This is part three in a ten part series helping reduce the rage in your workday. To read more about the series, click here. Click here to subscribe and don’t miss a post.

The rut. The routine.

“Corporate accounts payable Nina speaking. Just a moment.”
“Corporate accounts payable Nina speaking. Just a moment.”

You hate your job because of the monotony. The repetition. Doing the same thing day after day, week after week  and year after awful year. Many would argue “well that is what a job is! You’re paid to complete a certain task.” You can’t argue logic. You can, but you’re wasting your time. You’ve got invoices to file!

Your job might not be as life-draining if you had a shake-up. Something different to pass the time. Ask anyone who actually loves their job, bet one of the parts they enjoy most is that “it’s something new every day.”

What if you had something new every day? Not from your position but doing other things within the company. Here are some ways to learn new things around the office.

Find a task that interests you

Every company has departments. Smalls groups designated to perform certain task. The part planning committee is not an actual paid department. There has to be a job or assignment around the office that peaks your interest. Where do the sales people go every day? Besides afternoon matinees. What the heck is HTML? Find a part of the daily business that you’d be interested in learning more about. Do a little online research. That thing called the internet is useful for things other than finding Gossip Girl pics.

Obviously, look for aspects of the business that are more important and interesting then your normal assembly line routine. I don’t care how much fun it looks like the custodian is having, he hates his job.

Do Research (even after hours)

You could approach management and mention you’d be interested in learning more about the accounting sector of the company or that you might want to dive into learning how to code a website.

This will be the response “stick to your own job!” But like really loud and in your face. Blowing wind and spit in your face. Very cartoonish.

The company is most likely short staffed and the last thing they want (or need) is productivity coming to a halt in your department because you are busy learning what the hell “a href” means. You are going to have to do this on your own time. Ask the people in that department how they started out. Pick their brain about the position. Tell them “a friend” is interested. They will know you’re lying but they will at least give you some inside info.

Check local universities or community colleges for courses. There might even be something in the local section on Craigslist. You can also enlist the help of an experienced professional. Someone who would be willing to show you the ropes.

Offer help

As mentioned before, the office is short staffed. While the boss doesn’t want you sitting idly by and watching someone else work while you scribble notes in your Trapper Keeper it would be hard to argue if you offered to help that overwhelmed staff with some of the small, mundane tasks of their day. Who wouldn’t love an assistant of sorts?

Sure, it just adds to your mundane tasks, but it’s an opening. “Well (your name here) is already doing this for us, maybe s/he can tackle this job.” See where this is going? You don’t. Maybe you should stick to your job.

Keep your ears open

Things change. People come and go. If  a position within the company opens up, throw your name into the mix of candidates. People won’t offer you a chance if they don’t know you are looking.

Keep it under wraps

This is vital. Keep this new thirst for learning a secret to the people in the office who will use it against you. That manager that hates you and thinks you don’t justify a salary. People in your department that might also be attempting a move to the nicer wing of the prison. Even if you are just taking a night class or studying up on your own time. Don’t tell anyone.

Once you find a reason to come into work every day, it will help make the daily grind a little less grinding. Even if you don’t get a chance to flex the new skills around the office, what you learn will help beef up your resume.

Is that resume written in crayon? Oh, Burnt Sienna.  Understood.

Next Week: Get some sleep

Reduce the Rage #1: Resolve to bitch and moan (just this once)

Reduce the Rage #2: Reolve to build and destroy alliances