Working Wounded: Wake Up! Tips to Fight Boredom at Work

Jan. 25, 2008 — -- Dear WOUNDED: I'm bored at work. Every day the clock just crawls by. If I could stay awake, I'd cry.

ANSWER: This week in the news I spotted a rare species not often featured in the standard bird-watching manuals — the Marooned Mudlark. An unfortunate birder in South Carolina found himself trapped up to his waist in the mire after watching the birds and not his footing.

Being in a job that bores you can leave you feeling stuck. (Queue the loud scream please.) Hollywood bogs have sucked hundreds into murky oblivion. Sorry, maybe I watched "Swamp Thing" too many times. Fifty-five percent of Americans are "unengaged" in their job and swamped with boredom. Believe it or not, there is an alternative to mindlessly surfing the 3.3 million bored-at-work sites (I couldn't make that up). Here are three dos and one don't. For more, check out "Working Wounded: Advice That Adds Insight to Injury by Yours Truly" (Warner, 1996).

DO Get a life. Most bogs are not that dangerous or deep. We may not be Mensa minds, but we're less dense than the mud we've landed in. If you lean back and relax you'll float. So relax. And the same rules apply at work. Work is only a portion of your life not your whole life. Get a wild hobby, volunteer or get a new degree. Have a set activity for the moment you exit work. Remember life is you, not your job.

DO Mentor/Mentoree. You don't have to do this all on your own. Find a mentor who can advise you on this and your other challenges at work. Believe it or not, people who respect you are often flattered to be asked to mentor. Or offer your services to be a mentor. Look around for promising people who could gain from your expertise or experience. You'll get a no or two, along with a few blank stares. But when you find someone who likes the idea you will be off on a fulfilling journey.

DO Stay. Do you know the old saying goldfish only get as big as their tank?" Well that's a myth. You can outgrow your job too. If your bored maybe its time to check for a higher position within the company. Ask your supervisor if you can interview or job shadow the next level on your career track. You could also interview or shadow positions in other departments. Prowl for committees or task forces that you can join. Prowl, creatively. Change your job, instead of changing jobs.

DON'T Stay. I know. I know I just said stay. But if you've tried all of the dos and you're still sinking, just bail out. I'm not saying make a rash move — we all know how important an exit plan is. But maybe it's time for you to begin a new career, or try a new location.

Explore these options and no one at work will ever accuse you of being a Marooned Mudlark.

"Once we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our mind, our duty is to furnish it well." — Peter Ustinov

You talkin' to me … How executives liked to be reached

• E-mail, 65 percent (up from 34 percent in 1997)
• Face-to-face, 31 percent (down from 44 percent in 1997)
• Paper memo, 3 percent (down from 12 percent in 1997)
• Voice mail, 1 percent (down from 7 percent in 1997)

From: Office Team

Bob Rosner is a best-selling author, speaker and internationally syndicated columnist. He'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic, especially if you have better ideas than he does. His books include "The Boss's Survival Guide" and "Gray Matters: The Work place Survival Guide." Send your questions or comments to him via: bob@workingwounded.com.

ABCNEWS.com publishes a new Working Wounded column every Friday.This work is the opinion of the columnist and in no way reflects the opinion of ABC News.