7 Tips For Making Work Fun Again
While that was fun in its own right, I realized there was something I could do that would make work better - be hilariously good at my job. I knew I could do it. I know I had the skills to be fantastic. But I wasn't using them, because I didn't like the job.
It was then I realized that, in a way, I could be the best possible employee ironically. I would over-achieve. I would be so good at my job that they'd want to give me raises and promotions and praise. Being this good gave me power. It meant that if I left they'd be without their best employee.
It meant that they'd have to respect everything I did. It made me feel great to know I was that good, and that I was doing that good because I was unhappy, not because I was happy. Over time, I started to enjoy it so much that I even started to like my job again. I had a job that was strictly data entry. Every day I would come in to work, handed numerous sheets of data, and had to enter all of the data in one at a time.
It was tedious. But it also taught me a trick that I used at every job I had since - turning every one of my tedious tasks into a game. I started trying to "beat my best time," and was constantly on the lookout for ways to be better, faster, and more skilled. It's going to start out disingenuous.
Chances are you dislike most of the people you work with - otherwise your job would already be more fun. But think of this as an opportunity. Since you already don't like your officemates, why not challenge yourself to see if you can win all of them over, You can become the life of the office, social and friendly with everyone. This can also be like a game, seeing if you can be the most well liked person with everyone in your workplace.
Worst case scenario is that they don't like you, but since you don't like them either, there is no loss. Best case scenario, you realize that some of them are great people and working with them becomes more fun. It's a no-lose situation. You go to work all day, and you no doubt have breaks. What do you do during these breaks, Do you sit and look at the computer, wishing the day was over,
Or do you sit back and observe all of the hilarious things that go on in the office, You should consider doing the latter, and then taking everything you see home and turning them into essays. Make the people at your workplace characters in a never-ending novel that you write for yourself and your friends.
It's not the 1960's anymore. People don't always go to work dressed in a ten thousand dollar suit (although if they still do this at your office, it's no wonder you're miserable!). So one day, you should just show up and do something ridiculous that won't get you fired. For example, show up to work wearing cat ears and cat makeup, and act confused when people ask you about it as though it's totally normal.
Doing something ridiculous once in a while gives your workplace a happy memory, and easily helps it become something more fun and interesting. One of the greatest days I ever had at work was when I remembered that post it notes existed. Post it notes can go pretty much anywhere, and you can use them to say anything you want. Of course, don't do this if it would get you fired. Not all workplaces like you touching files you're not supposed to touch. You don't like your job. You want to quit, but you can't, and you shouldn't. This presents the perfect opportunity for you to make your work fun.
