"I am bored at work. What do I do?"

Increasingly I am being told by some of the young people I know that they find work a bore.

Let me rephrase that (because these young people are among the brightest I have met and because they have the potential to shine in their careers): Some of the young people I know are telling me that they are bored at work.

Which is a concern.

Because this means they most likely are performing tasks that have become routine, work has become mechanical, and the job is no longer as challenging as it used to be when they were first hired.

In short, they are bored. That is bad news for both employee and employer.

What to do?

I don't get bored easily. And I don't have a problem with self-motivation. I love what I do, so I get to do what I love. And I am grateful that life as a journalist, as a journalism teacher, has not only been full, but also fulfilling.

But I empathise with today's youngsters who are not able to motivate themselves to jump out of bed at the beginning of the week, thinking, "It's Monday! Woo-hoo!"

So, for their benefit, here are a few tips on how to relieve boredom at work.

1. From Forbes.com
Chrissy Scivicque, an award-winning freelance writer and professional speaker, writes:

Even if you love your job and you know it’s a good fit, there are some businesses/industries/positions that have natural cycles of activity. This means that there will be times when things are crazy busy and you’re totally engaged. And there will also be times when things slow down and you find yourself going kind of stir crazy. Here are some points to consider when those downtimes occur.

• Take Responsibility
• Keep a List
• Seek New Challenges
• Find a Friend
• Get Additional Training
• Examine the Cause

Scivicque elaborates on each of those points here: How to Handle and Relieve Boredom at Work

2. From Lifehacker.com
Whitson Gordon, editor in chief of Lifehacker, also has a "Top 10" list on the subject of boredom at work. While not all of his tips may be applicable to the Indian environment, he has some sound advice to offer when it comes to the relationship between exhaustion and boredom (No. 8) and on the issue of taking initiative (No. 6) as well as negotiating a change in your job description (No. 5).

Check out Gordon's list here: Top 10 Ways to Cure Your Boredom at Work

3. From workawesome.com
Productivity expert Mike Vardy writes:

Being bored with your work means you’ve got to change your work. It’s not the job you need to change, it’s the calling you need to change. Should you simply leave your workplace and do the same calling somewhere else, boredom is bound to creep back in. Now, if you’re content to stay in this job over the long haul, that’s fine… but you won’t find yourself doing awesome work over that haul.

Find out here how Vardy handled boredom at work: Make a Big Splash

And if one of the reasons for your being bored at work is that you have time to kill, think about signing up for a course at Coursera or Udacity. Both offer Moocs (massive online open courses), which are all the rage in the West as well as, now, in India. Read up about Moocs here: How would you like to take the world's best courses, online, for free?

• ADDITIONAL READING: How do you know you love your job? 

Meet the Twitter exec who finds inspiration in the 200 books she reads every year

Claire Diaz-Ortiz is, according to Wikipedia, an American blogger, author, and speaker who leads social innovation at Twitter.

Diaz-Ortiz (pictured) also has more than 45,000 followers on LinkedIn and almost 3.3 lakh followers on Twitter, which does not surprise me now that I have read her inspirational post on LinkedIn: "What Inspires Me: The 200 Books I Read a Year".

Here's an excerpt:

Reading has been my favorite pastime since my earliest memory, and in my adult years books have become some of my greatest inspirations. I read more than 200 books a year, and most of these books are non-fiction. Business, inspiration, and leadership top the charts in terms of what I spend most of my time reading, and I the reason I put so much of my energy into reading these particular categories is because books in this genre, again and again, have changed the way I think.

Read Diaz-Ortiz's post in its entirety. And then check out my post: "Why you must read".

PS: I am now Claire Diaz-Ortiz's 3,29,602nd follower on Twitter.

• ADDITIONAL READING: "Your Inspiration Roadmap: More Than 60 Ways to Get Motivated"

"If you need me to motivate you, I probably don't want to hire you"

A few months ago, my good friend Monica Chauhan gave me a wonderful book as a gift. Drive, by Daniel H. Pink, offers the most cogent explanation of motivation I have read in a long, long time.

Here's an important excerpt from the book:

As organisations flatten [in terms of hierarchy], companies need people who are self-motivated. That forces many organisations to become more like open source projects. Nobody "manages" the open source contributors. Nobody sits around trying to figure out how to "motivate" them. That's why Linux and Wikipedia and Firefox work. ... One business leader, who didn't want to be identified, said it plainly: "If you need me to motivate you, I probably don't want to hire you."

Watch Daniel Pink expound on his theories at TED:

And, afterwards, think about buying the book. You can also visit Daniel Pink's website and sign up to receive his free e-mail newsletter (which is what I have done).

• ALSO READ: "How's this for INITIATIVE?"

Here's your official reason to listen to music at work

Who doesn't like listening to music? Specifically: Who doesn't like listening to music at work?

I usually have songs from one of my many iTunes playlists going on in the background when I am sitting at my workstation at Commits and checking my e-mail, writing a blog post, speaking with my students, and, of course, playing Scrabble on Facebook. (Right now I'm listening to the acoustic version of "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette, pictured.)

