I’m been bumping and grinding on a couple of data quality / cleansing jobs for so long I can barely remember when the last time was that I brought up an MSDN page to learn something new.  It’s just a matter of grinding out the various types of issues with the data.

All jobs have things that must be done.  After all, even SQL Server techies are really there for a business purpose, not some academic exercise to be on the prowl to learn new and cool things.  Let’s call the part of a job the must be done “stuff you have to do” or “have2do” for short.

If you are lucky, and like your job, your job will have things you want to do.  Lets call them “want2do” for short.  For me my want2do list is growing longer and longer.  I have big ideas to automate application dictionary files with Powershell; creating disk scrubbers with Powershell; vastly improving the performance of some huge tables via a sliding window partition scheme; converting a vast amount of DTS packages to SSIS; really tune my indexes; optimizing my databases by using minimal datatypes; using standardized user defined datatypes, etc.  The list never ends, and seldom ever shortens.  But it’s always characterized by things I have to learn; not the stuff I do 100 times a day.

I have learned that if you wait for the day to come where there are no have2dos before you start on your want2dos you’ll never get there.  Stuff ain’t gonna happen.

I’ve learned a strategy to at least get to my want2do list without neglecting my have2do list.  It’s called get over the guilt and steal some time.  Yes, it actually feels like I’m cheating someone when I divert off my “critical” tasks to tackle something where I might learn something new.  Over time, the feeling of “cheating” has subsided and I realize that I’m working in a more balanced mode.

Plus my manager loves it when I come up with something new.  Even if it’s not ready for prime (aka production) time.

If you’ve been at the same job for a long time, whatever that is to you, and you find yourself watching the clock and grinding out the day waiting to go home, it’s either time to move on to a new job where new challenges will be presented to you, or you need to find something new to challenge you.

My personal rule is: Once you get bored, you’re done.  It’s real tough to get yourself out of the rut.

If you are bored, it’s time to look inward and not outward.  I once heard a motivational speaker retort:  “Thump-ady-bump; thump-ady-bump.  It’s easy to blame the road.”  Blaming the job, the boss, your co-workers or your dog will not solve the root issue…  You’re bored and need a spark to fire your engines.

You might be overworked with have2dos; or your want2do list might be dead.  Either way it’s dooms day for your on the job satisfaction ratings.

I probably am operating on about a 80 percent have2do vs 20 percent want2do.  That seems to be a good balance of work and play, at least for now.

If you’re not learning… if you’re bored… stuck in a rut… what are YOU to do?

Happy SQL-ng!