Bored at work – are there Benefits?
Four ways to work with your boredom, and not against it.
For some (myself included), boredom can be an unpleasant, anxiety provoking feeling. However, it can also be an opportunity to reflect on your interests, values and goals at work. Considering that time tends to pass when feeling bored, it can trigger a sense of wanting to escape that situation but pausing and taking that time to reap some benefits can be a great opportunity.
Moments of boredom can offer a chance to pause and give your brain a break in an overstimulating world. it gives your mind space to daydream, ponder thoughts, be creative and be innovative[1]. An extended period of boredom can even cause reflection to the degree of asking if your life is going in the direction you want it to, or is there something else you’re meant to do?
- Awareness – when you start to feel boredom creeping up on you, don’t immediately react by escaping the feeling. Be aware of the feeling and take the opportunity to develop resilience and direct the moment to something positive.
- Decode- Research has shown that there are different types of boredom and can manifest differently in the body and mind[2]. Reflect and ask yourself if perhaps your body is telling you take a quick break from working after a long stretch of working with no breaks? Or maybe you’re losing motivation after doing something repetitive for a prolonged period of time. Try and decode any patterns in the situations where you feel stuck.
- Action – decide what you’re going to do, based on the type of boredom you’re feeling, and the situation you’re in, deicide if you need to relax and unwind or if you’re consistently bored, maybe you need to find a way to be more engaged in the work, and focus on the aspects of your work that’s enjoyable.
- Leverage – take advantage of a moment of boredom. Life is busy, the world moves at a fast pace and hyper-connected. Use a moment of boredom to focus on positive thoughts and intentions to breathe, meditate and be mindful and the discomfort from the feeling of “boredom” assess. It can be a chance for a spark of creativity and ingenuity.
Some research has shown that alpha brain waves are present when we’re awake and give us a relaxed and effortless alertness. It’s how we feel when doing monotonous tasks, in the bath, etc. the alpha state gives the brain a chance to switch gears, when you might feel like what you’re doing is boring, but it’s in those times when you’re most likely to have some of your most innovative ideas of find the solutions to a problems[3].
[1] The Benefits of Being bored at work (2023): https://hbr.org/2023/07/the-benefits-of-being-bored-at-work#:~:text=Moments%20of%20boredom%20can%20offer,%2C%20new%20ideas%2C%20and%20innovation.
[2] Goetz, T., Frenzel, A.C., Hall, N.C. et al. Types of boredom: An experience sampling approach. Motiv Emot 38, 401–419 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-013-9385-y
[3] The surprising benefit of being bored at work (2022) : https://ivyexec.com/career-advice/2015/the-surprising-benefit-of-being-bored-at-work/
