What's the professional way to say that I'm bored to tears?
March 28, 2016 3:22 PM Subscribe
I'm bored at work, to the point where I frequently cry at my desk. I want to talk to my manager about it, but I need a script. This is my first office job, and I don't have a lot of experience with this part of the whole working professional deal. Can you help me?
Are you a secretary or similar? You are supposed to be 30% loaded*, so you don't have to drop anything to do urgent tasks.
I recommend finding something to do for yourself that looks like work. Read books or learn new things on the computer, or go around and chat people up ("networking"). Just always be willing to drop things the moment anyone comes by, not because you are hiding what you are doing, but so you are available.
*I tried to find the link, but turns out that's something you shouldn't search for at work.
posted by flimflam at 3:38 PM on March 28, 2016 [3 favorites]
I recommend finding something to do for yourself that looks like work. Read books or learn new things on the computer, or go around and chat people up ("networking"). Just always be willing to drop things the moment anyone comes by, not because you are hiding what you are doing, but so you are available.
*I tried to find the link, but turns out that's something you shouldn't search for at work.
posted by flimflam at 3:38 PM on March 28, 2016 [3 favorites]
Find something that needs to be done (evaluation system, inprocessing checklist, etc.). Make a plan to get it done. Present the plan to your boss.
posted by Etrigan at 3:50 PM on March 28, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Etrigan at 3:50 PM on March 28, 2016 [3 favorites]
I believe that the approved professional language is that you would like to further your professional development by seeking out some new challenges. Make sure that you're getting your boring work done to a very high standard, and then identify some interesting challenges and ask if you can take them on.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 3:53 PM on March 28, 2016 [26 favorites]
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 3:53 PM on March 28, 2016 [26 favorites]
Definitely agree that you should expect more! Any competent manager should be on the look out for this situation and have concrete ideas about how to expand your scope to keep you engaged. How you handle this depends on why you're bored and how good your manager is. Are you bored because there's not enough work? Or the work is trivial?
The self-serve path is to simply make it clear to people who have jobs like those you would like to have that you want to help them however you can. Absorb any and all work you can from people and aggressively fill up your days. This is hard if you have enough work to keep you busy, you just don't like doing it.
The other path is to directly ask your manager for a scope change. It helps to have something concrete to ask for, like "I would like to learn more about what is like, do you know of projects in that area I could contribute to?" If you open with "I'm bored" you're shifting the work of figuring out what you would like on to them.
Have you seen your manager create meaningful professional advancement paths for other people like you? Will they be insulted if you tell them the work you're assigning is boring (e.g. is their personal self image wrapped up in this kind of work being important)? How much do they like you? If your manager has made it clear that the work you do is very valuable and they would be sad to lose you, then you have a lot of flexibility. If you're not sure, there's a chance they will read your boredom as not being "right" for that role and it will limit your tenure at the company. But if they really see no other paths for you and you're desperately unhappy, there are worse outcomes.
Good luck!
posted by heresiarch at 3:56 PM on March 28, 2016
The self-serve path is to simply make it clear to people who have jobs like those you would like to have that you want to help them however you can. Absorb any and all work you can from people and aggressively fill up your days. This is hard if you have enough work to keep you busy, you just don't like doing it.
The other path is to directly ask your manager for a scope change. It helps to have something concrete to ask for, like "I would like to learn more about what
Have you seen your manager create meaningful professional advancement paths for other people like you? Will they be insulted if you tell them the work you're assigning is boring (e.g. is their personal self image wrapped up in this kind of work being important)? How much do they like you? If your manager has made it clear that the work you do is very valuable and they would be sad to lose you, then you have a lot of flexibility. If you're not sure, there's a chance they will read your boredom as not being "right" for that role and it will limit your tenure at the company. But if they really see no other paths for you and you're desperately unhappy, there are worse outcomes.
