Sometimes we are so bored. Many of us have a job that we really don’t like, which is, of course, very boring.
A latest study conducted by researchers at University College London shows that boredom can kill you. The researchers analyzed questionnaires completed between 1985 and 1988 by more than 7,500 London civil servants ages 35 to 55. The civil servants were asked if they had felt bored at work during the previous month.
They then found out how many of the participants had died by April 2009. Those who reported they had been very bored were two and a half times more likely to die of a heart problem than those who hadn’t reported being bored.
Researchers found that study participants who reported feeling greatly bored were 37 percent more likely to have died by the end of the study. They believe unhappiness with their lives made them resort to unhealthy habits like smoking or drinking, greatly reducing their life expectancy.
Dr. Christopher Cannon, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard University said: “Someone who is bored may not be motivated to eat well, exercise, and have a heart-healthy lifestyle. That may make them more likely to have a cardiovascular event.”
Quoting researcher Martin Shipley, co-author of the report, said: “The findings on heart disease show there was sufficient evidence to say there is a link with boredom. It is important that people who have dull jobs find outside interests to keep boredom at bay, rather than turn to drinking or smoking.”
Hopefully this research will help those who’re bored with their jobs to think about this issue and find interesting activities that’ll make their lives longer.
Wow. Just wow. Hmm so now that saying is literal(facepalm)
peter ellis
You sure got that right, but the research does not actually show what to do about it. Boredom is for people who have to work and cannot actually afford to walk out, as against those who actually do walk out and find something to their satisfaction.
Trying to find something that enrichens an otherwise boring job always seems to me to be an article of last resort. Best to try somehow to move on commensurate with your personal circumstances.I believe that statistics will also show that no-one stays forever in a boring job, they just stay longer - probably too long - when they need the money.
Tony Didato
I see no one in this article or the stream of comments thinking about how they can personally enrich their jobs so they aren't bored to death. Given the current economy, I think it's imperative for us to learn that it's not just up to our employers to "entertain us" and keep us "motivated", but it's up to us to be learn how to be satisfied with what we do....we are adults...time to act like one!
Elizabeth Williams
I urge Dr Shipley to use the research findings to encourage some leaders and management group to put into practice (rather than the theories) the actions of Improving all staff working lives regardless of their ethnicity. Enabling Equal access to dynamic skills and development for all would mean that the employers are proving more responsible and accountable to their employees.
Chen Kai
exactly, passionate work would make you younger, and make your job excellent as well. A persuasive case is, our expertise for clear case was bored to dead in cancer last year, actually, she is very young. Her job was really a boring job, there were many strange colleagues every day stop by her cube or request online asking her about clear case issues. Crazy.
Hassane Khalifeh
Actually getting bored on your job may be caused by a lack of motivation and a poor management style; By managers who have no understanding of JOB ENRICHMENT, JOB ENLARGEMENT and COUNSELING. This bread of managers are out of focus on their human resource value, their major asset for success and major reason for failure. A lack of motivation causes STRESS known to be an incubator of chronic diseases and heart strokes. Conclusion: stay away from companies hosting that bread of managers who may kill you.
Not only can boredom cause an increase in negative cholesterol levels due to the absence of certain secretions that impact us and deprive us of core energy necessary for a thriving life, it has now been shown that the "graveyard shift" may be a perfectly suitable name for the third shift too. We should also take into consideration that was is impacting our health, whether boredom or sleep deprivation or lack of sunlight, can also have a damaging affect on those who care deeply about us. Thanks for the discussion.
Sounds plausible. Consider the very long lives of many artists, writers, leaders, and scientists - even 50 years ago when life expectancy was far shorter.
Perhaps a passionate love of life - including your work and satisfying relationships - seem to directly linked to longer lives.
