Are you bored at work?

What’s worse??Being bored at work or overworked and stressed. ??

If I had to choose I’d say boredom is more soul-destroying than being stressed.?

According to Casher Belinda at the University of Notre Dame in the USA, workers experience 10 or more hours of boredom.? There’s a price to pay for being bored at work: it’s soul-destroying and will negatively impact your confidence, career development, well-being and physical health.

The cure to boredom at work isn't more work. More on this another time.?

Quiz time

Answer the following questions honestly. Choose one letter (A,B,C,D,E)? for each question based on how much you agree with the statement.

Get some paper and a pen!

Part 1

1. I feel disengaged or uninterested in my daily tasks.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. The work I do feels repetitive and lacks variety.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I often find myself distracted or procrastinating during work hours.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I rarely feel challenged or excited by the work assigned to me.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I frequently count down the minutes until the workday ends.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

Part 2?

1. I believe I have the power to make changes to my current situation at work.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I feel comfortable discussing my feelings of boredom with my supervisor or manager.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I am confident in identifying tasks or projects that align with my interests.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I feel capable of taking the initiative to suggest or implement changes in my work.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

1. I trust that my employer supports employees in seeking more fulfilling roles and/or tasks.

(A) Strongly Disagree (B) Disagree (C) Neutral (D) Agree (E) Strongly Agree

Scoring and Interpretation

Step 1: Convert Your Answers

• Assign the following points to your answers -
• 1 = Strongly Disagree
• 2 - Disagree
• 3 = Neutral
• 4 = Agree
• 5 = Strongly Agree
• Add up your scores for questions 1–5 (Boredom Score).
• Add up your scores for questions 6–10 (Confidence Score).

Interpret Your Results

1. Boredom Score: ____ out of 25
2. Confidence Score: ____ out of 25

Taking Action

• If you have a high boredom Score and low confidence score, consider seeking guidance from a qualified careers professional who can help you assess your current situation and plan for growth. You could go at this alone, but a qualified career professional like a Careers Adviser / Coach can help speed things up, and create a focused plan of action that helps you to realise what you want.?
• If both of your scores are high, you may just need to identify opportunities to act on your motivation. You know what needs to be done. Create a plan of action for moving away from your feeling of boredom.?
• If your boredom score is low, maintain the habits that keep you engaged and fulfilled at work. Do a regular review of your values and motivation both independently and with your manager. Short question to ask - is this work/organisation meeting my values??

I am keen to hear from people who have stories to tell about times they have been bored at work and what they have done about it. If you’d like to share your story then add it here. All stories will remain anonymous.?