Do you have a boring job? Go to work every day and do the same ol’ things. Go home at night and leave it behind. Nothing special, nothing glamorous.
Or so you might think.
When you really step back and look at the life a boring job provides, you might start seeing boring jobs in a whole new light.
Highly Sought After Jobs Aren’t All They’re Cracked Up To Be
Everyone wants that awesome, dream job at the super, cool company:
- Vogue
- Astronaut
- Home Designer to the Stars
- Movie Star
- Etc.
But as awesome and cool as those jobs are, they are also very hard to get and have extremely high demands.
High-end companies that provide awesome benefits and great pay, usually have way more applicants than they need.
These companies can require their employees to work extremely long hours in high-pressure environments. They know that if the employee doesn’t like it, there are plenty of others who will take their job in a heartbeat.
Other jobs, like high-end magazines, media, or movie studios know that their jobs are in such high demand that they can require endless hours of work while paying barely minimum wage.
People want status and connectivity. They happily give up their personal lives and more money for the potential of future fame.
How many shows demonstrate the striving actor having to work multiple side gigs to make rent? Or the “Devil Wear Prada” type assistant running around in a stress-filled tornado 24/7 while barely able to pay for the clothes they’re expected to wear.
If you really have a dream and are willing to put in the work to become famous, go for it with all you’ve got.
But for most of us, we just want to be able to afford a nice home, eat healthy food, and have the freedom to enjoy our evenings, weekends, vacations, and retirement.
Enter, the boring job.
What The Boring Job Provides
Mr. Bean works at what he calls the definition of a boring job:
- He has the same work schedule every week. (OT once in a while but very seldom)
- His days are very similar. Different clients and activities but he knows what to expect.
- A defined job description and chain of command
- Regular Paychecks with benefits like medical, dental, and retirement match
- Paid sick leave and vacation time
He goes to work, does his job, gets paid, and leaves it all behind until the next day.
It may not be glamorous, but it gives us exactly the life we want.
A Boring Job Has Lower Stress
At a boring job, you know what is expected of you.
You’re an accountant, banker, customer service rep, team manager, etc.
This is your job. Complete it and we’re all happy.
Service the client, enter the numbers or produce the item.
When the job is done or the clock tells you it’s the end of a shift, you walk away.
A Boring Job Has A Predictable Schedule
Boring jobs allow you the freedom to leave the job behind at the end of the day and do other things with your life.
Want to go hiking? Sure, as soon as I get off work, I’ll change clothes and head to the trailhead.
Does your kid have a soccer game? I’m off on Saturdays, I can even assistant coach, if necessary.
Building a business of your own? I can get in an hour of work before I need to leave for the office and meet with potential clients in the evening or on weekends. (Fiverr provides great opportunities to build your business as a client or service provider)
Boring jobs often have a set weekly schedule, usually 40 hours or so, that you can plan around.
Instead of constantly being on call, like with many “fancy jobs” you can actually mentally clock out and do other things with your life. Check out my article on Making Your Life a Vacation.
A Boring Job Might Have Better Pay
Exciting jobs often do not provide the best pay. Think archaeologists searching for their next grant. Start-up businesses trying to find profit while building a better widget. Or fashion magazines working through the newest assistant this week.
They are either a huge name and know people want to work for them, so they can offer lower salaries. Or are a small organization offering lots of opportunities but not much financially.
Boring jobs are usually at larger, more established, companies that nobody really knows. They are profitable (that’s why they’re in business) but they don’t have lines of people waiting to get a job.
In order to hire the best workforce they can, they offer decent salaries and provide common benefits like medical, dental, and retirement funds.
You can use this to your benefit and get the best paying job in a career you enjoy. So long it pays the bills and gives you enough money to have a good life now while saving as much as possible for your future, it might not need to be something you love.
Even awesome jobs can be boring sometimes. You might as well take the extra money and build a strong financial base. (Path to Wealth)
Boring Jobs Can Offer Free Training or Education
Most larger boring businesses also offer lots of training.
When I worked for a large, local grocery company, they had trainers going out every week to stores to teach basic store skills. But they also had specialty trainers and vendors come in to offer more advanced training: Management skills, certifications, etc.
Mr. Bean’s job does the same thing. There are basic job training classes but there are also more advanced classes and training offered, free of charge.
