.
“Deskercise” is another great way to fight the fatigue and tension repetitive work causes. Try these ideas to wake up and focus (one at a time, please!):
- Stretch your arms over your head while inhaling deeply.
- Give yourself a mini neck-massage to relieve tight muscles.
- While seated, contract your stomach muscles for 30-second intervals. Your posture will be better, and the activity will flatten your abdominal muscles, too.
A.R. Mazzotta: Your Secret Weapon Against Boring Jobs
Still don’t want to tackle that boring job? Then bring in our temporary employees to handle the work. From filing to data entry, assembly to envelope-stuffing, we can deliver reliable, focused workers who will get the job done – quickly and cost-effectively. You’ll retain your sanity and be free to focus on more important (and interesting) priorities.