Bored at work? Powering through tedious tasks isn't the answer, researchers say

Bored at work? Powering through tedious tasks isn’t the answer, researchers say

No matter how much you enjoy your job, some work tasks are more tedious than others. But a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests that being bored at work doesn’t have to be problematic. In fact, acknowledging and managing boredom effectively may even help us to be more productive.

Boredom can become problematic when it’s ignored, researchers say.

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The authors ofthis researchcame to this conclusion after conducting three different studies. One of them involved asking dual-career couples to fill out several surveys a day, so that the researchers could determine whether boredom had an impact on cognitive ability andproductivityover the long term.

It turns out that boredom isn’t all bad. This emotion can stimulate creativity by prompting us to observe our surroundings and look for new ideas to change the situation. Above all, we shouldn’t try to fight it at all costs, according to Casher Belinda, assistant professor of management at Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and lead author of the study. “Like whack-a-mole, downplaying boredom on one task results inattention and productivitydeficits that bubble up during subsequent tasks. Paradoxically, then, trying to suppress boredom gives its harmful effects a longer shelf life,” the researcher explains ina news release.

As such, it’s possible to minimize the negative effects of boredom so that this emotion does not become a source of professional anguish. According to Casher Belinda and colleagues, it’s important to organize the workday in such a way that boring tasks don’t follow on from each other, or take up the entire working day. “Following an initial boring task, employees should turn to other meaningful tasks to help restorelost energy,” says the study’s lead author. For example, you shouldn’t spend your morning answering emails if this task doesn’t stimulate you intellectually. Instead, devote a few hours to that particular task before moving on to missions that you find more interesting or more rewarding.

Watch for signs of boreout

Boredom is, above all, a consequence of our actions. This emotional state arises when we find it hard to become absorbed in the activity we’re undertaking. The best strategy, therefore, is to reflect on what causes it, so as to be able to influence the course of events and avoid becoming passive. Because boredom is problematic when it becomes chronic. Employees who come to work every day dragging their feet can feel a sense of helplessness and weariness that leads them toboreout.

This expression is commonly used to describe boredom-related burnout. The prevalence of this condition is particularly difficult to quantify, as it’s taboo to complain about being paid to do nothing. Nevertheless, Christian Bourion, a French academic whohas explored the subject, estimates that 30% of French people suffer from this syndrome. While the causes of boredom can be diverse, employees who are bored in their jobs often feel a deep sense of uselessness and a major lack of motivation. They tend to lose self-confidence, feel guilty and isolate themselves. Eventually, going to work becomes a real ordeal for them.

As always in the workplace, it’s vital to talk to your superiors and human resources managers about your unhappiness to prevent it from eating away at you. Boredom is the result of managerial failings that trap employees in a falsely comfortable professional routine. It’s perfectly possible to overcome it by asking for new assignments or taking a training course. Taking stock of your competencies with a skills assessment can also be a very useful way of bouncing back, whether in your current company or elsewhere.

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