Good luck!
posted by heresiarch at 3:56 PM on March 28, 2016
How long have you been in this job? Sometimes this problem solves itself after a few months. They start to trust you and give you more interesting things.
Are you bored because you have too little to do? If so I've had good luck by telling my bosses "I've finished x and y. I could take on something else, such as z."
Are you bored because you have plenty of work to do but the work itself is dull or repetitive? That's a different problem ...
posted by bunderful at 4:07 PM on March 28, 2016 [6 favorites]
Are you bored because you have too little to do? If so I've had good luck by telling my bosses "I've finished x and y. I could take on something else, such as z."
Are you bored because you have plenty of work to do but the work itself is dull or repetitive? That's a different problem ...
posted by bunderful at 4:07 PM on March 28, 2016 [6 favorites]
Do you have supervisions with your line manager? If not ask to schedule one: "Would you have some time free in your schedule in the next fortnight to review my progress and workload?" Before your meeting consider what areas of your workplace you find interesting and would like to get involved in. What skills do you have - personal or professional - that could slot in there? What sub-committees would you be interested in sitting on? At the meeting say something like "I'm keen to develop professionally, and I think I could make a valuable contribution to Company by assisting X Department because of Y skills/interests I have. What do you think is the best way to achieve that?" Or "I know you complete Z task each month. I would like to help with that as I would really like to develop my skills in that area. What's the best way for me to assist you?" Don't tell them you're bored, just offer to do more and frame it as asking for their professional advice so they don't feel you're criticising them.
However I strongly disagree with Ruthless Bunny that it's solely your problem. You can approach your manager with a good script, but a bad manager won't notice or give a shit if you're wasted and bored to tears even if you proactively ask for work or identify areas where you could be of use (ask me how I know) for reasons varying from their own incompetence, bad people management skills, control-freak refusal to delegate, or the fear of being found out by their line managers that their department is much slacker than their Management Reports suggest. Therefore keep an eye out for a more interesting job and consider using downtime to research courses or read articles online and generally think of it as free time you're being paid for. It's soul destroying, I know. Good luck.
posted by billiebee at 4:55 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
However I strongly disagree with Ruthless Bunny that it's solely your problem. You can approach your manager with a good script, but a bad manager won't notice or give a shit if you're wasted and bored to tears even if you proactively ask for work or identify areas where you could be of use (ask me how I know) for reasons varying from their own incompetence, bad people management skills, control-freak refusal to delegate, or the fear of being found out by their line managers that their department is much slacker than their Management Reports suggest. Therefore keep an eye out for a more interesting job and consider using downtime to research courses or read articles online and generally think of it as free time you're being paid for. It's soul destroying, I know. Good luck.
posted by billiebee at 4:55 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
What is your role or what kind of work do you do? Are you bored because you don't have enough to do or because the work you have to do itself is boring?
I would identify areas that interest you and where they overlap with things you could do to improve the efficiency of the organization or fill in gaps. Then go to your manager and say, "I have some extra bandwidth and I was noticing that if we start doing X and Y, it could really help Z. Is this something I could spearhead? I'd love to expand my role and take on some new challenges, and I really think my skillset will be a value asset in this."
You can't just passively hope your boss makes your job into the job you want, you have to be a little proactive in making that reality. So, I think saying anything to your boss and laying this out there is a good start, but it's better to have suggestions of your own rather than hoping your boss will come up with a solution.
posted by AppleTurnover at 5:21 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
I would identify areas that interest you and where they overlap with things you could do to improve the efficiency of the organization or fill in gaps. Then go to your manager and say, "I have some extra bandwidth and I was noticing that if we start doing X and Y, it could really help Z. Is this something I could spearhead? I'd love to expand my role and take on some new challenges, and I really think my skillset will be a value asset in this."
