[Hilch]

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/02/bu...ess/index.html

Boredom is an unlikely new frontier in workplace research. Commonly associated with goofing off, taking absurdly long lunch-breaks, and playing internet games on the sly, new studies suggest it's something that affects high-performing employees as well as those in menial jobs.

In addition, Mann feels that, as a society, we're becoming less inclined to tolerate boredom. She says: "People have more of an expectation to be fulfilled by everything they do. Compare our grandparents' generation: there wasn't any desire to have self-actualization and to reach their potential. They didn't go down the coal mines in order to be fulfilled.

"That attitude has changed. Now, we get people quite commonly quitting higher paid jobs for jobs that are lower paid but more satisfying."

The last quote really hit home for me as I quit a job where I was making about 1.5x more than I am now but I couldn't handle sitting around for hours on end waiting for calls. I ended up staying in a very similar industry but it included more work and thought it would keep me busy. Now that I've gotten use to my new job I'm starting to find the same problem.

I'm very organized and am good at finding a routine so what takes someone 20-30 minutes in my office only takes me 5-10 minutes. I always finish in the top 3 in sales and work done but still am bored day-to-day. I have thought about moving on from this job, maybe even going back to the job I quit, but I often wonder if that will solve anything besides giving me 6 months of non-boredom only to find that groove again. I just feel it's not worth jumping around for a number of reasons like senority, vacation, pensions, etc. but at the same time that stuff is only worth so much.

As much as I love surfing around the net in my down time I would much rather be working and letting the day fly by. Even as I type this I'm looking around for things to do after I post but it would be pretty minimal work and I'll be done in 20 minutes looking for other stuff to do. And trust me I have asked my boss for more duties and work but there really isn't much else to do unless I start taking other peoples work which would not go over well.

Anyone else feel they are not challenged at work? What have others done to pass the time (besides CP )?