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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder which is worse, a boring job or a stressful job??

83 replies

RosaDeZoett · 15/06/2017 10:04

This is more of an Am I Nuts really, but I have an opportunity at work to run a new project. It will cause me more stress (probably) and bring in no extra money, but will be good experience if I want to move up the career ladder.
I like my job at the moment, but have been doing it for a long time and tbh I'm a bit bored. But.... But.... But.....
I have a really good work life balance, am well paid and have time to spend with family and pursuing hobbies. So I could just work away happily as I am until retirement.... But be a bit bored.
Or I could take on more responsibility, eventually (slightly) more money, more stress, less free time most likely, but more job satisfaction, I have always been quite an ambitious person..... I have to make the decision in the next month. Wwyd?

OP posts:

KoalaDownUnder · 15/06/2017 14:42

I find boring infinitely worse.

It probably depends on your personality type.

Boredboredboredboredbored · 15/06/2017 14:43

Boredboredboredboredbored · 15/06/2017 14:49

I have name changed for this.

I have worked for the NHS as a nurse since 1995 and changed roles 3.5 years ago. My previous role was so very busy and so very stressful that some days I thought I was going to explode with stress. My current role (which is a higher grade) is so so boring. I have fewer patients to see and far less stress. I am basically bored shitless. Now I know in my rational head I should be extremely grateful for this situation and that 99% of NHS nurses would kill for my post BUT i feel so demotivated and unfulfilled.

I work fab hours, close to home, lots of flexibility and autonomy but I miss my team and being part of something bigger, I miss the pace of my old post (but not the back ache!). I could go back to my old role tomorrow but it would be madness on a personal level as this job fits my family so well. My advice is to think long and hard about the reality of the impact on your home life.

GhostofFrankGrimes · 15/06/2017 14:51

Boring jobs are stressful. Boring jobs chip away at your self worth, your confidence, your soul.

Rinkydinkypink · 15/06/2017 14:53

Depends on the type of stress! I've had both. Stress to the point of illness is horrible but chronic boredom can also make you mentally unwell. I don't think it's about how you handle it. I think it's the intensity of the situation and how long it lasts.

Personally I've just given up money, career for a better work life balance. I don't think I'll go back to stress again but who knows.

maddening · 15/06/2017 14:57

It's not extra money now but if it advances your career then it is extra money down the line - i have consistently taken on extra at my job and in 4 years being here have increased my salary by 10k in that time

requestingsunshine · 15/06/2017 14:59

I'm currently in a stressful job. I'd love a boring, uncomplicated one.

However if I was in a boring job, I'd probably want a stressful but more interesting one! Grass is always greener............

drinkingtea · 15/06/2017 14:59

It depends on your personality and on the type of stress, obviously. Good stress is productive and energising but bad stress (mostly caused by things you can't realistically control) is very difficult to live with and can make you ill.

There are different types of boring situations too - some you can make more interesting if you choose to put the effort in, some which have to be done a certain way and can't be made more interesting.

Life stage and commitments and opportunities to be fulfilled outside your paid job are relevant too.

Some jobs manage to be boring and stressful. I think it's all to do with expectations and how much control you have over your own working day.

Lots of factors in the mix.

Some bits of my current job are boring objectively and would drive some people mad, but I find it peaceful :o Other parts of the job can be stressful and there is tons of scope to use your initiative to mix things up, so I find it a good balance over all.

Boredboredboredboredbored · 15/06/2017 15:01

GhostofFrankGrimes Thu 15-Jun-17 14:51:13
Boring jobs are stressful. Boring jobs chip away at your self worth, your confidence, your soul.

Yes this exactly. I feel absolutely rubbish at my job, I previously questioned my self worth as I was so busy and knew I was doing my best for my patients. The problem I have now is that I have got used to the higher salary (separated from h last year so need every penny). I am stuck!

Boredboredboredboredbored · 15/06/2017 15:02

*Never

Scoobydoobydont · 15/06/2017 15:13

Depends on the level of stress really, those saying it's down to how you handle it simply haven't been unfortunate to be a position where the stress pushes them to breaking point.