You can't just passively hope your boss makes your job into the job you want, you have to be a little proactive in making that reality. So, I think saying anything to your boss and laying this out there is a good start, but it's better to have suggestions of your own rather than hoping your boss will come up with a solution.
posted by AppleTurnover at 5:21 PM on March 28, 2016 [1 favorite]
I agree you should talk to your manager, but don't use the word "bored" and don't bring up the frequent crying. (Sorry if that's obvious, but you say this is your first office job so I'll begin at the beginning.) Boredom and crying are emotions/emotional reactions, and you can't ask your boss to solve those.
What you can do is tell your boss you feel ready to take on more challenges, and approach the meeting with a solution (or several) in mind. Is there an area you'd like to learn more about? A task you can take from your boss? A meeting you are interested in sitting in on? Something you've noticed that doesn't run smoothly and a way you could take that on as a project and improve it? A mentor you want to connect with? As a manager I would LOVE if someone I managed took that initiative.
Beware that there are nasty stereotypes about your generation: that they think all work will be fun and rewarding and high-paying and personally fulfilling and that it will utilize all their skills and interests and make them feel special; that they are unwilling to work their way up and do the boring scut work everyone else had to do early in their careers; that they whine or quit if they don't get their way. This is unfair (and starkly untrue regarding all the young people I've managed) but you do need to keep that in mind so that you aren't going to your boss sounding entitled with no solutions to offer.
You don't give us a lot to go on, and it's hard to tell whether you don't have enough to do, or you are just bored by what you do have to do. There are some jobs where you aren't meant to be constantly busy, and not everyone is a fit for that. There are some jobs where there is constant work, but it's dull and repetitive, and it takes a certain kind of mind to thrive at that. Some people thrive in fast-paced, deadline-centric environments, and some people thrive with more leeway and downtime. Takes a while to figure out your workstyle, but once you do, you can seek that in your next job. In any event, is it possible you just...hate your job? Start cruising for other work if that's the case.
I want to come back to the frequent crying at your desk. That does not sound fun at all (and it won't be seen as normal or professional if others begin to notice, so if you can't learn to regulate it, it might cause you problems.) Are you sure boredom is the sole reason? Does your boss treat you okay? Is something going on at home or in your head/heart? When I've cried in the workplace, it's because I was dealing with something incredibly stressful in my personal life, or something really unjust was going on at work. Check in with yourself and find out what's behind the strong emotional reaction.
Good luck!
posted by kapers at 5:55 PM on March 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
What you can do is tell your boss you feel ready to take on more challenges, and approach the meeting with a solution (or several) in mind. Is there an area you'd like to learn more about? A task you can take from your boss? A meeting you are interested in sitting in on? Something you've noticed that doesn't run smoothly and a way you could take that on as a project and improve it? A mentor you want to connect with? As a manager I would LOVE if someone I managed took that initiative.
Beware that there are nasty stereotypes about your generation: that they think all work will be fun and rewarding and high-paying and personally fulfilling and that it will utilize all their skills and interests and make them feel special; that they are unwilling to work their way up and do the boring scut work everyone else had to do early in their careers; that they whine or quit if they don't get their way. This is unfair (and starkly untrue regarding all the young people I've managed) but you do need to keep that in mind so that you aren't going to your boss sounding entitled with no solutions to offer.
You don't give us a lot to go on, and it's hard to tell whether you don't have enough to do, or you are just bored by what you do have to do. There are some jobs where you aren't meant to be constantly busy, and not everyone is a fit for that. There are some jobs where there is constant work, but it's dull and repetitive, and it takes a certain kind of mind to thrive at that. Some people thrive in fast-paced, deadline-centric environments, and some people thrive with more leeway and downtime. Takes a while to figure out your workstyle, but once you do, you can seek that in your next job. In any event, is it possible you just...hate your job? Start cruising for other work if that's the case.
I want to come back to the frequent crying at your desk. That does not sound fun at all (and it won't be seen as normal or professional if others begin to notice, so if you can't learn to regulate it, it might cause you problems.) Are you sure boredom is the sole reason? Does your boss treat you okay? Is something going on at home or in your head/heart? When I've cried in the workplace, it's because I was dealing with something incredibly stressful in my personal life, or something really unjust was going on at work. Check in with yourself and find out what's behind the strong emotional reaction.
