What to do when work bores you?

Hi,
just wondering if you got through this: working all day long, doing your work professionally, just getting bored of it after some time...

I'm working at a software company, that's what I always dreamed of.
However, after 3 years I'm getting bored of error corrections, endless debuggging sessions, submitting documentation and code reviews, project meetings, deadline-rush, etc.

Even starting own projects - for fun - helped just for a while.

So, if you have any ideas how survive such situations, you're welcome.

Hi Carlos,

I'm afraid you've just pretty much summed up professional programming.

It often strikes me that the kids on the board here have great expectations of a professional programming career, and simply refuse to believe the old hands that it really is just a job.

When I get bored at work I look at the 'net, or e-mail my friends, wander around the building chatting to people, goodwill/support/whatever visits to customers/suppliers/anyone, preferably a long way away so full day out, etc.

I have a couple of "back burner" projects of my own, but I really need to be in the mood for them, and frankly, when I'm fed up with work, I'm fed up with computing.

I have frequently considered chucking programming altogether, but don't know what else I'd like to do.

>>> endless debuggging sessions,

Actually, the challenge of that particular activity is one of the few bright spots I still rather enjoy.

>>> endless debuggging sessions,
>>>Actually, the challenge of that particular activity is one of the few bright spots I still rather enjoy.
I agree, fault finding is kinda fun.

Normally, when I'm bored of work, I come on here (like now ;) ) Other times I just go talk to friends, play a few practicle jokes etc etc.

When I'm real bored of a particular job, I move departments and find a new challenge. I've done this 3 times in 6 years so far.

that's most of the reason I come to cboard. Hopefully it doesn't lead to the boss searching the proxy logs and deciding that my internet time is too high.

Actually, I'm REALLY wanting my vacation now. Vacation time is probably the best temporary fix for what you're talking about. We're in the middle of a crunch right now though. Can't really take the vacation now. Grrrrrrr..... maybe in a month or two.

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Originally posted by adrianxw
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It often strikes me that the kids on the board here have great expectations of a professional programming career, and simply refuse to believe the old hands that it really is just a job.

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The image about programming and programmers has nothing to do with the reality. Movies like Matrix are to blame :)

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Originally posted by adrianxw

I have a couple of "back burner" projects of my own, but I really need to be in the mood for them, and frankly, when I'm fed up with work, I'm fed up with computing.

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The same here... We spent a week at the Adriatic sea, and I felt recharged (oh, don't forget, we are just batteries) for about 1 month. Now, I'd like to go again, but I just can't - deadline approaches :(
Working even on weekends is not really relaxing.

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Originally posted by adrianxw
>>> endless debuggging sessions,
Actually, the challenge of that particular activity is one of the few bright spots I still rather enjoy.

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It's challenging, indeed, but not 8 hours a day. Fortunately I don't have to do that always, just when I'm the support responsible.

Anyway, I like programming. Just don't want to become bored of it, as I don't know either what else should I do.

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Originally posted by Hammer

When I'm real bored of a particular job, I move departments and find a new challenge. I've done this 3 times in 6 years so far.

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Oh, yes, job rotation is an alternative, but actually I would not like to change the team, as it is the best at our company :D.

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The image about programming and programmers has nothing to do with the reality. Movies like Matrix are to blame

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Its because no one likes there job unless their a photographer for playboy. We just think your lying :p.

But were starting to learn that Admins get more money, wait a couple years, there wont be as many new guys :D


Plus the high school CCNA sounds alot better the Jave AP now...

Mart_man, what's the CCNA?

IIRC, Cisco Certified Network... Administrator?

When I get bored at work, I hit the boards, talk to someone around the office, or sometimes going for a walk for 10-15 minutes helps a lot.

I hate you, govt. I can't go for walks at work, because I'm on the phones all day.

Cisco Certified Network Associate. Bastage highscrewlers are making more money than me. Thank god my employers still think experience is more important than a prety paper certificate.

DeepBlackMagic: haha :p

Ill be getting my 'prety paper certificates' cheaper :D

Experience should be all thats needed, but unless you have alot of it that you can some how prove(they have the spot open for a reason) those pretty things might help alittle. Plus will at the high school level its crap, theres always a admin around that will help out. Its worth it and a good idea.

CCNA is Cisco's high school program. They teach you basic networking and their brand of routers. The high school part doesnt get you anything, its just free training. Since most kids dont like it your school might pick up the bill for your test(which isnt that big, i heard).

I have no idea what it stands for....

Its something to get into if your in high school now.

