So you’re bored at work, are you?

Perhaps you are in the wrong job. Perhaps you are in the right job, but at the wrong company.

The first thing you have to do is analyze why you’re bored in the first place. Is your job that boring? Are you really doing what you want to be doing? Is there a way to start pursuing something better? Or are you already in a great job, but something or someone is holding you back? What can you do to improve the situation?

Here are some ideas for you:

Ask for Training. Often times we are bored because we aren’t really sure what to do or how to do it. So the result is that we do nothing. Doing nothing is bad for you because it makes the day drag on resulting in your becoming bored. It is bad for the business when you do nothing because it is a drain on the organizations productivity.

Take Control of Yourself. Many times we’re bored because we don’t have a challenge; things are too easy or routine. Instead of waiting for someone to create a challenge for you, do it yourself. How can you challenge yourself? Set a new goal at work. Challenge yourself to be more productive than ever. Explore new projects. Ask to be put on a special project. Ask to collaborate with another group. Set personal goals and pursue them.

Analyze your Life Goals. What is it you want to accomplish in your life? Not just with work, but personally? What will make you happy and fulfilled? Now think about what you can do today to move closer to that goal.

Educate Yourself. You can improve your knowledge online, or from books, magazines and articles, or at the library. Take a class, work-related or not. Get your MOL: Master’s of Life.

Improve your Skills. Along the same lines: choose a skill that needs to be improved and challenge yourself to get better at it. It doesn’t matter if its writing, computer skills, dancing, cooking, public speaking or basket weaving. Perfect your skills, you can use it to further your career or get a new job. Just having the satisfaction of knowing you’re the best you can be at a skill will improve your performance!

Create Something Great! If things are boring for you at work, start something new. Be creative and think outside the box. What can you do that has a lasting impact for your company, for yourself and for your career? If you are feeling stuck in your current position, create a new job for yourself. It doesn’t matter if there is no official job description or title. Find something that’s not being done by someone else, something that needs to be done or that hasn’t been thought of yet, but that would really benefit the company. Now take it upon yourself to do it. You might need to talk to your boss, but sometimes you can just start doing something and inform the higher-ups later. If it is good for the company, and if they’re smart, they’ll be happy. It will show your supervisors that you are creative, aggressive and an implementer.

What’s next? If your job is so boring you don’t know what to do with yourself, you may need to move on. Life really is too short to spend 40, 50 or 60 hours doing something that doesn’t challenge you. Look around for openings, network, update your resume, pick up a few applications, and send out some email feelers. Find something you are passionate and excited about and go for it.

If you need help focusing or answering some of the questions above, visit the Your Path page of the web site. This profile will give you a better understanding of yourself; who you are, what makes you happy, what your internal behaviors are and how you can adapt those behaviors to your environment. It will get you started on Your Path.