Tons of larger businesses are also offering tuition assistance to their employees. You can go get your college degree or Master’s and have it paid for by your employer! (Debt-Free College)
This free training can offer you tons of growth opportunities throughout your career, simply by putting up with a boring job. (Increase Your Income)
How To Make A Boring Job Better
When I talk about boring jobs, many people think it sounds like torture. Going to the same boring place every day. Doing the same boring things with the same boring people.
Okay, yes, that’s usually the base definition of a boring job, but if you really want to, you can turn your boring job into something you really enjoy.
Use Your Strengths
Everyone has magic powers. Some people are awesome analyzers. Others are great at talking to people. Still, others might be great artists.
Find a way to incorporate your special powers to improve your job so that you enjoy it more. (They also say that any job that becomes stagnant can easily be replaced or gotten rid of. By adding your own pizzazz, you might be able to ensure better job stability too.)
My friend was an office assistant. She answered phones, filed papers, and wrote memos. But her passion was drawing cartoons.
One day, she approached her manager. They had been discussing sending out monthly newsletters to their clients and she offered to arrange the newsletter and draw comics for it.
He was a little put off by the comic idea but agreed to let her do a few and see how they worked. Clients loved them!
Now she is in charge of the monthly newsletter and is even designing a compilation of industry-themed comics to gift to clients for the holidays. Her boring job is a bit easier to handle as she is able to include her passion while also connecting with clients.
Bond With Better People
Not everyone has an office full of fun and easy to work with people. Most workplaces have at least a few negative ninnies.
Maybe it’s Java Joe, who would rather drink coffee in the break room all day than actually help with the team project.
Or Manager Meggie who loves to take credit for other people’s ideas then has no idea how to implement them.
When trying to make your boring job, not as boring, it is important to surround yourself with the right people.
- Find a mentor in the company that can help you get on the projects you would be best suited for.
- Step away from the office gossip if it’s changing how you feel about your coworkers in a negative way.
- Start to look throughout the organization for people you can help and people who can help you.
- Build positive relationships as you create win-win solutions. As you find people you fit with, your boring job can become tolerable and even enjoyable.
If, after trying to use your superpowers and build strong, positive relationships, you are still completely miserable, it might be time to start looking for a new job.
Boring jobs can provide all sorts of positives: good pay, consistent schedules, and advancement opportunities. But if the environment is so bad that you can’t even handle enjoying your off hours due to the stress from work, it could be time to start rethinking where you work. (Prepare for a Job Loss/Change)
Wrap-Up
Dream jobs are great and wonderful things to strive for but sometimes all you need is a safe paycheck.
We are constantly surrounded by people posting on social media their exotic or amazing jobs and it can make one feel like their boring 9-5 just isn’t enough. (Avoid Social Media)
If you want to build your own business, travel the world, or reach financial independence and retire early, don’t feel bad about taking on a boring job so you can finance your life as you work towards your dreams.
What do you think? Do you think boring jobs are underrated? How have you made your boring job less boring? Leave a comment below and join the conversation.
Love this so much. I’m all for the boring job! At one of my boring jobs, I started a company podcast! It was so much fun to do, sparked my creativity (and gave it an outlet at work), and the CEO loved it! People really underestimate the power behind a boring job. Great post.
Definitely!
I googled this because it was a question in myheart. Am I looking a gift horse in the face or am i avoiding expanding myself. I am starting a home based business. My job pays pretty good. The challenge is not only do I feel robotic in my duties, I also don’t have any interaction with people. Its worse than a library its so quiet. There are opportunities to grow. Everyone here has longevity (15 years+)and they dont plan for the future as training people for the day of retirement. They wait until it happens to then look. So emotionally i feel empty. I have to wait until 5 pm to try to connect with people. That is feeling like a second job. I recently moved here right before the episode erupted! Overall this job doesn’t suit me emotionally, professionally, only financially>
This article gave me a healthy perspective. Other jobs that sound wonderful don’t pay well, they do treat you as disposable.
I guess networking will be my second job. I will accept the calm of my life as a gift and be grateful. It could be worse.
The mental struggle is am i projecting the worse case scenario without trying?
Is what im looking exist, love what i do converse with people and meet meet people while i do it?
My husband, Mr. Bean, has felt the same way. His boring job is not his favorite, ideal job that he looks forward to going to each day. But it provides us with a stable income for our family, great benefits, and a reliable schedule. He is home in the afternoons to help with kids and teach jiu-jitsu. He’s off each weekend to explore and do family things. While a boring job may not be your ideal life, it can open up a lot of options to experience your life while providing stability as you save for retirement or whatever your next chapter will be.
You said this perfectly!