I have been reading up on the books in my spare time, and while some chapters (this is an electron, this is a proton, bla bla bla) are overly simplistic, and other chapters are shameless marketing plugs on which cisco kit to buy to do XYZ, about 1 in 3 have useful tidbits here and there. Im skimming through so i can go out and take the CCNA test. I took an online one and got a 70 because i didnt remember the OSI ref model (never learned that in comp sci classes, heh). With 20 minutes of cramming theory and cisco approved terms, im sure most people with some experience could pass the test. I think its about 300$ to try and take one. Im still surviving in the business world by pointing to the list of companys and taking the "I have done this for them, and I can do it for you" approach. These days IT is just as cutthroat or more so as most business fields. I cant afford highsk00lers to have some reason to hire one of them over me. BTW Im that crooked old BOFH installing FreeBSD servers for all my clients. I love the look the kiddies get when a company tries to replace me. I swear them breaking my stuff makes me more money than it would hireing them and training a legion of them running around as my networking minions....although...i see several world domination possibilities here....ill get back to you after domination of southern asia. =P

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Originally posted by Govtcheez
IIRC, Cisco Certified Network... Administrator?

When I get bored at work, I hit the boards, talk to someone around the office, or sometimes going for a walk for 10-15 minutes helps a lot.

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Yes, I'll second that. I'll take a walk if I'm bored or stuck on a problem for too long. Most of the time when I am in the middle of my walk a solution will present itself.

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Originally posted by MrWizard
Yes, I'll second that. I'll take a walk if I'm bored or stuck on a problem for too long. Most of the time when I am in the middle of my walk a solution will present itself.

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heh, that happend to me today. I couldent figure out where my program was going wrong as it functioned properly for 95% of trials. I knew there was a small bug somewhere but couldent find so i figured id just leave it and look at it tomarrow mourning. Sure enough, i get half way to the parking lot and BAM! :eek: , hits me like a ton of bricks, just a minor little mistake.

I'm a bit late on this thread but Carlos, I totally agree with you. Currently, I'm really bored with my project. I'm considering switching companies as these guys here are not ready to release me for some other project.

I just reached the age where I can actually get working papers so I have no idea what your talking about... ie: I may just beable to get out... Anyhoo, I suggest office space... Kidnap the nearest fax machine and beat it.. then steal a couple million dollars from your company they won't care...

edit: lookks like someone has a case of the mondays :D

edit2: please don't hunt me down and kill me

edit3: actually there's some truth to what I say... don't take the work place 100% seriously maybe 98% or 99% seriously... start an email thingy where you send jokes to coworkers and the send some back... or get a virtual pet thing ie dogz... or get a goldfish... i dunno, I'm trying here.

>believe the old hands that it really is just a job

You'll be happy to know that this here camper, despite finishing a double major in three years for undergrad, is planning to stay in academia for as long as possible, I just love the environment. And programming is okay, but it's not about that so much as software engineering, and even then it's not so much that because it seems it's taken forgranted anyways, and the elasticity of software in general does not excite me (it used to tho, then I stopped watching movies =)). Engineering I say, you can fix anything... the doctor is to the body as the engineer is to everything else, ya?

So happy with my life right now, and it makes me mad that people I know just want to 'get it over with', schooling that is... I mean, nowhere else are you going that kind of environment, period. It's not about money y'know! =)

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Originally posted by doubleanti
So happy with my life right now, and it makes me mad that people I know just want to 'get it over with', schooling that is... I mean, nowhere else are you going that kind of environment, period. It's not about money y'know! =)

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Some people have a lot of bills to pay and don't get financial help from their parents ( not implying you do ). So they are ready for it to be over so they can start working full-time. Rent, power, child support, etc all add up pretty fast. I can appreciate your viewpoint but I can see where others come from when they have the "get it over with" mentality.

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Originally posted by MrWizard
Some people have a lot of bills to pay and don't get financial help from their parents ( not implying you do ). So they are ready for it to be over so they can start working full-time. Rent, power, child support, etc all add up pretty fast. I can appreciate your viewpoint but I can see where others come from when they have the "get it over with" mentality.

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DING DING DING! Tell him what he's won!

Such are the reasons why I live a very simple life, friends. And I am not one of those rich white kids with parents with dual PhDs, in fact I'm not even white, my mom's a homemaker, and my father works a pretty blue-collar job overtime just like normal folk, so in that respect I suppose I am blessed. But to save money I do not drive, I do not eat so much, and I don't spend much money. And besides my apartment, I'm never there most of the day anyway since I'm on campus most of the time so y'know, it's just basically a place where I sleep.

