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How do you battle boredom on the job? That’s what our friend, Fran, is trying to figure 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 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.
Jesus reminds her of the sermon she heard recently on her thought life. “Your Pastor said you have to bring your thoughts into captivity. Maybe your mental gear-shift idea could be a good technique to help you do this. Obviously if you don’t think you’re bored, you won’t be, right?”
But that seems too simple to Fran. “Well, I don’t know. After all, this boredom also has something to do with the repetitiveness of the job, 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?”
“Well,” Jesus says, “maybe yes, maybe no, but don’t you think you need to address the immediate problem of your 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.
“Why don’t you seek some good advice?” Jesus prompts her. She remembers that familiar verse in Proverbs 13:10, which says wisdom is found in those who take advice.
“Good idea. I’ll do that,” Fran agrees.
