Posted on: Monday, June 7, 2004

AT WORK
Boredom almost as bad as stress

By Andrea Kay
Gannett News Service

If stress at work doesn't kill you, boredom might.

People can become "literally bored to death," because long-term boredom has the same impact on the body as stress, says Martyn Dyer-Smith, a psychologist at Northumbria University in England. Boredom can lead to heart trouble and suppression of the immune system.

But how many people are going to walk in and tell the boss they're bored out of their minds? Not many, for fear of losing their boring job. But hiding the fact that you're bored makes it worse.

"Boredom causes raised blood pressure, narrowing of the arteries and raised cholesterol," says Dr. Sandi Mann, author of "Hiding What We Feel, Faking What We Don't."

Boredom doesn't just show up in the daily lives of customer service reps who might have to mouth the same words fifty times a day. Workers with not enough to do or doing a job that's not challenging may also find themselves twiddling their thumbs. If you're highly skilled, you can be vulnerable to boredom since you can do your job with little effort once you've perfected your skills, says Dyer-Smith.

I've seen this happen with my clients who get psyched up for several weeks or months while tackling a particularly challenging project. Then they go back to the daily routine and they're climbing the walls. This is when they also start thinking they might need to change jobs or careers — which isn't always for the best.

Some people are more prone to boredom than others. As Mann says: "...Introverts, who are self-contained, seem to manage boredom reasonably well. But extroverts who look for external stimulation and conversation often find it very difficult to cope with."

While it's hard on you, your boredom is also a risk to your company; you not only become less productive, but might end up leaving the company to find reward elsewhere. Boredom also increases the likelihood of accidents, says Dyer-Smith.

If you find yourself tired, drained, sick a lot, irritable and easily distracted, boredom may be affecting your health and you need to look at the work you're handling on a daily basis. Are you doing what you love to do or have you moved away from what used to bring you joy?

That's what happened to Joe, my client who took a promotion for a better title, money and more impact he could have on his organization. Four months into it, he is bored to tears. Instead of being involved in the nitty-gritty of "doing deals," he manages people, shuffles paper and spends most of his day in meetings setting policy. He misses what he does best and loves to do.

Boredom is going to creep into your day since not every single moment is going to be stimulating. It's the long-term periods of boredom you need to watch out for or you could pay a high price.

Career consultant Andrea Kay is the author of "Greener Pastures: How to Find a Job in Another Place," "Interview Strategies That Will Get You the Job You Want," and "Resumes That Will Get You the Job You Want." Send questions to her at No. 133, 2692 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45208; www.andreakay.com. She can be e-mailed at: andrea@andreakay.com.