Much of the time at work, you have nothing to do or are occupied with tedious busywork. How can you let your boss know that you are bored and feeling irrelevant? Whatever you do, don't say, "I'm bored." It could put an already busy manager in the position of having to create things for you to do, and you may end up doing even more work that is unfulfilling. Your manager is much more likely to be sympathetic and appreciative if you come up with specific suggestions about how you can make a bigger contribution at your company. Specifically, learn about your company and its industry, because a knowledge of trends lets you identify areas where you might be able to help the company grow.
See "The Workplace: Make work interesting", Eilene Zimmerman, International Herald Tribune, July 15, 2007