OK, here is a question for you. Hands up if you have ever been bored at work.

Perhaps a question that delivers a fairly obvious answer: of course you have. You could be working your passion and love every second of every day you spend at work, but there are is always a task that is so tedious it drives you insane, or a quiet period where there is no action, prompting your eyes to drift to the clock as the minutes crawl by.

OK then, a second question. Could you do more to keep you and your staff motivated during those boring moments?

Answer: Probably, yes!

New research shows that some of us have got so bored at work that we have actually began to search for other jobs whilst still in the office! Researching your next holiday destination can be forgiven but looking for a new job!? You must be bored out of your mind!

Maintaining focus and motivation is really tough in a lot of aspects of business admin and management. Nobody likes spreadsheets or boring, longwinded meetings.

Read below to find out how you can keep yourself and your staff motivated, focussed and entertained during work.

Music motivator

Nothing helps make the tedious more entertaining than a good tune. We can all admit that we have danced around the living room while hoovering, and for good reason. An office radio or Spotify account is a great way to lift the spirits during a repetitive task – if you can all agree on what to listen to that is!

This doesn’t always work, particularly if your staff spend a lot of time on the phones, but using music as a mood setter in the office and encouraging staff to select their favourite songs can be an excellent motivator.

Break time?

When facing a project that will surely be a slow, monotonous task, its really easy to become demoralised, impacting on your ability to perform the task to the best of your ability. To combat this problem, organise regular breaks throughout the project to help staff recharge.

Breaking up the project into manageable chunks can help make it all seem less insurmountable and gives the team clear goals on what is expected at each stage of completion.

It can also be used as a carrot to dangle in front of them. If you have the budget, take the team out for coffee and give them a reason to enjoy their work and their colleagues. The social aspect of work is often and easily ignored, so rewarding team spirit goes a long way to motivating them.

Where has all the fun gone?

When it comes to crunch time and you and your team are working flat out to reach deadlines, having fun quickly slips by the wayside and work begins to feel like punishment. It is really easy to feel unappreciated and the enjoyment you may once have felt at work evaporates to contempt.

Inject some fun into the office to dispel this problems. Organise an office karaoke night or book a team meal at a local restaurant. Encourage staff to take part in fancy dress days, or find a way of lightening the mood within the office with games.

Its easy to become closed off when stuck in a boring task but opening up your office to interaction and having fun will make your team more likely to work harder for you.

Conclusion

Finally, the best way to motivate your team and your self is to simply immerse yourself in the business. You and your staff are passionate people who will sometimes get stuck working on a boring project, but throwing yourself in and engaging your business is an infectious trait that boosts morale and pushes everyone else to do the same.

Be the leader of the group and guide the office to a happier – and less boring – work environment.