Updated the description to answer some of the questions the community asked.
Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
11–20 of 40 posts
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#12from your submission history ( http://news.ycombinator.com/submitted?id=f2ender ) it seems you've been in this position for a while. did you turn down the offer you mentioned a while ago? are you saying you "cannot switch" because no offer is available?
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#13What's good about it?
What's good about it?
What's good about it?
(I had to ask multiple times because we all know that the first couple of answers would be, "Nothing".)
Every job, no matter how boring, is loaded with "stuff" that you can use to contribute to your long term progress.
It may be access to a user who's an expert in their field and would love to share their expertise.
It may be a project that needs to be done, but no one else has time. And you can learn a lot of unexpected stuff from doing it.
It may be lots of interesting data on their hard drive that you can learn a lot from just by transversing and/or organizing.
Hell, it might even be proximity to a quiet coffee shop where no one would miss you.
It could be anything.
So if you're stuck, then it's your job to turn lemons into lemonade. (Practice turning lemons into lemonade is an invaluable skill on it's own; just ask any entrepreneur.)
Now close your browser and make a list of 10 things you can try to get some value out of this job while you're there. Then open your browser back up and let us know what they are.
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#14I believe your problem is that you cannot switch, not that the job is boring. I would try to solve that problem.
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#15What do you do? (Details aren't 100% necessary, but just trying to get an idea of what you do so we could perhaps help you make it more interesting in some way or another--if leaving really isn't an option.)
Same job? http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1227850
Yes, I almost ended up accepting the other job offer. However, the management there (as I found out later) was worse than where I am currently.
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#16What's good about it? What's good about it? What's good about it? (I had to ask multiple times because we all know that the first couple of answers would be, "Nothing".) Every job, no matter how boring, is loaded with "stuff" that you can use to contribute to your long term progress. It may be access to a user who's an expert in their field and would love to share their expertise. It may be a project that needs to be…
I am with edw519 - make yourself extremely useful, to the point where you are a "superhero" build stuff that is going to make other people in the company's lives easier!
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#17Find the overlaps between your side project and your day job. I've done that and it's really helped--each hour spent on the overlaps makes me look good at work (since I'm engaged) and also helps me move closer to accomplishing goals with my side-project.
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#18What's good about it? What's good about it? What's good about it? (I had to ask multiple times because we all know that the first couple of answers would be, "Nothing".) Every job, no matter how boring, is loaded with "stuff" that you can use to contribute to your long term progress. It may be access to a user who's an expert in their field and would love to share their expertise. It may be a project that needs to be…
Agreed, frame of mind is important! If you are bored, then keep producing more value with that extra time; people will talk about you if you are creating things that are high quality, refined, and useful.
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#19Based on your previous postings, your based in London?
If so, I'd suggest going to one of the several events aimed at startups in London (e.g. the Techcrunch Europe events). There are always lots of companies looking to hire people when I go and everyone seems to struggle to find good people.
Re: Ask HN: What to do about a boring job ?
#20I was actually in this exact situation about ~8 months ago. One of the best inspirational videos that got me through that time was http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhqZ0RU95d4 . Caution: Gary is a little loud and obnoxious but he makes good points.
Even if you have a 8-5 day job, work the 8pm-2am night shift and stop complaining. Take @edw519's advice and make a list of 10 things you can do to create value and start doing them. Even if you have to be somewhere for 8+ hours that sucks use that time to your advantage.
There is no excuse for not making it happen, use that free time you do have to make meaning and create value.