Putting Boredom to Work

Becoming bored is something that happens to every human. But you can learn to manage it

- KATHERINE CONNOLLY BADEN, BORIS GROYSBERG and HEATHER POCO

DO YOU OFTEN FEEL BORED AT work or in life? Do you want to feel less bored? If so, what can you do to make that happen? Boredom has a bad rap, but is it really so bad?

During the last year, we polled hundreds of people, asking them how quickly they tend to get bored at a new job. On average, it takes six months for people to begin feeling bored. The answers, though, range from two weeks to never, signaling a high level of personal variability when it comes to boredom.

Although a precise definition of boredom is a matter of debate, most experts agree that boredom can be defined as an adverse feeling associated with a lack of stimulation. It is "searching" for stimulation and not finding it. Boredom is often accompanied by other feelings, both positive and negative. It is both a feeling and a trait, and the severity to which you experience boredom greatly impacts the outcomes associated with it.

Mild to moderate boredom can foster heightened creativity, motivation to pursue new goals and search for novelty and it can even be a catalyst for reflection and relaxation. Dr. Sandi Mann, who has studied boredom extensively, also says that it served an evolutionary purpose. "As an evolutionary tool, boredom was probably invaluable, allowing us to stop attending to a stimulus that proves itself neither dangerous nor reinforcing, and turn our attention to other, more worthy stimuli." When leveraged properly, boredom can help us innovate, set new priorities, and potentially find a greater sense of purpose.

Profound or chronic boredom can have negative consequences. It is even correlated with earlier death due to higher levels of associated stress or risk-taking behavior. Work-related boredom contributes to job dissatisfaction. A Korn Ferry survey from 2021 found that boredom was one of the highest drivers of turnover, along with cultural fit and salary concerns.