menu_open Columnists
We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Boredom is the new burnout, and it’s quietly killing motivation at work

15 0
15.12.2025

Burnout and boredom are the two dreaded b-words of the modern workplace. We fear one, dismiss the other, and often fail to see how easily they trade places. Too often, boredom masquerades as burnout. To the untrained eye, exhaustion and disengagement can look identical.

Boredom is typically a form of cognitive under-stimulation, while burnout is emotional and physical overextension. Both can leave people feeling unmotivated and fatigued. But here’s the twist: in cultures that tend to glamorize busyness, many employees feel safer saying they’re burned out than bored. Burnout........

© Fast Company