• Find out more and sign up for Thrive at bt.sg/thrive

💤 Case of understimulation

By this time, we are ready to roll our eyes and say that Gen Zs “just want it all” at the workplace. However, there is a reason why being bored at work is not ideal – understimulation. 

Take a look at this:

While overworking can cause burnout, so can low engagement levels at work. According to the Yerkes-Dodson law, the word “arousal” relates to stress and motivation. When “arousal” levels are too high or too low, performance of an individual becomes impaired.

Therefore, when employees’ are sub-optimally engaged in their work, they end up caught in a cycle of poor performance. 

Another way to look at the experience of “bore-out” is to consider the analogy of “a hamster in a wheel that is constantly turning but not moving forward”, says Adeline Tiah, executive leadership coach at Soar Collective Asia.

“People are generally wired to want to learn and grow, so burnout can arise when there’s little to no progress at a job,” says Tiah, in an interview with Thrive. “Only with growth is there momentum to move you forward in your career and life.” 

“It’s a different type of burnout, but it’s burnout all the same,” she adds. 

If you’re wondering if you are ironically burning out because of boredom, here are some questions you can ask yourself: 

• Am I consistently disengaged from my work? Do I feel like I am just going through the motions at work?

• Am I experiencing feelings of frustration or apathy with regards to work? On a whole, how is my mental 🧠 and emotional well-being these days, and how has work contributed to it?  

• Is there room for growth in the work that I currently do? Am I learning anything new? 

• Does my work align with my values and long-term career goals? Do I feel fulfilled from the work I do in some way?

💼 So…time to job hop?

Not necessarily. There are instances where being bored at work may be a good thing. If one simply desires to have more time for their personal interests, hobbies or side projects outside of work, a boring job could work out well. 

“There can be situations where (a boring job) might be healthy or suitable for some people,” shares Ratna Juita, career coach and founder of The MindGem. “Boring jobs often come with lower mental and emotional demands. So a less stimulating job can be advantageous for those who desire a strict work-life balance.” 

“We also need to consider different people’s personalities and how we are wired,” Tiah says. “Some might need more variety, or creative expression in their jobs, while others are comfortable with something more routine that may come across as boring.”

A recent study has also shown that boredom at work – when constructively utilised – can lead to more creative solutions and innovative ways of thinking. Naturally, there is more space and time at work to recharge, but research shows that workers can ideate better and improve their task-management skills too. 

Such coping strategies can prove productive. If an employee finds ways to combat boredom at work, important issues such as streamlining of workflows or strengthening team dynamics could be addressed in the process. 

Before you write off your job and plan an escape 🏃, here are some things you can do to combat boredom at work:

• Know your purpose and set personal goals. Establishing goals connected to your job helps you align with your purpose and gives you motivation. 💡 Remember, no goal is too small! These goals can be related to honing a new skill, leading a new project or even achieving financial freedom – as long as it helps you connect the dots to why you do what you do. 

• Seek out more responsibilities. Talk to your supervisor about taking on additional responsibilities or projects that challenge you and align with your interests and strengths.

• Work on skill development. Be disciplined to use your downtime to focus on building hard or soft skills. You can take online courses, attend workshops, or engage in self-directed learning to acquire skills that will benefit your career.

• Explore job crafting. Job crafting involves re-designing your job to make it more personalised, engaging and fulfilling for yourself. Start by identifying aspects of your role that you can modify to better suit your preferences and strengths, and work towards understanding how this can allow for greater productivity and deliverables of better quality at the workplace. 

• Actively network and build relationships at work. Building positive relationships with colleagues can make work more enjoyable. Sometimes, engaging in simple social interactions 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 can break the monotony of a boring job.

• Evaluate and understand your career path. It is important to periodically assess whether your current job aligns with your wider career aspirations. If it does not, even after your attempts to job craft or align your personal goals, you may consider exploring new opportunities or career paths.

Maybe addressing the issue of boredom at work is an opportunity to look at one’s job from a different perspective. But whether you feel challenged or have an excess of free time during working hours, you can always find ways to fill the void.

So instead of languishing or quiet quitting the next time you feel bored at work 🥱, think about what you would like to achieve, and then perhaps have a quick chat with your manager. In this case, it’s okay to ask for more on your plate 🍽️.

TL;DR

• Experiencing boredom at work is a problem mainly due to the effects of understimulation 😴

• Evaluating if there is room for growth in your role can help you figure out if you are presently unchallenged 

• Sometimes, being bored at work can be good thing – if the spare time we have is used constructively or to probe what more can be done

• Understanding your purpose at work and setting key goals can help provide motivation to overcome boredom