Saving the lack of morale in your workplace

Are you (or your coworkers)… bored at work?

Do any of you stare into space frequently? Fail to come up with creative, interesting ideas? Are you lacking initiative? Do you complete assignments quickly and find yourselves wondering what needs to happen next?

If you answered “Yes” to one or more of these questions, it’s highly possible that it’s time for you to take a step back and determine the root cause of the problem. Why are you bored? Why are your colleagues just as bored as you are? What’s wrong?

You’re bored because you’re stressed

Thanks to the pandemic, you’ve had to adapt to a whole new work life. Transitioning back to working full-time at the office is stressful. Stress about your work location can lead to avoidance of the actual work tasks, and avoiding tasks will lead to boredom because you’re spending so much time thinking rather than working. Be patient with yourself as you adjust to your return to the office full-time. Chances are, once you acknowledge this adjustment period to yourself (and/or address it with your colleagues) the stress has a better chance of decreasing.

You’re bored because projects are not finding their respective ways to completion

How many times have you sat on a Zoom meeting about a project whose completion has been delayed three and four times? Another unfortunate byproduct of the pandemic is that timelines have lost meaning. However, no matter the reason, if you’re sitting on a Zoom about a project that was already discussed the week before, and the week before that, and you’re hearing the same specs over and over because the project is unable to move forward… you’re going to be bored.

You’re bored because every day feels the same

This phenomenon was possible before the pandemic, and working from home only reinforced said feature – the monotony of everyday work life. Driving the same route to the same place and doing similar tasks day in and day out could bore anyone. Monotony is draining and emotionally exhaustive.

The above reasons are just a few metaphorical windows into boredom at work, and you probably have more of your own Whether or not your reason for workplace boredom is listed here, the overall malaise will lead to lack of morale, progress, and creativity. How can the problem be solved?

Think Tank Collaboration

Now that colleagues are returning to face-to-face settings, it is possible to take time to sit in a room together with a whiteboard and brainstorm. Sometimes, face-to-face collaboration just vibes differently. Even if you and your team do not utilize all of the ideas that are brought to light in one of these sessions, something will come out of it if everyone stays focused. If your boss, manager, or leader does not organize one of these such sessions, organize one yourself for your team. Go the extra mile and be your own leader. You and your team will all stand out as a result.

Create your own brainstorm

Spend time learning from the experts how to increase results in your business. The internet is filled with resources and articles from subject matter experts on a variety of topics from sales and marketing to operations and strategic planning. Take lots of notes, and either implement ideas on your own or with your team, with the permission of your boss, manager, or leader.

Find reasons to get excited about coming to work each day

Even if it’s just the opportunity to share a five-minute story over lunch with your office BFF, it’s a reason to get excited about coming to work and breaks up the monotony. The positive spin on the day will carry over into other areas of your work duties.

Form a reward system for yourself and your team

Sometimes, rewards are the greatest motivators, especially when all else fails. The reward does not have to come from your supervisor! Colleagues can become your accountability buddies and you can provide each other with rewards like an afternoon coffee pick-me-up or a lunch date at your favorite nearby restaurant.

The answers listed here to the question of “why are you and your colleagues bored at work” could appear simple; however, failure is a guarantee if there is no attempt to try. Learn your reasons for boredom, stop excuses, and implement techniques to set yourself and your team up for success.