boredom

Workplace Ethics

April 26, 2013 By Jennifer Derrick 5 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a post on another message board from a person who admitted to spending forty percent of his time at work surfing the Internet for personal reasons. He was even going so far as to use Log Me In to access his home computer from work so he could work on personal projects. His reason for writing the post wasn’t to question why his job was so boring, or to seek ways to make it more interesting, or even to question the ethics of his behavior, but simply to ask people in the IT field what his chances of being caught might be. (Pretty good, as it turns out, because most employers these days have some sort of Internet use policy and some sort of tracking system in place. They may not look at it regularly, but if they need a reason to fire someone or have cause to look closer at someone’s performance, that’s when such abuses come into play.)

He insisted, though, that while his employer doesn’t know the full extent of his time wasting, that he gets good reviews and that his work is always completed on time. In other words, it shouldn’t matter what he does with the extra time because the job is getting done.

When I first saw his post, I thought, “Really? You’re spending forty percent of your employer’s time surfing the Internet and working on personal projects and your only consideration is, ‘What are my odds of being caught?'” I understand that some employers don’t mind some personal goings-on at work. They make allowances for the fact that sometimes people just have to take care of stuff during the work day. But forty percent of your time? I’m thinking that if his employer finds out, he’s going to be in trouble.

If this person worked for me and I found out that I’d been paying him 100% of his salary but getting just 60% of his time and effort, he’d be out on the street. I’m not paying you to spend that much time doing your own thing. At the very least, the job would be reduced to a part-time, hourly position since obviously there isn’t enough work to be done.

But the post brings up an interesting ethical question: If the work is getting done, do you owe it to your employer to go out of your way to do more? Maybe. It certainly makes you a more valuable employee if you say to your manager, “Hey, I finished my work is there something else I can help with?” instead of just retreating to Facebook and Farmville. The people who ask for more are often the ones who are retained when others are let go. Perhaps you could point out that you’re so efficient that you deserve a promotion, or more responsibility. It could be a good thing for you because it might mean a raise.

On the other hand, if you point out that you’re not being challenged enough, you could be let go or have your hours reduced accordingly. It might be better to keep your mouth shut and keep on surfing. At least until you get caught and then the conversation has to move into the open.

I think at the very least you owe it to yourself to do something about such a situation. If the work isn’t challenging for you, maybe it’s time to look for a better job if your current workplace can’t come up with work that keeps you busy and focused. Or maybe you stay at your current job while you try to launch a freelance business of your own. Either way, you’ll probably make more money and use more of your skills. From an ethical standpoint, it’s not great to take a full-time salary from your employer and put in a part-time effort. Neither is it great to let your talents and skills waste away while you post mindless “I’m bored,” Tweets and status updates on your Facebook page.

Either way, life is too short to be stuck in a job where forty percent of your day is spent mindlessly surfing the Internet because you don’t have anything else to do. Sure, it’s nice to get paid for doing nothing, but really you’re cheating your employer and yourself in the end. Getting caught or not isn’t the point; finding something meaningful to do with your working years is the point.

(Photo courtesy of ToddMorris)

10 Ways To Prevent Adult Boredom

October 29, 2012 By Jennifer Derrick 4 Comments

A couple of years ago, I wrote a piece about how to prevent kids from getting bored. The point was that when kids get bored, they get expensive. It’s tempting to give into the whining and take them to the movies, buy them a new toy, or take them to a paid play space. Well, the same is true for adults. While most adults don’t whine about being bored, bored adults can do way more damage to a budget than a kid. We have our own credit cards and transportation to malls and other spendy places. We can also take expensive vacations to relieve our boredom, buy a new car, or, heck, move to a new house in a new neighborhood.

The good news is that, unlike kids, we aren’t confined to our rooms. We can venture further afield to relieve our boredom and not all of those journeys need to be expensive. Here are some ideas to relive boredom that don’t involve shopping.

Learn Something

Brush up on your skills for work or learn something new like a language or how to cook. There are plenty of low cost classes at local community programs, or you can teach yourself using materials borrowed from the library.

