No matter how much you love your job, some days it can be a struggle to stay focused and on-task. For the most part, your job can’t be exciting everyday; there will be times when you’re absolutely bored. You might have a list of small, tedious tasks to get through or you are facing a large, difficult task and don’t want to tackle it. Whatever the case, you may try to find some way to procrastinate and keep your mind busy. It might be distracting and entertaining to weave a complicated day dream while tapping your pen on your desk to the beat of your favorite song, but it’s usually not the best move for your career. Here are some tips to stay laser-focused when you’re having a dull day!

• Avoid distraction. Easier said than done, especially if you work in an office with quite a few other people. There will always be someone who wants to chat about something-or-other, unrelated to work. That’s not always a bad thing; it’s good to get to know your co-workers and be sociable. However, too much socializing during the workday won’t look good to your boss. You may also have your favorite social media site open on your computer, or your favorite blog; if you’re finding it difficult to stay focused on that assignment your boss gave you, you may turn to those pages to “take a quick” break.
  
  The best way to be productive and keep on-task is to make it difficult to be distracted. Plug in your earphones and listen to music! Or, decide to avoid opening your favorite, non-work related websites. If you have earphones in, most people won’t try to make idle conversation with you. If you don’t open those websites, you’re less likely to page through them.
• Overachieve. If you’re bored at work and can’t concentrate, one of the best ways to stay focused is to go above and beyond. Besides alleviating your boredom, you can help advance your career! If you have ideas for a project you think would be helpful or see a coworker who needs help, take initiative. See who you’d have to speak to to get a project started or help your swamped coworker. You’ll be busy and less likely to find something silly to pass the time with.
• Take a walk. This one may be counter-intuitive. The point of this article is supposed to advise you on how to stay focused. Isn’t taking a walk and leaving your desk the complete opposite of that? Eh, it depends! But when you’re bored, taking a short break from staring despondently at your computer screen can make a big difference. Take a short walk outside or walk to the coffee station. Wherever you go on your very short journey will re-energize you. When you get back to your desk after some new scenery, it won’t seem such a struggle to focus on your work.

Try these tips if you find yourself easily distracted and bored at work! They may help get you back on track. However, if you’re constantly bored at your job, no matter how long your to do list, you may want to start considering what you’re looking for in your career and make some changes.