Do you ever dread the drudgery?

Sam Leader Before I get started, I must welcome our new readers from the family day care community. Please settle back and have a good read, we'll help you clear up the toys later.

Working alone, day after day means soloists need a high boredom threshold if their business is to prosper. Not being able to cope with being alone remains one of the key reasons solo businesses fail, plus it puts people off going it alone in the first place.

Poor us! Unlike those with a Proper Job, we can't seek out companionship around the water cooler the moment our attention wanders. Instead, we have to handle it all on our lonesome.

I think this explains why Flying Solo's articles about procrastination and motivation are so popular. Boredom is the common theme that underlies these issues.

As the articles will tell you, boredom is often a symptom for something else. Maybe you need a fresh challenge at work to nudge you from your comfort zone, or perhaps all you need to do is take a break so you can return to your work feeling refreshed.

A day of boredom descends on me about once a quarter. Rather than using any particular strategy, I prefer to sit it out and find it usually passes on its own.

I admit it's not easy feeling this way, but I reckon lots of soloists are overly fearful of this feeling. This isn't surprising, considering the strong association between isolation issues and failing small and solo businesses.

In my view, a bit of perspective is useful here. For most of us, boredom isn't some awful disease that needs fending off with all our might. Instead, it's a normal emotion that affects everyone from time to time, whether we're solo or employed, young or old, rich or poor.

Our culture seems to promote fear of boredom. Woe betide we face an unoccupied hour! As a child in particular, I remember times when I was almost paralysed by boredom, whereas today's kids practically need social secretaries.

For grown up soloists, remembering "this, too, will pass" is more helpful than worrying excessively about it. Obviously if the feeling fails to pass after considerable time, different factors are at play, and you may need to look more closely behind the boredom.

It occurs to me soloists are forced to address personal issues like this all the time. For my money, dealing with them is one of the trickiest, yet most rewarding things about going it alone.

Is occasional boredom a big deal for you? Let us know below.

Sam Leader is a director of Flying Solo and its editor. She is the co-author of Flying Solo - How to go it alone in business.

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Boredom, generally no, never. My poor cluttered brain just makes something else up to think about. I long for those quiet, boring moments of almost nil input or commitments. Boredom does come with the task at hand for me, however. Detail driven tasks, database checking, (er, admin!) can send me for potentially 35 coffees in a day... then 50 trips to get rid of the coffee ... and wow, the hyperactivity! So, mismatched tasks mean my productivity is low and boredom for me is linked to failure to complete actions. (Anyone want to hazard a guess as to the sort of tasks I was doing when flying solo landed 2 minutes ago and asked this question??? Gee, I really need a coffee...) Karen Dempster www.creatingchange.com.au from Melbourne
Since becoming a soloist my days of boredom have declined considerably. I remember feeling bored most days when I worked for others, but now boredom hits about once every three months.
My strategy is usually to give up on work for that day and do something else. Clear my head and re-engage with the world, by catching up with a friend, having lunch at a cafe, taking a walk or even going to see a movie. That little break is usually enough to clear-out the boredom and get me back on track. Kathryn Elliott - www.kathrynelliott.com.au from Sydney
I agree that boredom can come from repetitious work and a change is needed. For me I've recently begun reading lots of great business books early in the morning before I start my real work. Reading teaches me so many new things and gives me a great energy for the day. I keep the book on my desk and look forward to picking it up to learn more anytime there is a 'boring moment' or a time when I'm not motivated. Sometimes lack of motivation can come also from not confronting difficulties in the business. If you confront them you get a burst of energy due to the relief!! Clint Paton from Choice Home Loans from Sydney
Boredom isn't the issue in my business - there's always something one HAS to do, even if it's something like accounts or admin (eeww!). As a home-based soloist, my biggest issue is that I only ever leave the office during the day to get coffee (which is about 15m away!) or to let our dog in and out of the house. What I didn't realise, until we lost our beautiful Rasta (said dog) last week somewhat unexpectedly, was that he provided much-needed company throughout the working hours. I talked to him without noticing I was doing it, I patted him on my way to the kitchen and back - and now I miss his steadying existence in my office - HE was MY water cooler friend, my distraction from boredom and isolation. While it is incredibly difficult (I still tear up when I enter the office because he's not waiting for me), I now recognise the value of a 'workmate' more than ever. We have just rescued a puppy and hope that she will 'work' just as hard with me as my last beloved co-worker! Kandi T from Ellenbrook
It all depends on what you do. Workings from home or mobile locations are never boring if you have external contact. Through your computer you can work any where in the world any time of the day. It’s your choice when you work, with whom you work and what kind of work you do. Skype and other services make it easy to have video conversations at no cost and are not hard to do. Don’t forget there are people working in buildings with 5000 colleagues around them and they get bored to. Peter De Laet, www.pajamanation.com.au from Brisbane
I love the tranquility of my home office. I just visited a client on-site ~ and worked in their office for 3 hours. People kept coming in and chatting, wanting this wanting that. Handbags filled with mobile phones rang randomly, faxes buzzed, photocopiers hummed, phones rang. I don't know how any one gets any work done in an office environment??? Heather Smith ~ www.ANISEConsulting.com from BrisVegas

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