To wonder how you cope with a boring job

[TheLasrStraw]

I've got a new, convenient job, but I'm not busy and I've lost a lot of autonomy I had with my old employer.

How do you get through the day with a job you dislike?

The convenience around childcare means I'd be a fool to call it a day.

Day dream

Are you in an office alone or with others? I worked in a job that we used to have to go out to different offices sometimes I wouldn't see another human being all day. It was also a rubbish bullying culture and you had to make sure you appeared to be doing things even if you weren't.

I made sure I did all the work that needed to be done tidied, organised & cleaned.

Then I studied, read and listened to lessons on my phone. Any internet things not work related I did on my phone. I actually did really well on my course probably because I had so much to study. Which really pissed off the woman who kept telling me how hard the exam was and that she failed first time 🤣

I work with others but they don't say much and we don't sit near to each other.

Perfect opportunity then to do what you need to then entertain yourself. I feel for you OP it is horrible.
Does the business have any online modules? Could you teach yourself more Excel/ word functions?

In all honesty I'd find something else. it won't get any better and the things suggested will only work for a short time. You'll end up so unhappy that any convenience will end up not being enough. Better to juggle things slightly and do a job that makes you happier.

I pack fish for a living in a factory. The ultimate boring job.
Fortunately I work with lots of lovely chatty people. 8hrs go quicker if you can have a laugh. And I sing to myself

I work to live instead of living to work. If I don't work I can't afford the essentials or luxuries that make life enjoyable, so I just suck it up

Listening to Spotify, chatting to my DH (we share a home office), watch Netflix over a long lunch, do training courses. Gotta be done I guess!

@TheLasrStraw

Some interesting ideas here, thank you.

It is making me feel low. I might try the pie chart.

Is no -one worried about leaving a digital footprint doing other stuff online during contractual hours?
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Ooh, you never use your work computer for the fun stuff!! I’m always on my phone or iPad for YouTube/Mumsnet etc. Work computer is 100% professional only.

If I do fun stuff on my phone should I switch the wifi off and use 4g to stop it being tracked?

@Carefultherepercy

I had an unbearably dull job at one point. Everyone was miserable and / or rude and it was just generally a really toxic environment. But... It suited me for childcare. I used to break it down into very small fractions... I would draw a pie chart and fill in a bit every half hour. That helped a bit. And I had my lunchbreak as late as possible!

I used to work out how much I was being paid per minute...

I had a boring job which gave me the headspace to start going to the gym and eating healthily and I lost loads of weight.

@StoneofDestiny

A boring job presumably means no responsibility, no challenge and no stress. Celebrate the fact you do t take endless worry home - meanwhile seek a less boring job.

Not necessarily. My work is stressful, I have responsibilities, and find it tediously dull.

I am looking elsewhere.

In the meantime, I too divide the day into chunks. Have a very detailed "to do" list every day which is broken down into tasks and sun-tasks within that task, so I can cross loads off as I go along.

I like the pie chart idea and I will try that tomorrow!

@TheLasrStraw

If I do fun stuff on my phone should I switch the wifi off and use 4g to stop it being tracked?

I don't think that's how WiFi works and having had to try and find out what employees have been up to on PCs it's actually a lot harder than it sounds. IT couldn't really tell us much anyway even with a controlled access system.