Adaptability means coping with change (new ideas, people or tasks) – even if you find them boring. This 5-minute Young Professional teamwork skills exercise could make you see boring in a whole new light.
Let’s talk about being bored. It’s boring. But you can flip the situation.
Being productively bored at work or study isn’t flying. It’s falling with style.
You can probably think of at least one person you think is boring. They might be colleagues at work. They might be students or teachers in education.
‘Boring’ people can still help you see things in a whole new light.
When you get bored – at work or in study – you shut down. You close off and go into your own little world. Which could be a great place to hang out, but you’re missing out on the chance of something new. Because even boring people or boring tasks are full of surprises!
You know what they say? You’re bored when you’re boring, you’re boring when you’re bored. It’s a bit harsh (and not actually true) but you get the point. Even in the face of deadly boredom, a Young Professional stays alert and finds ways to engage with the person or the situation. That’s what makes you so great at teamwork, a really important skill that employers respect you for.
Q: When is a teamwork exercise not done in a team?
A: When it’s this 5 minute Young Professional challenge.
- Search online for an article you have no interest in.
- Read it.
- Find at least one thing about that article that you didn’t know, or turned out to be interesting.
TIP: Google “The importance of…” and finish up with something you have no real interest in. Some examples are below:…
- …Slugs
- …Football
- …Traffic lights
- …International trade
- …Baked beans
Or come up with your own ideas!
Why is this anti-boredom challenge useful?
We are going to be faced with boring tasks in life. Or people we find boring. And that’s just the way it is. But you can’t afford to get bored in work. You will shine far brighter if you keep seeing even ‘dull’ people as part of your team. Everyone is important in their own way and has something to share.
The next time you’re bored at work or study, treat that situation or person like the boring article you just read. Pay attention, challenge the boredom, and find a way to engage. It sounds like a little thing but it could make your teamwork and attitude really stand out, leading to more exciting tasks to do and maybe even promotion. Bored staff don’t impress employers. You might get hired, but come across as so bored that an employer thinks you might not be ready to learn new things. Show enthusiasm even when you’re bored, and employers will feel that energy and build trust in you as a team player.
STRETCH YOUR COMFORT ZONE. BANISH BOREDOM. FIND THE FUN.
