BOREDOM!

Have you ever been bored at work? Ever been so bored that you made up game or came up with a new way of doing your tasks so it takes twice as long? Well, since I've had a pretty boring and lazy month at work, I've learned how to make a dull work environment fun.

Here are some ways to help you get through the day when it's moving slow and when you're just plain bored to death.

1. Stare at the computer- I do this several times within the day. It tricks my boss into thinking that I'm working on something that has stumped me. Even if he may ask what I'm having problems with, I've just killed a few more minutes before a long awaited break. Just make sure you have something work related on your desktop. FYI, YouTube is not a work related site.



2. Check your personal e-mail account- When the work e-mail is empty, checking your personal e-mail should be the next resort. Just make sure you do this as inconspicuously as possible. Getting caught is never fun.



3. Name inanimate objects- Yes, I've done this. If all else fails and you've tried to squelch your boredom with other things and it's just not working, name your pencil cup, your coworkers, or your keyboard. Wanna know my keyboards name? Reba. Reba McIntype.



4. Staple random papers together- It takes plenty of boring minutes of your day to search for papers, get the stapler, and staple the papers together. And, if you're lucky, you may get to put more staples in the stapler.



5. Shoot Hoops- Crumble up useless pieces of paper (the ones you stapled together to kill time) and try your hand at a game of hoops with your waste basket. Set a goal too, you have all day to beat it.



6. Paperclip Jewelry- It's fun to design, make, and even wear. Plus, it'll kill about 20 minutes if you take your time.



7. Sharpen Pencils- I don't use pencils at work, but for some reason they supply us with a cup of pencils and a sharpener. Hmm....Maybe they know how bored we get.....



8. White Out Art- I'm a master. I've perfected several techniques with my White Out. One day I made a great piece of art in the likeness of the Abominable Snowman.



9. Online Gaming/Instant Messages- MSN offers great Buddy Games you can play with your IM partner. UNO is my top pick. In my opinion, Wheel Of Fortune is a rip off. No matter what, the opponent always wins. Also, beware of network monitoring from your superiors.



10. 10. Doodles- I've become skilled in the art of doodling. So much so, I've ventured into the world of comics. On a boring day, I can create two-three small comics....all of which one of my coworkers enjoys to read. They are called BoredBots and it tells of the adventures of a few robots who are just trying to get along with the rest of their robot race. Here are a few samples (I took about four minutes of my eight hour day to scan these into the computer and e-mail them to my personal e-mail account):

After you've used up all these techniques to kill time, your last resort is probably sleep. Use these steps wisely and with caution. Doing them too many times in one day may cause your boss to get suspicious. Use sparingly.

SideNote: I, nor any of my coworkers have resorted to any of these tactics. We enjoy our work and always have a fun project to partake in. *cough cough*