I play music at work (and in my car) because... I enjoy it.

But are there certain songs that can get you motivated at work or get you feeling productive on days when that's not so easy? Songs that, perhaps, simply inspire you at the office?

Yes, asserts Dave Kerpen, an American CEO who is also a New York Times best-selling author and keynote speaker.

Kerpen recently published on his blog a list of 21 songs "to inspire you at work". On the recommended listening list you will find Eminem, John Lennon (can you imagine which song by Lennon has made it?), Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Queen, even Katy Perry.

Check out Kerpen's post here and see if you agree with the choices: "21 Songs to Inspire You at Work".

PS: Take a look at my "jam history" on This Is My Jam to find out what kind of music moves me.

• VARUN CHHABRIA (Class of 2012), associate editor of Books & More magazine, commented via Facebook: 

Kerpen should stick to CEO-ing... fortunate that his job doesn't require him to list too many things. :-)

For starters, instrumental music is scientifically proven to stimulate the growth and development of the brain, specifically the left hemisphere that deals with creative thinking and problem solving. Music with overtly aggressive lyrical content (such as Eminem's "I'm doin' this for me, so fu^k the world") doesn't come across as intellectually stimulating.

If I had to suggest listening to be inspired at work, I would go with Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, improv jazz like Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, or contemporary instrumental music (Russian Circles, Six Organs of Admittance, Snarky Puppy, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, Noveller, etc.) to name a few.

Here's another band and song to add to the list: Mogwai — "Take Me Somewhere Nice".

P.S.: Here's one of the websites that I've followed over the years about music's effect on the brain: Effects of Instrumental Music Training on Brain and Cognitive Development in Young Children: A Longitudinal Study.

• ANKITA BHATTACHERJEE (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with the Statesman in Kolkata, commented via e-mail:

Although I'd love to listen to music at work I can't. The people at the Statesman would surely consider me a nuisance and chuck me out. And being me I know I'd love to sing along with the song, which I'm pretty sure would earn me a nasty look at least. So for me listening to songs at work is not an option. Moreover you know the kind of songs I like: party songs. I'm pretty sure my colleagues wouldn't approve of that either. 

By the way, somehow, even before reading the list I knew Katy Perry's "Firework" would be on the list. It's one hell of an inspiring song! Another one that I'd like to add to the list is "Perfect" by Pink. These two kept me going through my dark days.

• NIRANJANA MURALEEDHARAN (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with R Square Consulting in Bangalore, commented via e-mail:

Doesn't that lead to continous partial attention? :-) I really can't concentrate when I listen to music and, moreover, I feel uncomfortable when people see me with the headphones.

• AJAY U. PAI, my 18-year-old nephew who is a budding economist, commented via e-mail:

No wonder you call it your workstation. It's where all your work comes to a stop! But seriously, you know how much I love music; even so I maintain that music isn’t meant to be heard at work. You can multi-task all you like but music isn’t one of those tasks. It's a taste, a hobby, or interest. It can never mix with work.

• SAUMYA IYER (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with Bangalore Mirror, commented via e-mail:

I love listening to music anywhere, anytime! The one song that motivates me whenever I’m about to begin my first day anywhere — it could be an internship or attending a new college — is “Brand New Day” by Sting. My favourite pick-me-up song, when I think that nothing is going my way, is “Hold Your Head Up” by Uriah Heep. Of course, given my eclectic taste in music, the songs I listen to on my iPod at work range from death metal, psychedelic rock, and punk to anime music and jazz; all of which help me through the day. It helps instill a "Fighting Spirit" which is also coincidentally an OST from my favourite anime, Naruto.

• ANANYA CHATTERJEE (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with Fremantle Media in Mumbai, commented via e-mail:

Music can be everywhere. It need not have a specific time and place! I listen to it because I get a weird, incomplete feeling if my earphones are not plugged in. However, recently one of my friends at work misplaced my earphones and I've been given a headphone by the office. Sitting in this quiet environment I cannot really play music on my phone :( As my work involves calling up "talent" (as we refer to the participants of reality shows here), this headphone becomes really irritating after a point because it doesn't allow me to call and listen to music at the same time (as my earphones did).

As for the music I love, the song in question need not have the most inspiring lyrics. It just needs to hit you in the right spot! It somehow makes you want to work more :) Listening to music and connecting the songs with every situation you're involved in is beautiful! Somehow, there are certain songs which will remind you of a particular place and a particular time, every time you listen to it. :) Oh dear! What would we have done without music! :D

Talking about songs to inspire you, I suggest you all should listen to "I hope you dance" by Ronan Keating and "I've gotta have you" by The Weepies.

• LINSIYA PATRAO (Class of 2014), who is currently an intern with CNN-IBN in New Delhi commented via e-mail:

Well said, Sir. Who doesn't like music? I make it a point to listen to it at work or before I go to sleep at night. This is the one thing that keeps me going through the day. Sometimes it does become a little difficult at work with all the hustle and bustle, but as soon as I see things settling down, I slowly slip into my radio mode. Listening to "Don't leave home" by Dido in the mornings is such a beautiful experience.