Good luck!
posted by kapers at 5:55 PM on March 28, 2016 [7 favorites]
Is it that the work itself is boring, or that you run out of things to do? Those are two different problems. If one of my staff came to me and said that they finish their assigned tasks quickly and are looking to take on more responsibility, well that would be great. We could figure that out soon enough. If they came to me and said that their assigned tasks and responsibilities, which took up 100% of their work week, bored them literally to tears, I'd say "Okay, try and make the best of it for the next couple of months, and I'll try to give you time off for job interviews because this isn't working out for either of us AT ALL."
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 6:30 PM on March 28, 2016
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 6:30 PM on March 28, 2016
Technically speaking, it's easier for you to take care of the problem yourself than begging a boss for more work. You can ask for more work, but I wouldn't do that more than once or twice because then it makes you look like you're easily expendable when the layoffs come. Either make your own work--think of ways to improve processes, volunteer to do things for your overloaded coworkers-- or come up with ways to learn other skills on your own, or look for another job.
But also, you're entry level and those are the people who get the boring stuff. The longer you're around, the more hard work will probably be thrown at you until you're begging to make it stop.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:33 PM on March 28, 2016
But also, you're entry level and those are the people who get the boring stuff. The longer you're around, the more hard work will probably be thrown at you until you're begging to make it stop.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:33 PM on March 28, 2016
In jobs with a linear-type progression of authority, the traditional thing to do is
a) make sure your own work is airtight - do not go on to b) at the expense of a)
b) take something off of your boss's plate, even a small bit of help for something above your pay grade
Make b) a different thing from time to time, so that eventually you've done or helped do everything your boss does. This keeps it interesting and even gives you a new, broader perspective on the importance of your own work and how you fit in. Bonus: eventually, you know how to do everything your boss does.
c) keep doing a) flawlessly and b) when you have the time. The boss will start using his/her new free time to do the same thing with their own boss. Maybe take a day off once in a while, because if anything comes up, someone (you) will know how to keep the wheels from falling off.
d) boss gets promoted/transferred/dies. Who's the obvious successor?
This plan doesn't work as well if you're like, the CEO's admin assistant. (Actually, it does work, just part d will never happen)
posted by ctmf at 7:21 PM on March 28, 2016
a) make sure your own work is airtight - do not go on to b) at the expense of a)
b) take something off of your boss's plate, even a small bit of help for something above your pay grade
Make b) a different thing from time to time, so that eventually you've done or helped do everything your boss does. This keeps it interesting and even gives you a new, broader perspective on the importance of your own work and how you fit in. Bonus: eventually, you know how to do everything your boss does.
c) keep doing a) flawlessly and b) when you have the time. The boss will start using his/her new free time to do the same thing with their own boss. Maybe take a day off once in a while, because if anything comes up, someone (you) will know how to keep the wheels from falling off.
d) boss gets promoted/transferred/dies. Who's the obvious successor?
This plan doesn't work as well if you're like, the CEO's admin assistant. (Actually, it does work, just part d will never happen)
posted by ctmf at 7:21 PM on March 28, 2016
This thread is closed to new comments.
Often the entry level stuff at a workplace is indeed terribly boring. When I began as a lawyer, in private practice, they loved putting new attorneys on document review, which is deadly dull and made me dread coming to work. I escaped by volunteering to work with the senior lawyers with challenging cases. Then they wanted to hang onto me and I was saved from being pulled into the quagmire of legal scut work.
If your job doesn't have a route for professional development, however, I'd quietly start looking for a different workplace. Temporary boredom is endurable because it is temporary. If it is all you have to look forward to, then this isn't an acceptable long term job.
posted by bearwife at 3:31 PM on March 28, 2016 [6 favorites]