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-   -   Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction (http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2057)

Infinigeek December 12, 2006 03:34 AM

Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
Working on building business the last two years, I am starting to feel a little bored with the work that I am doing. I don't believe that it is related to lack of interest in the field, instead I think it is a matter of days running together and not enough 'fun' challenges coming my way lately. I guess this is the business owner's writers block, the brick wall we all hit at one time or another.

We all know that persistance is a golden rule to successful business.

So I ask, how do YOU overcome -business block, and overcome boredom when things get slow? Especially when funds get low?

I always like to hear a little about what other people are feeling about similar subjects to myself. SOWPUB is my chess club ;)

Thanks Guys (& Gals)

-Infinigeek

Ankesh December 12, 2006 07:49 AM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
1. Surround yourself with fun people.

2. Don't have a set routine in place. Routine makes things predictable - and thus boring.

3. Learn to understand the difference between the important and the urgent. Take care of the important before you take care of the urgent.

4. Delegate the urgent. And spend the time you save enjoying yourself (that could be by going to a party or reading a book - depending on your personality).

5. Take small but frequent vacations. Change of view makes things more interesting when you come back.

6. Have a very interesting hobby that takes your mind off work while you're not working.

7. Do something silly.

Dien Rice December 12, 2006 10:33 AM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Infinigeek (Post 7083)
Working on building business the last two years, I am starting to feel a little bored with the work that I am doing. I don't believe that it is related to lack of interest in the field, instead I think it is a matter of days running together and not enough 'fun' challenges coming my way lately. I guess this is the business owner's writers block, the brick wall we all hit at one time or another.

We all know that persistance is a golden rule to successful business.

So I ask, how do YOU overcome -business block, and overcome boredom when things get slow? Especially when funds get low?

I always like to hear a little about what other people are feeling about similar subjects to myself. SOWPUB is my chess club ;)

Thanks Guys (& Gals)

-Infinigeek


Hi Infinigeek,

I find when I hit a "block" it can be due to various different reasons...

Sometimes it's because I haven't eaten properly... If that's the case, then it means I need to go and get some decent nourishment!

Other times it may be because I haven't had enough sleep. So catching some Zzzz's then often fixes the problem. :)

Sometimes it may be stress, or I just need a break.

If I just want a short break, sometimes I'll play a short computer game (usually about 15 minutes, no more than half an hour). Recently I've enjoyed "Yahoo Tennis" http://www.dailyhaha.com/_flash/yahoo_tennis.htm and "Dice Wars" http://www.dailyhaha.com/_flash/Dice_Wars.htm .

Sometimes I'll watch something on (gasp!) the "boob tube" (meaning the television), or listen to some music.

If I need a bigger break I'll call up a friend, visit a friend or even go for a drive, or hang out at a bookshop and browse all the books (that's one of my favorite hobbies!)...

I think everybody has ups and downs. Sometimes there's a real reason behind it (hunger, fatigue, etc.) and identifying that can help you handle it... :)

Not sure if I helped. I think pretty much most of what I do falls into one of Ankesh's categories... :)

- Dien

evenforever December 12, 2006 03:41 PM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
Infinigeek,

Some excellent advice has been given, and I would like to throw my two cents in also.

There are lots of things that I have done to re "animate" myself when I get bored with what I'm doing.

One thing that has helped me most is reading a good book that gets me all worked up again. There are a few good books that have helped me get going, and get my creative juices flowing.

Also audio courses are excellent to for that reason, they get you pumped up and excited. If you go to http://www.truforyou.com, you can get a copy of the first Cd of a course by Ron LeGrand for free. That Cd will help you ignite the fire that you once had about your business.


The form to sign up for the free CD is on the website.

Hope that helps!!

Warmly,

Aaron

Phil December 12, 2006 09:08 PM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
We all need to Get Unstuck & Get Going in various parts of our Lives sometimes. :)

And since we're all Heading into 2007...

Think about re-Focusing like many of us are. ;)

A couple posts with excellent info that may help you get restarted!

http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7032

http://www.sowpub.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6539

Phil

MichaelRoss December 13, 2006 04:33 AM

Close down the business...
 
'Geek,

Thanks for Asking.

Interesting things...

Quote:

Working on building business the last two years... overcome boredom when things get slow... Especially when funds get low.

For two years you have been Trying to build this business. It makes little money and you are bored due to lack of business. Thus...

Time To Move On.

Shut the business down and move onto other things: Maybe a new business - or - heavens to betsy, a Job.

Quote:

We all know that persistance is a golden rule to successful business

Do we?

