Most of us treat boredom as a minor workplace irritant – dull meetings, endless spreadsheets and scrolling through emails.
But psychologists say it’s much more than that. Boredom is a powerful emotional signal that can push us toward distraction, destruction, or even creativity.
The latest episode of The Floorplan with Libby Sander podcast explores this hidden force with world-renowned boredom researcher Dr Cynthia Fisher.
The hidden power of boredom at work
In one infamous study, people were left alone in a room with nothing to do but think.
They grew so bored that many chose to give themselves painful electric shocks just to feel something.
If boredom can drive us to that, imagine what it’s doing in the workplace.
As Dr Fisher has discovered over three decades, it’s far more than a minor nuisance.
Boredom is an emotional signal that can push us toward creativity or chaos.
From the Marines to the office
Dr Fisher's curiosity began in an unlikely place: a US Marines base in California.
Living under identical, rigid conditions, some Marines channelled their downtime into constructive outlets like weightlifting or soccer, while others spiralled into drinking and fighting.
The revelation? Boredom wasn’t dictated by circumstance alone. It was about how people responded to the same environment.
So what is boredom?
It’s more complicated than it looks (or feels). Dr Fisher breaks it down into three forms:
• Trait: some people are just wired to get bored easily.
• Attitude: “This job is boring.”
• Emotion: A momentary state – uncomfortable, restless, and surprisingly varied.
Unlike sadness or anger, boredom isn’t one note. It can feel flat and sluggish, or it can buzz with energy, pushing us to escape the situation as fast as possible.
Why we get bored
Two big culprits usually spark workplace boredom.
One is attention overload, when your brain rebels against repetitive, monotonous tasks. Meetings that drag? That’s your attention straining to stay put.
The other is lack of meaning. Even stimulating tasks can feel boring if they clash with what you really care about.
You might be filing reports while your brain replays last weekend’s big win.
Job design matters too. Predictable, repetitive work with little autonomy or feedback is a classic boredom trap.
And sometimes it’s not monotony but overload that gets you: sitting through a lecture or meeting so complex you can’t keep up.
The good, the bad and the ugly
Here’s the twist: boredom isn’t always bad. It’s your brain nudging you toward something that feels more meaningful.
But how you handle it makes all the difference.
Some people cope by breaking rules, procrastinating, or distracting themselves (see self-inflicted electric shocks).
Others use it constructively, setting mini-goals, tweaking tasks, or job-crafting their role into something more engaging.
Boredom in the age of Zoom
Remote work has changed the landscape.
At home, you might have more autonomy to choose when to tackle certain tasks.
But the temptations – TikTok, laundry, the dog – are never far away.
Boredom becomes less about empty time and more about scattered focus.
Looking ahead, automation and AI could reshape boredom yet again.
Repetitive jobs may vanish but “monitoring” roles could boom – like pilots on autopilot or anaesthesiologists, who joke their job is “99 percent boredom and 1 percent panic.”
Outsmarting the dull
So how do you keep boredom from turning destructive? Dr Fisher offers some clear pointers:
• Choose variety and autonomy: Look for jobs with freedom and feedback built in.
• Follow the meaning: If your work doesn’t matter to you, find something that does, inside or outside the office.
• Use micro-strategies: Task-switch, set small goals, or add challenges to keep yourself engaged.
• Be realistic: Some people are happy with predictable work that funds passions elsewhere. That’s valid too.
The takeaway
Boredom isn’t your enemy – it’s a clue.
Treat it as a signal and you can steer yourself toward creativity, purpose, and growth.
Ignore it and you risk drifting into the destructive kind.