I think the idea that work should always be engaging and meaningful is a harmful fallacy that is setting young people up for failure.
Even the greatest rock-star or sports celebrity spends the majority of their time doing hard, repetitive or tedious work leading up to their moments of glory.
I personally find that when I set my expectations appropriately, and find ways to link the tedious work to a larger goal/milestone that I am at least somewhat invested in that it helps with motivation. It doesn't have to be finding the cure for cancer, it could be hitting your sales goal for the month, improving the customer experience, or saving up for a new electric guitar.
Another trick that helps is researching things you are going to need for upcoming work, before they are urgent and become a dreaded deadline. It's kind of a mind trick to say to yourself "Hey, I'm looking into this stuff because I'm interested, not because I HAVE TO". I've done this for school exams and work related projects.
Failing that, there are other time management strategies like the Pomodoro technique.
Obviously there are limits and it's not a bad idea to pursue more meaningful work,but it shouldn't be a frequent pattern.
Regardless, engage with your manager as suggested, show that you are trying to succeed and hopefully you will find a solution together.
Another riff on this: When people find their jobs interesting, it's almost never because someone else has sent them work they find interesting on a silver platter. The work you're being asked to do is connected to goals, processes, and people in your organization... can you find something in your environment that you have the skills and interest to improve?
A good manager will help you find those opportunities when you feel stuck, but in the end nobody is better suited than you are to find your interests, whether it's within your workplace or the world at large.
>I think the idea that work should always be engaging and meaningful is a harmful fallacy that is setting young people up for failure.
I agree. I used to think exactly this, until I eventually realized that work should be engaging because I find it engaging, not because it is naturally engaging, and it's up to me to set that attitude.
Even the greatest rock-star or sports celebrity spends the majority of their time doing hard, repetitive or tedious work leading up to their moments of glory.
I personally find that when I set my expectations appropriately, and find ways to link the tedious work to a larger goal/milestone that I am at least somewhat invested in that it helps with motivation. It doesn't have to be finding the cure for cancer, it could be hitting your sales goal for the month, improving the customer experience, or saving up for a new electric guitar.
Another trick that helps is researching things you are going to need for upcoming work, before they are urgent and become a dreaded deadline. It's kind of a mind trick to say to yourself "Hey, I'm looking into this stuff because I'm interested, not because I HAVE TO". I've done this for school exams and work related projects.
Failing that, there are other time management strategies like the Pomodoro technique.
Obviously there are limits and it's not a bad idea to pursue more meaningful work,but it shouldn't be a frequent pattern.
Regardless, engage with your manager as suggested, show that you are trying to succeed and hopefully you will find a solution together.