The Modern Emotion

Although boredom is a modern luxury, it is a universal experience and one of emotional states of being.  According to the research by James Danckert (Experimental Brain Research, 2013) the word “boring” was not even being used until the industrial revolution. 

So what exactly is boredom and why does it have significance?  Boredom is best described in terms of attention.  A bored person doesn’t just have anything to do.  He/she wants to be stimulated, but is not able to because there is no emotional/cognitive connection to his/her environment for that to happen. 

Most often we have heard that boredom in the workplace and otherwise could have negative effects such as lack of productivity, disengagement, and participation in destructive behaviors.  When people are bored, they are more likely to make performance errors and that could be a big deal for many positions, especially those that directly impact lives.  However did you know that when people are bored, they are disengaged from satisfying activity and more likely to become internally focused, putting them at a higher risk for depression?  Furthermore, in a study in 1985 which was part of the longitudinal Whitehall study, it was found after studying death records that people who had reported experiencing a great deal of boredom were more likely to die young than those who were engaged (International Journal of Epidemiology, 2010).  

So although in today’s electronic word, it is rare to be stuck with absolutely nothing to do, all the diversions in the world can alleviate society’s collective boredom.  A place to start could be learning more about the phenomenon.  For example, the common misperception is low arousal is the only leading cause of boredom.  In fact this cannot be farther from the truth.  Boredom can be associated with both high and low arousal states.  For example, there are certain personality types that are more prone to boredom; people with high sensitivity to rewards and we don’t just mean financial rewards.  These are people whom in general feel the world moves too slowly.  On the other hand, highly sensitive individuals with high anxiety are more likely to withdraw from the world, in the hopes of avoiding a painful situation.  Furthermore, people with a low level of EI including the inability to identify and describe one’s own emotions are more prone to boredom (Personality and Individual Difference, 2007).

Overall boredom is a sign that what you’re doing right now seems to lack purpose.  What you do with it at that point is the determinant of how it will rule your life.  In this case, boredom can be a great resource and clue to move out of tedious routines and shed some innovation to tasks and processes.  People who have the patience to stay with the feeling, and use imagination and confidence in trying new concepts and directions are likely to strike a rainbow amidst the rain. 

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Muscle for Value, like Ozil

Muscle for the Money…

You’ve heard it a million times, but it remains true: exercise is vital to happy living. As Arnold Schwarzenegger has said “Training gives us an outlet for suppressed energies created by stress and thus tones the spirit just as exercise conditions the body.”  But what you may not have heard about in the past is the impact of active living on your wallet. Recent studies explore the depth in which exercise positively (or negatively) influences your finances. Now, you don’t need to have muscles the size of cantaloupes, but are you interested to see how healthy exercise habits can build you up financially?

Income

One recent study aimed to explore the direct effects of physical activity on income. The results showed that regular exercise positively influenced long-term (15 year) earning potential. Physically active participants received incomes 14-17% higher than those who were less active (Psychology Today).

Sleep
Lack of exercise costs in the form of rest. How to Fall Asleep, published by Discovery Fit and Health explains that exercise improves sleep, but in particular, cardiovascular activity in the late afternoon was highly recommended. Activity heightens your metabolism, allowing your temperature to fall just before bed, which is a trigger for sleeping. And now for the ROI, exercising saves you money on items like coffee and reversely sleeping pills. As for you wake hours, are you in needing a boost in performance effectiveness?  Exercising which we talked about leads to, getting better sleep , leads to improved job performance, correlating to higher earning potential.

Healthcare
Not only do those who exercise more earn more, but health care costs are typically lower. Many organizations are now introducing wellness programs to help employees stay healthy. Don’t disregard the offer.  Although we can’t speak for all other organizations, the Center For Work Life program gets employees not only to become aware of their power over their health and differentiating health factors, it also gets them engaged to feel the wins and make marked progress each and everyday. Take that for a big chunk back in your wallet.

Medical Emergencies
Investing in a fit lifestyle reduces your chances of heart attacks, strokes, and other potentially life altering medical emergencies. CNBC’s Health Care Reporter, Dan Mangan, recently reported on a study from Nerd Wallet Health which revealed that medical bills are the leading cause of bankruptcies in the country. In truth, active individuals are less likely to engage in unhealthy habits such as smoking, unbalanced diets buffering them against illnesses such as heart disease, or even more devastating setbacks like depression.  

A gym membership or joining a fitness class may cost you now, but exercise can save expenses in the long run. From emotional wellness, improved productivity, and lower stress levels exercise gives you a bang for your buck. Make your impact like Ozil, who recently signed the third most expensive football player contact in British history. Health equates to higher value.

For more Tips for Healthy Professionals here are more articles:

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