I would have classed my previous job as stressful and challenging and it certainly was compared to anything I had done before. No real time off, huge responsibility for people and money. It was very very stressful but I coped just about.

Now I am self employed and running two businesses where getting the relevant staff is an absolute nightmare, balancing books, cash flow, sales generation, after sales support, marketing, responsibility for everything 24x7 and literally not an hour I haven't thought about some looming crisis day or night for years. It's nearly finished me off and destroyed my social life and home life.

Basically, in my previous "stressful" job that I managed I had no actual idea how stressful work can actually be.

SleightOfHand · 15/06/2017 15:17

Boring. I can do lots of daydreaming then.

MissionItsPossible · 15/06/2017 15:21

I had a boring office job in mind and thought well at least you could mess around and go on the Internet and play on your phone while you're bored but then thought about some kind of factory job, sorting out things from other things for 8 hours a day. If you're on your own that would get very boring very fast and I don't think I'd last a week

user1485342611 · 15/06/2017 15:35

I think stressful to the point where your job takes over your life is definitely worse than boring.

I don't think a boring job is ideal either and brings it's own type of stress. But I think, at the end of the day, a healthy work life balance is the most important thing. So I would make my decision based on just how much the new work is likely to impact on your free time and outside interests.

Harvestmoonsobig · 15/06/2017 15:43

I'm in what had become for me both a boring and stressful job. 🤔

Original poster

RosaDeZoett · 15/06/2017 17:47

It's really interesting getting different perspectives on this. It's really focusing my mind! I would say it would be a mostly productive type of stress. The role I might ultimately go for would have a fair bit of autonomy, but also some external influences which would be outside of my control (higher management).

It is not so much the work, but the managing of tricky people that I would predict may cause stress. And my other reservation would definitely be maintaining a good work/life balance.
If I gained the experience, down the line a sideways move with less stress may be an option (but I would need a few years of the stressful position under my belt to be considered! )
This thread has helped to focus my thoughts, so thanks for the opinions. (I think I will go for it BTW )

OP posts:

MagentaRocks · 15/06/2017 17:49

I'd hate a boring job. I have a stressful job but I actually thrive on it and love the fact that I am challenged every day. Of course I have days where it feels too much but I also have a lot more days where I feel that I have achieved something.

MagentaRocks · 15/06/2017 17:50

Oh and my stress is the people management side of it but getting a thank you even when you have had to have difficult conversations with someone is worth it.

highinthesky · 15/06/2017 17:53

Boring nearly finished me off - literally. I'd had years of stress in jobs prior to that and thrived.

BrexitSucks · 15/06/2017 18:27

I've had both & I'd choose stressful if those are only options. Boring... you just leave, don't you? Boring is it's own level of stress.

Electrolens · 15/06/2017 21:50

Stress kills, boredom doesn't

No. Too much stress is horrific. Being bored and undervalued and ultimately feeling worthless can be equally damaging - think rust out instead of burn out.

IMO it's where the stress is coming from and what works for you in your own work/life balance at that moment. Being in control of it is the key and that can often depend on whether you're your own boss or how much autonomy you have in your role.

For me - I would take stressful where I can manage it, over boredom.

Electrolens · 15/06/2017 21:52

But I don't think people strive on stress - stress is horrid as it suggests. It's high demand and pressure that people thrive on.

Pickerel · 15/06/2017 21:55

I think it depends on how stressful / boring.

If you have a scale where 1 is boring and 10 is stressful, then I'd choose 1 over 10. BUT I would prefer 6/7/8 to 2/3 iyswim. So fairly stressful is better than fairly boring, but very stressful is the worst.

PenguinOfDoom · 15/06/2017 22:03

Boring.

I've had a couple of boring jobs and they were more soul-destroying than my current job. I think stress might be the wrong way of phrasing it though. My job is very pressured and sometimes stressful but I would choose it over spending seven hours rebuilding spreadsheets just to look busy any day.

Badhairday1001 · 15/06/2017 22:07

I couldn't do a boring job. I'm a teacher and sometimes find my job stressful but the saving grace is I am never, ever bored at work. I have done boring jobs in the past and it killed me inside.

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