• RANJINI N. (Class of 2010), who is a copywriter with Radio Mirchi in Bangalore, commented via e-mail:

I always enjoy music playing in the background — on my laptop, radio, or TV. As long as it is in the background and not blaring into my ears! I can never imagine working without music. It feels weird to work in a quiet environment.

My choice of music depends on my mood. Personally, I prefer listening to melodious Bollywood music, and Meethi Mirchi on Gaana.com does exactly that for me. If I want retro, I switch to Purani Jeans; I can also choose from the playlists on the site.

Kishore Kumar, Sonu Niigaam, and Shaan are my all-time favourites. Romantic numbers, peppy songs, and contemporary hit tracks from Bollywood always work for me. Then there's the instrumental series called "The Elements" and "Sound Scapes" composed by five musicians, including Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma and Hari Prasad Chaurasia, which is apt when you are feeling serene. And when it comes to ghazals, nothing can beat Jagjit Singh’s soulful voice.

One thing has proved true for me. With radio playing all the time (even when I'd actually be happy to have a few quiet moments), the brain has learnt to be aware and consciously tune out the song enabling me to focus on the work at hand. You see, music essentially is not a distraction at all!

ADDITIONAL READING (AND LISTENING): Love music? Love the blues? You will love Shillong's Soulmate

"If you love what you do, is it 'work'?"

For a few years now I have been posing this question to all our new students: "If you love what you do, is it 'work'?" And I have been giving them my own example: I get to do what I love — at Commits, at home, even at the gym — because I love what I do. And I try to enthuse Commitscions into feeling the same way about their assignments, their projects, their "work".

However, I guess I am not very articulate on the subject (my wife says I am the worst "communicator" she has met), so I think I have had mixed results trying to convince our students to think like I do. That is why I was so gratified when I read this feature by H.K. Shivdasani in the DNA of September 1 (Page 7): "Work-life balance is humbug".

This is the gist of the article: "If your work is your passion then you won't find the need to strike a work-life balance because you'll enjoy every moment of it."

You took the words out of my mouth, Mr Shivdasani, and I can't tell you how grateful I am.

Here are some excerpts that will, I think, inspire others to believe in our credo:

Melody queen Lata Mangeshkar would practise for hours as a teenager, and she has continued to enjoy her mammoth practice sessions every single day of her life. Sachin Tendulkar, even as a school kid, loved batting practice, hitting balls against a wall well past midnight.

Think of Zakir Hussain, Bismillah Khan, Michael Jackson, or an Olympic winner of your choice. All of them have one thing in common: they never had 'working hours'. And that's because they enjoyed their work so much that no other activity was as much 'fun'. They never knew or needed to practise 'work-life balance'.

And here are other relevant excerpts:

I had said that I'd offer one formula to achieve all different life goals. We discussed success. But what about happiness?

Well, success and happiness go together. Is happiness different from doing something that's fun, gives you joy, and satisfies your needs?

What about someone who wants to give something back to society? You can only give what you have in abundance, and in the field in which you are a master — to give, you must first achieve a lot.

Please read the full article and see how you can apply these principles to your life.

• Shagorika Easwar, editor of Desi News and CanadaBound Immigrant, comments: I couldn't agree more. That is what we have also always told our children. To find a career in a field they are passionate about, not one that is 'in' or 'hot' or because it pays the most. That because we so love what we do, it's not like work at all.
  
  It's not a grind when you work long hours or without a break. Take today, for instance. I'd started out thinking I'd catch up on some reading (Arrival City by Doug Saunders) and watch Peepli Live and take an afternoon nap. Well, guess what. A man from Kolkata who is cycling around the world and was supposed to get into town next week got in a few days early — today. Since he is here only for a day-and-a-half, there went my lazy Saturday.
  
  But I had such fun talking to him that it didn't seem like work. 

• Here's a telling quote from music composer Gurukiran in a chat with ad guru and film-maker R. Balki in the October 24 issue of DNA (After Hrs): "I love music and my work. So, in that sense, my work is my biggest time pass. If you are to ask me, if you're doing what you love, then there is no reason for you to look outside work for recreation."

• And here's Vinita Bali, CEO and MD of Britannia Industries, echoing the sentiments expressed by H.K. Shivdasani in DNA. "Somehow people who talk of this [work-life] balance make work sound like something you have to do," Bali writes in the November 19 issue of Forbes India in an article headlined People make too much of work-life balance. "There are aspects of work I may not enjoy or like. But by and large I like what I do, I like working, I like the stuff we do. It also enables me to enjoy what people call 'not work'."

• "Love what you do to stay motivated" is also the credo of Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group. Read his Mint column on motivation here.

• My favourite blogger Maria Popova has a post on the subject, too: "How to find your purpose and do what you love". 

UPDATE (May 2, 2013): I have just discovered on LinkedIn this lovely post by Dharmesh Shah, founder and CTO at HubSpot, a marketing software company based in the U.S.: "14 Telling Signs You Love Your Job".