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Vaishnavi
Product and Topic Expert
Product and Topic Expert

Once in a while, if you find yourself saying that you are bored with work, maybe it’s time to look at what you want to do next. What’s the next big thing? What’s the next challenge? What’s the scariest thing for you right now? What’s something that will make you feel excited to work on? What are the opportunities right there in front of you that you haven’t yet grabbed?

Unexcited with work?Unexcited with work?

There’s a reason I have loved working at SAP. You have so many opportunities, so many diverse pathways, such amazing mentors to learn from and work with, it’s just a matter of you wanting it and grabbing the opportunity. No one’s gonna be handing out anything to you – you need to ASK for it and then work on it.

Shifting career paths was one of the best decisions I ever made. It was scary as hell but I did it – and I did it because I wanted to. I moved into technical writing and information architecture after having been a developer for 7 years and taking a break of 4 years in my career. And it’s been 6 years since the shift. I love what I do, and I want it to stay that way. But nothing is rosy and hunky dory all the time! You can have ups and downs, constant changes in priorities and strategies, difficult colleagues to work with, a feeling of being dropped in the deep end of an ocean, and other not-so-great stuff. But at the end of the day, none of these matter. It’s the good things - your achievements, your learning, your path, your excitement, and your energy that should make everything feel worth it at the end of the day.

“If you’re bored, maybe it’s time to look at what to do next. What’s the next big thing? What’s the next challenge? What’s the scariest thing for you right now? What’s that something that will get you excited to work on?”

If you’re not excited with work, one of the things you can do is to find a mentor. Mentors are colleagues who can inspire you, open up new opportunities for you, help you picture different paths, give you insights from their experiences, counsel you when you’re stuck, motivate you to make your own mark, and celebrate your achievements and successes. They make a huge difference to your career outlook, and it’s always a win-win when it comes to learning and growing professionally. Mentors can help you identify your strengths, make you aware of opportunities that build your confidence, and give you critical feedback if you seek it. Finding my mentor has made an immensely positive impact on how I work, what I put my energies into, and taking on new challenges that truly excite me.

How can a mentor help you?How can a mentor help you?

If you’re wondering how to find a mentor, search out senior colleagues who drive initiatives in your line of work. Or look at colleagues who are considered an ocean of knowledge and experience who work on stuff that you find highly interesting. Reach out to them and ask them if there are any initiatives that you can help them with, and if they’d be interested in mentoring you. All it takes is sending a mail or setting up a meeting or even just a message using your company’s chat tool!

Being bored at work and not doing something about it is the worst thing you can do to yourself. You might be draining all that good energy just by being in that state of mind. So, if you’re bored, ask yourself what would it take for you right now to say, “I am excited!”. Think about it and just do it. There’s no time like now and it’s never too late to do something!

What steps have you taken to ensure that you never have to say that you’re bored? Have you found your mentor? How did your mentor help you grow your horizon? If you’re a mentor, how have you helped shape your mentees’ lives, or what would you like to share with other mentors? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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