Are most jobs fairly boring?

[PookieDo]

Making me think as DC1 is nearly 17 now.

I have a fairly flexible job on 2 days of the week (not so much the other 3). I like all the people I work with too, and proud of what I do

But it is up to 7.5 hours a day 5 days a week mostly staring at a computer screen. Spreadsheets, policies, emails mostly.

If I ask my DC what I do, they would say ‘look at a computer all day!’ And that they would never want to work in an office because it looks so boring. I don’t want to demoralise them before they are adults by saying most jobs are boring, but at least 70% of mine is quite boring and repetitive and you have to be realistic

When people enjoy their jobs is this more the socialisation and what they produce rather than the boring delivery/method of production? Do the majority of people have boring jobs with a small majority loving every minute of it?

Thing is, there are so many different types of office. Some huge and open plan, some tiny. And there are so many different office jobs. Some where you can't see you're making much of a difference to anyone or anything. And some where you literally make dreams come true (unfortunately I also have to shatter dreams but you can't have everything ...). Just because you don't like one office job doesn't mean they're all the same.

I like my job. I do accounts. I like it. I work 10 minutes walk from home, in the upstairs office of 8 people, 30 downstairs. Never bored. Best job I ever had.

I’ve done two main things one purely creative out of an office working alone and one in the creative industry in a studio / office

There were interesting times with the latter, I liked the sheer amount of time you could spend discussing the rightness of something visual and creative, also a laugh at times. But also some downsides - very competitive and very young industry.

There are lots of interesting roles using art, in the creative industries for example. High competition mind you.

Here are some stats:

www.thecreativeindustries.co.uk/uk-creative-overview/facts-and-figures/employment-figures

Sounds like you’re bored of your own role.

I often find my (office) job frustrating and difficult, but rarely boring.

I'm a nurse. Have been for 20 years. Never bored, often stressed, underpaid but ultimately I love it. Not all jobs are dull

I'm a university lecturer and love 99% of my job. I genuinely think I have the best job ever.

I used to teach. It had all sorts of awful issues but I can honestly say I was never ever bored (apart from Inset days where I had to spend all day writing reports/ plans/ other staring-at-computer tasks).

Before teaching I worked in nurseries and I did find that boring. I think it was because the days were largely unstructured and you can’t get much conversation out of babies.

The worst times are when I was fully contracted and had little to do, I found that level of boredom almost impossible. Most I’ve been paid to do nothing / muck around on the internet

Fortunately has only happened twice in many years

I used to have "boring" job, I'd come in, sit at my desk, look at Excel spreadsheets, policies and systems and wish the day away, working to give someone else more money. I was like this for 20 years ☺️

I decided enough and changed from the Private sector to the Public sector a few years ago and although the pace has picked up considerably, it's much more interesting and flexible.

I barely sit at a desk, I'm usually running around sorting things out, getting involved in really interesting work and hardly ever doing the same thing every day. It is hard work, can be frustrating and exhausting but it's really enjoyable and it's important work so I feel I am doing something worthwhile. I'd never go back.

It's not NHS by the way.

10 years not 20 😆

I like it best when work is boring. The days might pass slowly but I feel great when I leave for the day.

ScreamingValenta
Yes, I think most jobs are pretty boring. I very rarely come across a job that sounds interesting.

Is that because you’re not interested in much in general? It’s rather a sweeping statement to make.

I also think it’s a question of personality - some people can find interesting aspects to almost any job.

Just read this which I think is applicable.

I am in an office job but I love everything about it: theres a nice mix of easy routine work and more challenging stuff, so you can switch your workload around depending on how you're feeling that day; I have a nice modern office with loads of space; my colleagues are all lovely, intelligent and funny; I have a great manager. It's not super busy just a nice even pace.

I used to work as a nurse on a ward and that somehow managed to be both manic and boring. I'm so happy I made the switch.

MrsFezziwig I'm not interested in many things one could make a career of, no. A job can have interesting aspects whilst still being, on the whole, boring.

If your job was always exciting in most cases I'd think you were doing something wrong.

Even something potentially dangerous should be reduced to no more dangerous than sitting in your living room.

If you're thinking exciting is constantly battling deadlines I'd question your organisational skills.

I think 99% of jobs will have a strong element that will put people off - there’s a reason even fantastic jobs have to pay you to be there!

I’ve worked in quite a variety of roles and industries and don’t mind office work although it tends to be the people that make or break it. I enjoy what I do at the moment even though it’s monotonous (transcription) but then I enjoy sudoku (I think that’s a good indicator of the types of roles you might be suited to ).

I’m probably not the best person to give advice though, I’m heading fast towards 40 and still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up! I think if there’s no obvious path for you to take then you have to take a more holistic approach. Decide what kind of work will allow you to have time for what you’re passionate about outside of work and build your life around that. As long as you can support yourself is it really that important to let it define your life so much? Lots of people work really hard towards qualifying in a career, get a taste of it and decide it’s not for them and shift their focus elsewhere. This reminds me of that Ally Mcbeale episode where all the hot shot lawyers are feeling sorry for their receptionist until she points out that her job allows her to spend time on the things she loves rather than working 24/7 on cases.

Nobody is signing their employment contracts in blood. As long as you have a decent foundation of qualifications you can, to a point, make it up as you go along.

If your job was always exciting in most cases I'd think you were doing something wrong.

I have to disagree. There's some amazing work that's being done around Space and how can that's er not be exciting. Even when you're analysing data or making a spreadsheet, the work you're doing it for is always exciting. It's interesting, important work, exciting doesn't mean you're doing it wrong.

That ever not be exciting*

I think I would just like more of a challenge to be honest

My job is far from boring. I’m a nursery teacher in a 78 place nursery. Every day is different. Hard work but I love it and laugh continuously! Wouldn’t ever do any thing different!

I'm a gardener and I love my job!

Nobody would have guessed I'd end up here, I was very academic in school. But I love doing something practical, useful, and interesting. There's always more to learn. I like that I mostly work on my own - it's very relaxing - but I do get to chat to customers too most days. It's not well paid, but it is very flexible. It's very low stress and I can leave it behind at the end of the day. I can see an immediate result, take pride in my work, and customers thank me.

Never had a job anywhere near as fulfilling before!

That does sound lovely @biscuitbadger sounds quite cathartic.