Catch Up On Your Chores

If you’re bored, you have time to do all those things you always say you never have time to do. Clean out the closet, declutter your drawers, or trim the hedges. It’s not fun but it’s productive, and you probably won’t be bored anymore.

Take Up A Hobby

Many hobbies are free or inexpensive. Even those that are expensive often have lower-cost or entry level offerings. Think of what you might like to do and then try it.

Volunteer

There are many types of volunteer opportunities, ranging from in-person jobs to virtual volunteering. You can volunteer in almost any area of interest. You’ll not only get past your boredom when you volunteer, you’ll help others.

Take A Tour Of Your Own Town

We tend to take our hometowns for granted and assume there’s nothing fun to do. Usually, that’s not true. Visit your local visitor’s center and check out the offerings.

Make Contact

Maybe you’re not really bored, but starved for human contact. Call or email a relative or friend you haven’t talked to in ages. Join a new group or go visit a new neighbor. Spending time with others can be a great way to get over being bored.

Work More

If you’re really bored, you can work more and maybe earn some extra money. Volunteer for extra shifts or overtime. Get a part-time job or start your own business.

Exercise

You don’t need to join a gym. Just go for a walk or a bike ride. Go to the park and play Frisbee. Do a workout DVD or exergame. If you’re moving, you’re probably not bored.

Find Free Entertainment

There are tons of free things to do in most towns. You just have to be willing to look for them. Most are not heavily publicized and you may have to do some digging, but the rewards can be worth it.

Daydream

Sometimes being bored isn’t a bad thing. Our brains need downtime. Spend some time doodling in a notebook, sitting on the porch watching the world go by, or walking in nature. Daydreaming frees up your creativity and lets you work through problems. Learn to recognize the difference between true boredom and giving your brain a break.

If you’re really bored and nothing easy seems to relieve it, you need to ask yourself what’s at the root of the problem. Maybe you’re not so much bored as desperately unhappy. Maybe you’re using mindless shopping or TV watching to mask some other sort of pain. Those types of problems are different from simple boredom and they won’t be resolved by taking up a hobby or learning to dance. If that’s the case, you might need to see a counselor or find some other way to deal with your unhappiness. If you’re simply bored, though, there are plenty of things you can do to relieve it and most don’t involve spending much money.

(Photo courtesy of AliceNWondrlnd)

Preparing to Be Laid Up

December 13, 2011 By Jennifer Derrick 6 Comments

In the not too distant future I’m going to have to have surgery on my foot and ankle. This is going to mean six to eight weeks of essentially being off my feet except for limited excursions to the bathroom and from the couch to the bed. I’ll be able to do some things, but my usual routine is out of the question. When the doctor told me this, all I could think was, “Man, this is going to be expensive.”

It’s not the surgery itself that’s the problem; that’s covered by insurance. Since I work from home, I’ll still be able to earn money. The problem is that I am the one who keeps the house running. Since I work from home I am the cook, cleaner, and minor maintenance person. I also care for the dog and do her grooming to save money. With me laid up, all of that work is still going to have to be done. While my husband can do most of it, it feels unfair to ask him to do everything that I do because he works out of the home ten to twelve hours a day.

With that in mind, I’m spending the weeks before surgery preparing as much as I can so that my recovery time won’t be spent getting take out food for every meal, hiring housekeepers, and paying someone to do all of the work that I usually do. If you’re looking at being off your feet for any length of time, here are some things you can do to make the time easier and less expensive.

Make meals ahead of time

I’m making as many meals ahead of time as I can and freezing them. This way all my husband has to do is come home, pick something, and toss it in the microwave. Beyond that, I’m stocking up on supplies for simple meals that he can make with little effort.

Reach out to family, friends, and neighbors

If you have a supportive community around you, see if any of those people can help you out. A neighbor is going to take care of taking my dog out when my husband isn’t available. A church friend has volunteered to help with some household chores. And many people have promised food for my first few days at home. I’m lucky to have such supportive people around me. Chances are you do, too, but you may have to reach out and let them know you need help. Church or social club members can be valuable resources, in addition to family and friends. Promise to repay the favor someday or help them with something so you don’t end up feeling like a moocher.

