How do you tackle boredom?

[PCTNN]

Hi

As per title, what do you do when your contract turns out to be boring? How do you kill time?

- Minimum work.
- Work isn't even that challenging (or am I THAT good?? I don't think so).
- Zero expectations from line manager and client.
- Mediocre, actually almost non existent, office banter.

I feel like I'm basically an expensive commodity kept here just in case they need me.

Looking for another gig is out of the question as it's a local gig and the day rate is very good.

How do you cope/have you coped?

[jamesbrown]

You need to find the target rich environment of a UK contractor forum with, say, a "general" subforum.

[BrilloPad]

Carry on invoicing. Post in tpd.

[northernladuk]

Looking for another gig is out of the question as it's a local gig and the day rate is very good.

I guess you aren't really looking for advice if this is out of the question. The only thing left to say is suck it up, but I bet even if you do you still won't last long there.

Personally neither of those are enough of a reason to stay in a gig that's sucking the life out of me. Been there, seen it and left. Might be local and a good rate but when it gets the to the stage you dread getting out of bed and a day feels like it's 48 hours long then it's simply not worth it. I went contracting to be able to be flexible and balance the rate, location and quality of the gig. When I left my gig it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, the new gig that was further away and a lower rate felt like an absolute godsend and enjoyed every day of it.

All gigs end, it's the nature of what we do so I really don't see why sticking in a god awful gig that you hate is really worth it in the long run.

[MyUserName]

Find something that is tangentially related to something useful for the client and write it in a technology you want to learn?

[perplexed]

The number of gigs truly enthralling are minimal. If working in IT, IT is by itself pretty dull.

Think of the money - you may be bored sh1tless, but better than being on the bench. It's a trade off between a bit of soul sapping boredom now and having the cash to enjoy the future.

Being able to deal with boredom is a good attribute tbh.

[greenlake]

As per title, what do you do when your contract turns out to be boring? How do you kill time?

Get yourself one of these, then go away and do something more interesting....

[BolshieBastard]

No wonder contractors have a bad name.

What you do is act professionally. You deliver your contracted tasks and goals. If you deliver them with plenty of time left in the day, you go home.

If \ when the client asks why you leave early, you tell them why you do so.

If they dont like that explanation or expect you to do additional non contracted tasks instead, you leave and find a more challenging role elsewhere.

[ladymuck]

I don't understand why looking for another gig is out of the question. Just because you're local and on a good rate, it doesn't mean that you are prevented from looking for something more interesting/engaging. What you're saying is that you don't want to look elsewhere as you know you're onto a good thing.

Work from home a couple of days a week, be available but do something else with your time. You could do work for another client or develop a plan B, go for long weekends away and 'work' from interesting places. Just make sure you deliver everything that's required of you.

At some point, a gig like that will get you down and your skills will stagnate making your next one a lot harder to land and fulfill.

[NotAllThere]

Either work from home,or just tell them that you're going home and not charging. This works best if you have another parttime contract....