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PROGRAM D-7243
How do you battle boredom on the job? Fran is trying to figure that out. After a few years in her job, she just feels unchallenged and—well—bored. And that is affecting her work habits, not to mention her attitude. Maybe you’ve had the same problem.
Last night she talked with her friend, Laura, who is a teacher, and Laura explained that on the days she feels bored, she uses a mental gear-shift technique and tells herself to act the role of a great teacher, like an actress on stage. In that way she motivates herself to do a good job of teaching even on days when she really doesn’t want to.
As she arrives at work today, Fran is still thinking about Laura’s mental gear-shift idea. “Wonder what I could come up with that would help me?” she thinks to herself.
She thinks of the sermon she heard recently on our thought life. “What was that pastor said—we have to bring our thoughts into captivity. That mental gear-shift idea could be a good technique to help me do this. Obviously if I don’t think I’m bored, I won’t be, right?”
But that seems too simple to Fran. “After all, this boredom also has something to do with the repetitiveness of the job and how long I’ve been doing it and the fact that I would like to try to do other things,” Fran replies. “I mean, you can’t just think yourself out of being bored, can you?”
Again, the Spirit of God seems to be reminding her that she has to address the immediate problem of her deteriorating work habits. “You’re right, Lord,” she responds, “ I know I have to give it my best whether I’m bored or not. So, my first challenge is to not let these feelings of boredom cause me to give less than my best effort here on my job,” Fran says. “I guess every job has boring days and every person gets bored with what they’re doing once in awhile, even if it’s a job you really like.”
Remembering what she has often read in Proverbs, Fran says, “I need to seek some advice. Proverbs says that wisdom is found in those who take advice (Prov. 13:10), and it admonishes you to make plans by seeking advice—godly advice, of course” (Prov. 20:18).
“Good idea. I’ll do that,” Fran says.