Get the house ready

I’m taking care of as many nagging little chores and repairs as I can right now. Anything that’s been on the to-do list is getting done so it’s not hanging over my head and/or getting worse while I’m off my feet. I’m also giving the place a thorough cleaning and clearing out a lot of junk and unwanted items so that I’m not tripping over them and I don’t get the urge to clean after surgery. Having less clutter will also make it easier on those who come to help me.

Educate your helpers

My husband is a great guy, but since I do all of the household related stuff, he’s a little out of the loop as to which product to use for which job, how much laundry detergent to use, and the overall household routine. I’m spending some time now teaching him the things he’ll need to know. This will be wonderful for the days when I’m too hopped up on pain medication to form coherent sentences. I’ve also invited several of my other helpers-to-be over to show them things like where the sheets and towels are stored, where the dog’s leash is kept, etc. so that they won’t need much help from me.

Prepare for entertainment

I’m a very active person and being laid up is going to be boring and lead to some online shopping or lots of nights at the movies if I don’t prepare to keep myself entertained now. I’m loading up my e-reader with free/library books and I’ve got a long list of titles I want on hold at the library. I’ve updated my Netflix queue and made sure that I’ve asked for some new games for Christmas. I’m stocking up on puzzles, free games for my Kindle, and planning some long-neglected writing projects. Since my body can’t be active I’m taking steps to keep my mind active so I don’t just spend days idly surfing the Internet and spending money to alleviate the boredom.

There will be some things that I’ll have to pay to get done. Since I cut my husbands’ hair, unless we can find a way to manage it from my perch on the couch he’ll have to go to a salon. And the dog will have to go to the groomer at some point. However, I’m trying to minimize my recovery time expenses as much as I can by taking action now.

(Photo courtesy of Lauren Powell-Smothers)

Getting Past, “I’m Bored”

October 29, 2010 By Jennifer Derrick 2 Comments

Kids seem to get more expensive when they are bored. Kids often claim that there is nothing to do at home and that only some new thing or outside stimulation will relieve their boredom. When boredom sets in and the whining begins, there is the temptation to give in and take them to a movie or to a paid play area, or buy them some new toy. However, boredom doesn’t have to be expensive, if you’re prepared to deal with it.

One day when your kids are not bored, have them make a list of all the things that they could do if they were bored. Have them go through their rooms and list every toy or game they could play with. Make them go outside and make a list of things they have in the yard such as bikes, skates, swing sets, sandboxes, and sporting equipment. Make them list their craft materials including crayons and coloring books, modeling clay, and construction paper. Chances are, the list of things they have to do will be extensive. (You can further break their lists down into indoor and outdoor activities. That way, you are prepared for rainy days or great weather days. You can also create seasonal lists that include holiday activities like baking cookies or dyeing Easter eggs.)

The final part of the list is your own creation. On the bottom of each kids’ list, list the things they can do for you if they are bored and can’t find anything else to do. You can include chores like dusting, vacuuming, raking leaves, mowing the lawn, washing dishes or cleaning the cats’ litter box. You can also get a list of things from their teacher that they could do for extra credit, or just to get ahead such as reading certain books or solving math problems.

When the kid whines about being bored, point him toward his list. If he still fails to find something to do, pick something off of your list. Chances are, when faced with the choice between playing a game or dusting the house, the kid will miraculously find something to do.

Boredom is easier to deal with when you and the kids are prepared for it. It’s almost never that the kid really has nothing to do, but rather that he wants someone to give him some direction or to present him with some preplanned activity rather than think of anything himself. If you have a list of things to do, it’s easier for the kid to choose something from the list rather than think up something on his own. Having a list takes the pressure off of the kid to come up with his own ideas.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with letting a kid be bored. Often, if you hold firm and tell the kid he won’t be getting a new toy or that you won’t be going to a movie, he will eventually find something to do. Boredom often leads to creative play, to discovering something new, or finding new friends. The worst case scenario is that the kid sits in his room and daydreams for an afternoon. That’s not such a bad thing, and it’s free.