Sometimes you find yourself in a boring job. The days seem monotonous, and you don’t look forward to going to work each morning. While you’re at the office, you can’t stop staring at the clock, waiting for your shift to be over. You feel like you’re wasting your days away and that you’re not using your brain on the job. Fortunately, even in the most boring of jobs, there are ways to bring in a little creativity. Try injecting your personality into your workspace and the tasks you do, as well as befriending your co-workers and getting involved in company activities. A little creativity can go a long way in making your job more fun.
Spice Up Your Surroundings
A simple way to make your workdays more pleasant is to breathe some life into your office space. Spruce it up by bringing in photos of your family, friends, and pets, or of places you want to visit some day. Make the fashionable functional by decorating your office with colorful supplies – sticky notes, paper clips, and pens can all add some personality to your environment. Inspirational images and quotes might also help you through the workday. Ask your manager what the guidelines are for decorating your office or cubicle, and then let your inner interior designer loose.
You can also make your space more invigorating through your other senses. Plants and small water features can bring appeal beyond the visual. Plants purify the air and give you something to care for, while the water features can be relaxing – the bubbling sounds might lend you some serenity. Calming or energizing music – depending on your needs – can make you feel more inspired about your job. Use reed diffuser sticks to make your cubicle smell like lemon or sandalwood. Change the scent each day or week to keep things interesting. Be sensitive, though, to your co-workers and be sure that they are not negatively affected by your selection!
Engineer a Better Workflow
There are ways to make your actual work more exciting, too! While your tasks may be rote, see if you can inject some creativity into them. You might find that the method you’re using to fulfill a task is outdated and inefficient. See if you can find another approach that can improve your productivity, and perhaps give you more time for exciting tasks. Look to others around you for inspiration – who’s being creative and innovative? Ask friends or co-workers for ideas to re-energize and reorganize your workflow.
Even larger tasks can be boring. When you are in charge of a presentation you find uninspiring, put some fun imagery into the file – there are many sites where you can find photos and images free for personal and commercial use. Or make some cool graphics of your own! You can also use Prezi or Canva instead of PowerPoint to make your presentations more engaging. Make them reflect your personality and use the visual aids to tell a story.
Get to Know Your Co-Workers
A fail-proof way to make your job more enjoyable is by befriending your co-workers. Being around people you like will make any situation better. Start by talking to the people around you (while being careful not to pester someone who is working). You’ll probably find that you have something in common with a lot of your teammates. If you like your co-workers, you can at least look forward to seeing your friends when you’re headed to work.
Planning and participating in company activities is another way to break the monotony of a boring job and to make connections. Partake in company contests and casual Fridays, and socialize with your co-workers beyond your immediate team. Maybe you can start an after-work book club or coffee club, meet up for happy hour, or encourage your co-workers to join a fitness class. Getting to know your co-workers makes the workday less boring.
Keep Your Chin Up
Certain jobs can seem monotonous, and have very clear-cut tasks you work on. These are harder to find creativity in, but there are small ways you can introduce creativity into an otherwise boring position. Look at ways to make your work space more inspiring – having an invigorating environment can spark multitudes of ideas for how to make your job even more enjoyable. Innovate your workflow to make the tasks more efficient and free up your time to explore more creative projects. You can use some of that free time to get to know your co-workers and find ways to get involved with the entire team. You might even make a friend!
Remember, though, that your job doesn’t define you, and things always change. Even if you can’t adequately explore your potential in your current position, know that you won’t be stuck in that job forever. Sometimes, people just take jobs to pay the bills – and that’s okay! In the meantime, you can try these ways to insert creativity into the position you have now.
Alison Rollins is Vice President of Marketing at Petite2Queen. She earned her master’s degree in Global Entertainment & Music Business from Berklee College of Music. An experienced marketer, Alison is an expert leader in social and digital media. She’s a talented videographer, with an extensive portfolio of thought-provoking work. At Petite2Queen, Alison focuses on meeting the diverse needs of women at all stages of their lives.