Ask HN: How do you stay motivated in mindless, unfulfilling remote jobs?

Look at your own motivations.

I know people who have thought their work was meaningless wherever they went.

On the other hand I know people who find a lot of meaning in humble jobs like food service because there is a very clear line between serving people food, satisfying them, making them happy, etc. It can be a very emotionally satisfying thing to do even if it is not high paid, high status, etc.

I have rarely felt bored or that my work was meaningless but I have sometimes felt work inhibition, maybe every 5 years or so. Usually I find some things I really like about my work but I also look for meaning in side projects.

For instance now I have a side project which involves a lot of coding but is basically artistic. I find it gratifying in itself, but it also "closes the circle" by strengthening skills that were weak for my work. I am a applications developer who is really strong in protocol design, databases, applications architecture and also systems programming such as compilers and debugging really strange problems. I wasn't so good at visual design and found it an uphill battle to learn how to make web sites accessible, which is an important part of my role because it is critical to our customers and thus critical to making sales. (e.g. "meaningful")

Since I've had my art project I've learned how to draw things, make images and knock down any obstacle in that area even if I "don't know how to do it" and it makes me better at my day job and more satisfied in it.

I try to remember that a job isn't the definition of my life or my self. A job is a business transaction where I do something in exchange for money. That money gives me choices and resources to pursue the rest of my life. Therefore, I put up with the crap.

Without knowing what you do, why not ask your boss for more or new responsibilities?