Maybe it's best to Listen to Simon Latouche here... business is like gambling at the casino, maybe you strike it big, maybe you don't. But ALL the things that determine the success of your business are Out of Your Control.

How many Opportunities For More Lucrative Activity are you missing out on by messing around with this nickle and dime business of yours? (Just something to Ponder.)

A Lesson from Joe Sugarman: Don't test test test. If it doesn't work first time, Dump It. Dump the product. Move on to something else.

The REAL success rule of business is: Sell what people Want, at a price that makes you enough profit to stay in business.

Often, what people want is: Solutions to problems (Think of Every item in your home - dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, etc. - and understand the Problem those devices solve). And if it's something they are Currently concerned about, BINGO!

Michael Ross

P.S. Sometimes, the Worst thing that can happen is a Small Success. Because then you keep poundiung your head against the wall thinking it will become a Big Success - if you just get the ingredients right.

Success Gurus may show you Examples of people whose Persistence paid off... but how many Persisted only to Never achieve the end result? We don't hear about them, do we?

Infinigeek December 14, 2006 04:04 AM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
interesting...
although I see you are trying to have me make a quick decision I wasn't looking for a bunch of move on garble...etc... business is busy... if anything too busy. I was just discussing the way we all get at certain times. Bored and dis-satisfied, but it doesn't mean we stay that way... in fact, over the last couple days, I started working on some new inside projects and it has helped quite a bit. Our clients love us.... I just feel a little lost at times, for example... how long can someone do radio advertising without getting a little dis-satisfied with their job or bored... how about teachers or police officers... they get bored too. I would bet Bill Gates himself gets bored and dis-satisfied from time to time.
to quote mike myers...
Thanks a pant-load chet. :(

MichaelRoss December 14, 2006 07:00 AM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
'Geek,

Thanks for explaining more about what you Don't want.

If you don't like answers, maybe you shouldn't ask questions.

YOU Asked, I gave an Answer. It might not have been to Your liking, but it was Still an anwer to your question. No need to call my answer "garble" just because you didn't like it.

Is your business busy or slow? One post you complain of what to do when it is slow, but now you Defend by saying you are Too Busy. And you weren't Discussing anything. You were Asking for aswers. And I gave you mine.

Here's the thing with being Bored...

NOT ALL teachers, police, radio advertising sales guys, etc., get bored with their Jobs. Maybe they see them as More than jobs. Maybe YOU need to see if you think of your business/job as Just a Job or not. And if it is Just A Job, then maybe, for your own mental satisfaction, you need to Move On. If you are Bored with your business you will Not put your heart into it and it Will flounder.

Regarding Other boredom... there is so much to learn and do in this world, from learning new trade skills, hobby skills, musical instrument skills, and so on, it would take Twenty Lifetimes and you Still could NOT learn it all. So there is No Excuse for Being Bored.

Maybe - ANKESH, are you listening... still have that link? - you need to read "Success Is Just One Wish Away" and you won't be Bored any more. And your business will be too busy for real - in the sense you won't have time to be bored.

Either way, if it just ain't floating your boat any more, why subject yourself to the constant dis-satisfaction? Why not move on?

Michael Ross

Ankesh December 14, 2006 10:47 AM

Re: Overcoming Boredom and Personal Dis-satisfaction
 
Hi Michael,

In Infinigeek's defence --

I do get bored even when business is doing fantastic. (Oh and I love what I do!) What bores me is routine. Checking email and doing research and writing and calling people - they do tend to get boring even if things are going well.

But I'm in a lucky position to take a few days off whenever I want. And I try to find cool things to do between all the boring things that have to be done.

--

Hi Infinigeek (and everyone else),

This book is a must Read:
Success Is Just One Wish Away - by Jon Spoelstra
http://www.ankeshkothari.com/success.pdf

Hugh Gaugler December 14, 2006 11:52 PM

How To Beat Boredom . . . EVERY Time!
 
A person gets bored when they have nothing that they are interested in.

Boredom = lack of interest.

The way you beat boredom is to get interested in something.

You see, you have the power to be INTERESTED . . . just as you have the power to be BORED.

It's simply a choice.

One might think "Nothing interests me." But that's wrong-headed . . . looking for some outside source to act as a "cause" that generates interest from you.

Interest comes from YOU being interested, not from something outside of you being interesting. (It may SEEM that way, but it's only interesting to you because YOU are interested in it . . . NOT the other way around.)

Nothing has any real power to be "interesting" to you. But YOU have the power to be "interested" in anything. Boredom is simply the result of you failing to exercise that power.

You can become interested in anything at any time. It's just a decision.

So, find something to be interested in, and you will no longer be bored.

And that's how to beat boredom.

It works EVERY time!

---- Hugh


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