But then, you can't do anything about my lifestyle, tho you could perhaps do something about yours? It's not my fault that people choose (one would hope) to start a family so soon, but well, that's the choices people make.

And gee Gov't, I sense a little hostility. Are you not the star anymore in your education? Again, if this be the case, tis not my fault because this undergrad is studying his ass off.

>>> I live a very simple life,

Yeah, but not everyone else does. That may or may not be their fault. You choose to live in a daydream, fine. One day the real world will come along and silly things like insurance and mortgages, the taxes that subsidise the "academics" and a wife and all the regular stuff that the rest of us real worlders have will suddenly strike you.

Better be ready.

of course if we're lucky he won't reproduce.:eek:

> And gee Gov't, I sense a little hostility. Are you not the star anymore in your education?

I've never been the star in my education. It's just that for some of us, staying in school isn't an option, and we're ready to be done. Some people also don't enjoy school as much as you do, da.

Fine, fair enough, but that's no excuse not to enjoy whatever is you are doing, hopefully enough not to complain.

You all talk to me as if I'm doing what I am, ie staying in school, for naive reasons but I'm well aware of the coldness of the world and the perhaps scary responsibilities of independance would mean after I'm done. I'd like to think you'd at least support my living, and it's fine that people don't always have control over their own, but do not be mad at for choosing to avoid such binds so that I can live freely.

This is not a daydream, it's not like people are feeding me grapes y'know, I'd like that you respect my aptitude and ambition, and furthermore my position in my life and the philosophy I choose to hold about how to live. One of the reasons I'm planning to stay is to have that much more financial security when these bills pop up, can you argue with that? I don't think I'm fooling myself though some would disagree...

>>> no excuse not to enjoy whatever is you are doing

:rolleyes:

>>> it's not like people are feeding me grapes y'know,

No, but they are paying taxes which subsidise the education system.

Hey guys, thanks for the great ideas how to make my working hours more exciting.

As a conclusion: beating doubleanti seems to be great fun :D (just joking!)

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Originally posted by doubleanti
Fine, fair enough, but that's no excuse not to enjoy whatever is you are doing, hopefully enough not to complain.

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Um, yes it is. Sometimes we just have to do things because we have to do them. Enjoyment doesn't necessarily enter into it.

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Originally posted by Govtcheez
Um, yes it is. Sometimes we just have to do things because we have to do them. Enjoyment doesn't necessarily enter into it.

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However, we definitely are "homo ludens". In my opinion not even money can replace enjoyment (at least not for a longer time)...

>Enjoyment doesn't necessarily enter into it.

Well fine, blessed am I who enjoys now, and cherish these days I will then. I couldn't ever understand why others would settle for any degree of suffering, not in the past at least, so... I suppose I will just keep doing my thing and moving forward, not like I was expecting to change the way others might think about their lives.

Lucky me... I'm one of the few who is fully applying myself and is fully enjoying my life...

sincerely...
doubleanti

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Originally posted by doubleanti
>Enjoyment doesn't necessarily enter into it.

Well fine, blessed am I who enjoys now, and cherish these days I will then. I couldn't ever understand why others would settle for any degree of suffering, not in the past at least, so... I suppose I will just keep doing my thing and moving forward, not like I was expecting to change the way others might think about their lives.

Lucky me... I'm one of the few who is fully applying myself and is fully enjoying my life...

sincerely...
doubleanti

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Doubleanti, I for one, think that is excellent. Keep it up, and when you are done going to school, you'll feel good about yourself, and likely get a job doing something you want to do. I'll likely do the same, and stay in college, making the most of it, as long as I can afford it. I don't know how long I'll be able to afford it, but for me, the pursuit of knowledge is the end goal in life. Stay in school, becoming all that you can, until you've satisfied yourself. Ignore what other people say - if you can find a way to afford it, do it.

Oh, and for you tax-payers: Your money is only subsidizing the public schools. Doubleanti might be going to a private one. And no, they're not all expensive.

Thanks for the support, friend. Well sorry if it unsettles a few whatever I've said, I suppose I can't predict what would happen in the next couple of years, or decades for that matter that you might see in my situation. Hopefully things will work out, I hope my plans and my efforts are an inspiration to others though, if anything... It's just that if people realized their own mental elasticities and social and technical capabilities, they'd also feel rather good... at least my peers I'd say.

lol I work at taco treat and at least I get to chat with my fellow employees. Other than that the job is boring and I am poor compared to either an admin or programmer. So just keep on trudging is my advice.