Dealing with the Mundane
Dealing with the Mundane
(OP)
Is anyone else out there working in an area just outside their expertise, and feeling less than stimulated? I'm in a situation where expectations seem to be low, and workflow is slow, and I fight to stay awake. Any work that comes along, I seem to be able to take care of quickly, but then it sits on someone else's desk for weeks, not getting any closure. So it looks as if I have lots to do, but in reality, I'm waiting for someone esle to fullfill their duty. I have a highly technical background, but I am in a position where a lot of technical services are contracted out. The depth of stimulus comes from telephone conversations with people who are really getting the technical meat of the projects. So I've learned to delegate... when do I learn to DO?
I see a lot of posts from people who are overworked in lean facilities. Are there any others out their who feel they are under-utilized and knee deep in the "fat" of the industry?
I see a lot of posts from people who are overworked in lean facilities. Are there any others out their who feel they are under-utilized and knee deep in the "fat" of the industry?
ChemE, M.E. EIT
"The only constant in life is change." -Bruce Lee





RE: Dealing with the Mundane
Well, there's another way out - look for a different job !!!
HVAC68
RE: Dealing with the Mundane
RE: Dealing with the Mundane
But this is where it can get interesting: developing new *tools* (the process) to do the *work* (the result). I found that no matter how routine or trivial my job was I could develop new tools, new techniques, new understanding, to make the job go faster, better, cheaper, etc. This is the satisfying part of my work.
I started out at 18 filing drawings in an old time drafting room. I was to spend half the day filing and half the day drafting, this was how it had always been done (likely since 1876). I figured out on my own how to sort and file in the most efficient way possible and by gawd I was the best damn drawing-filer they'd ever had! This carried through to my later work as a draftsman, and into my career as a degreed engineer.
For example, now we have CAD software to make engineering drawings instead of doing them by hand. Once proficient this can be a lot faster than doing by hand. We can even re-use some of the older work too leading to improved efficiency. But how about getting really creative and figuring out how to program the CAD software to actually make the drawings based on some simple data input...this is where productivity gets exponential gains!
Well, I guess my point in all this is that regardless of the position that I've worked in I was always able to look around and find ways to entertain myself either by learning new and better ways to get the work done, or to learn new and interesting (and exciting) aspects of engineering and mathematics (or other things), etc.
It just takes some intellectual curiousity and an inquisitiveness to do so. On the other hand, I do realize that some positions may be in an office in which creativity and free-thinking is squelched and ruthlessly rooted out and violators sent to the re-education camps. It's likely best for anyone with half-a-brain to leave such a place immediately.
Also, sometimes a bit of the mundane is good. It's restful; we can't be going at full tilt all the time.
RE: Dealing with the Mundane
I found out that work that may be mundane to one person, may be exciting when delegated to somebody else. I delegated things to secretaries and holiday workers which I had doubts whether they would be able to do it. And yes, things got messed up sometimes, but in general they loved it and learnt fast how to do things right, while I could devote time to what I preferred doing. There's nothing wrong with having people report to you who learn and learn and eventually become more capable of doing certain things than yourself.