Eradicate WORKPLACE BOREDOM Forever Part Two
1. Mental
2. Verbal
3. Physical
The rest of the article was devoted to suggestions for mental actions — productive thoughts that invariably lead to productive words and activities.
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Consider the points of view of your boss, your co-workers, and your customers.
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One of those productive thoughts was to consider the points of view of your boss, your co-workers, and your customers — the main point being, you can engage in those mental activities WHILE you’re getting paid; while you’re doing menial tasks, like cleaning, or organizing, or simply while you’re standing behind the counter waiting for the bell on the door to ring. You won’t get bored while you’re contemplating these issues.
We discussed your boss’s point of view in Part One. Now, onto the points of view of your co-workers and customers!
Sometimes, I can’t tell the difference between the retail workers and the mannequins.
Step Into Your Co-Workers’ Shoes
I believe in treating co-workers with the same respect and enthusiasm as I treat guests. I often fail. And that is because my co-workers often irritate the stuffing out of me.
Nevertheless, treating them as I want to be treated is what I aim for. And that means, greeting my co-workers every day with warmth and the best of intentions. I try to make it clear to them that I’m available throughout the shift to help them as needed.
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Consider yourself and the people around you, and ask yourself, Why are we here? And, How can I make things better?
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All too often in the food and beverage industry, workers display antipathy and outright rudeness toward each other. They walk around like zombies and resent anyone trying to wrest them from their boredom.
I suspect this malaise comes from workers not holding a clear notion of their own value to the company. They don’t appreciate their own work; so naturally they don’t appreciate their co-workers’.
Nevertheless, if you’re bothered by boredom at work, start thinking about what your co-workers are going through. Are they bored?
Are they scowling at you because you’re not working as hard as they are? Are they scowling at you because you’re working harder than they are, and thus making them look bad?
I know all too well the infuriating experience of watching my co-workers watch me work. But I can tell you from years of experience that the best thing you can do under these circumstances is not to concern yourself with their boredom. Manage your own boredom and let go of the rest.
See Things Through Your Customers’ Eyes
When customers (or guests) enter your establishment for the first time, you can bet that they feel disoriented. They may give you the universal signal that they need help. That is, they stop and look up and around. That is your cue. That moment — that window of opportunity — passes quickly, and never returns.
To sum up this Mental portion of our discussion, there are plenty of positive, productive mental activities that you can engage in to alleviate your boredom and advance your career. And they all boil down to this: consider yourself and the people around you, and ask yourself . . .
Why are we here?
How can I make things better?
Verbal Actions
Talk
You can eliminate workplace boredom by discussing all of the above (including Part One of this article) with your co-workers. I dare you to walk into a group of bored co-workers and ask, “Hey guys, how can we do our jobs AND not be bored, at the same time?”
They may regard you as a butt-kissing pain-in-the-ass, and tell you to go screw yourself. If you’re like me, you’ll have to bite your tongue.
Or, they may respond, “We’re not bored. We’re shooting the breeze with our co-workers.” And that’s a valid point. Team building often happens over small talk.
But if you work with people of a different age group or culture — which is the case with many of us in the food and beverage industry — your co-workers and you may not be able to relate to each others’ small talk. In this case, it’s not a bad idea to excuse yourself and find a place where you can talk to yourself (i.e., write).
Write
Your own mind is an infinite source of wisdom, comfort, and creativity. All you have to do is tap into it. Writing is probably the best way of doing this. Even more than talking. If you’re not a writer, START!
Keep a small notepad and pen in your pocket, and use slow times at work to jot down your thoughts. If you can’t think of anything to write, write I’m so bored! I’m serious. Write it again and again, mechanically, until something else pops out of your mind. The act of writing triggers the creative sectors of your brain. You will be surprised at the good stuff that comes out.
Other things you can write about during down times at work; or anywhere else, as long as you’re not operating heavy machinery:
- List three things you can do right now to make each of the following people feel better: yourself; your co-workers; your boss; and your customers.
- Write: If I were running this place, I would . . . , followed by whatever comes to mind.
- Write: If I didn’t have to work for a living, I would . . . , again, let your thoughts travel.
The point here is to trigger your core values and put them to use; not only in service of your current job, but also toward your longterm career goals.
No Excuses!
Remember this above all else — There’s no excuse for boredom! You have the power ALWAYS to eliminate boredom.
I know what I’m talking about. You see, I don’t suffer from boredom anymore. I haven’t for many years. And it’s because of everything I’m sharing with you now.
In Part Three, we’ll discuss the Physical part of SRP’s boredom killing methodology — the actual tangible things you can do to rise above the status quo and forge a path toward permanent success.
If more people be doing they work, then they ain’t got time for boredom!!