What Do They Mean By The Phrase "Boreout" In The Workplace?

Nothing is more frustrating than landing your dream job only to find yourself feeling bored throughout the day. While we're well aware of burnout, where employees feel swamped and drained by heavy workloads, there's a lesser-known issue affecting offices everywhere: boreout. Surprisingly, boredom can be just as harmful to both productivity and mental well-being as burnout. You might be familiar with phrases like "soul-destroying" or "dead-end jobs"—terms that have been used for years and essentially point to the same problem: boreout.

"Boredom at work can be as damaging to mental health as stress, because it creates a feeling of being trapped in a role that offers no fulfillment or growth." – Anonymous

What Is Boreout?

Boreout describes a persistent sense of boredom in the workplace, where workers feel unchallenged, underused, or detached from fulfilling responsibilities. In contrast to burnout, which results from excessive demands or overwhelming workloads, boreout is caused by insufficient engagement in tasks that matter. Employees facing boreout often have ample time but lack meaningful tasks that stimulate them or give them a sense of accomplishment.

For overworked employees, the opportunity to take five minutes to scroll through TikTok or browse the web might seem like a welcome break, but imagine doing this day after day—that would lead to sheer boredom. This routine of unproductivity can cause a range of issues, including reduced job satisfaction, negative impacts on mental health, and even extreme fatigue.

Signs You Might Be Experiencing Boreout

Although boreout can be subtle, there are several clear indicators that you may be facing boredom and disengagement at work:

1. Lack of motivation: If you wake up each morning dreading the workday ahead or feel little to no enthusiasm for your tasks, this could be a sign of boreout. Tasks that once seemed interesting might now feel tedious or pointless.
2. Constant distractions: Do you find yourself endlessly scrolling through social media, having unnecessary conversations with colleagues, or taking extended coffee breaks? Regularly seeking distractions to pass the time may indicate that you are mentally checking out from your responsibilities.
3. Feeling detached: A growing sense of disconnection from your job, coworkers, or the company as a whole might suggest you're not invested in the work you're doing. You may feel like a bystander rather than an active participant in your role.
4. Physical and mental fatigue: Even though you're not overloaded with tasks, boreout can still drain your energy. The monotony and lack of purpose can lead to physical tiredness, irritability, and frustration, leaving you feeling exhausted by the end of the day.
5. Procrastination: Putting off even simple tasks, delaying assignments, or completing work at the last minute can be a sign you're disengaged and uninterested. This procrastination may be a way of coping with the lack of stimulating work.
6. Underperformance despite capability: If you're capable of delivering more but constantly feel like you're underachieving or not challenged, this could be another red flag. Boreout can prevent you from reaching your full potential, as you're not allowed to apply your skills in a meaningful way.
7. Daydreaming or planning escapes: If you catch yourself fantasizing about weekends, vacations, or even a different career entirely, it's a sign your current role isn't offering enough mental engagement or fulfilment.

"The opposite of burnout isn’t the absence of work; it’s the presence of meaningful work that aligns with our passions and skills." – Adam Grant, Organizational Psychologist

How to Avoid Boreout

Both organizations and employees need to be proactive in preventing boreout from taking hold. Here are some essential strategies to help reduce the risk:

1. Provide Engaging Work
   Managers should ensure employees are assigned tasks that align with their strengths, interests, and career goals. Offering work that is motivating and matches their abilities helps keep employees engaged and invested. Regularly rotating tasks or responsibilities can also prevent boredom from creeping in over time.
2. Comfortable Environment
   Creating an environment where employees feel safe to express their concerns about feeling underutilized is key. Encouraging honest conversations between staff and managers can help catch signs of boreout early. Leaders should routinely check in with team members about their workload and be open to adjusting their duties to provide more variety or challenge.
3. Support Growth and Development
   Keeping employees engaged often comes from providing opportunities for personal and professional growth. Offering training programs, mentoring, or the chance to take on new roles within different teams can inject enthusiasm into their daily work. This not only keeps them learning but also helps them see a clear path forward in their career.
4. Ensure a Fair Workload
   Boreout can sometimes result from poor distribution of tasks within a team. It's important to regularly evaluate workloads to ensure they're balanced, keeping everyone engaged without overburdening some while leaving others with too little to do.
5. Encourage Creative Problem Solving
   A great way to prevent boredom is by giving employees the freedom to explore creative solutions to problems or allowing them to contribute ideas to ongoing projects. Involving them in brainstorming sessions or strategy discussions can keep their minds active and invested in the company’s success, reducing the likelihood of boreout.

Conclusion

Boreout is a genuine concern in the workplace, but it's also an opportunity for growth and improvement. While it may not seem as pressing as burnout, addressing boreout early can lead to a more energized and engaged workforce. By identifying the signs and taking steps to provide employees with meaningful and challenging tasks, companies can foster a more rewarding and productive environment.

If you’re feeling unchallenged or disconnected from your work, take action! Reach out, explore new opportunities, and seek tasks that fuel your passion. Ultimately, success comes not just from working hard, but from working with purpose and fulfillment.

The damaging effects of ‘boreout’ at work

Being chronically bored at work can have damaging consequences – and we need to talk about it more, say experts.

BBCBryan Lufkin