Everyone knows burnout. Hardly anyone has heard of boreout – even though it can be just as damaging.
Boreout syndrome is the counterpart to burnout: psychological strain caused by chronic underload. Symptoms such as lack of drive, exhaustion or self-doubt resemble those of burnout – with one key difference: it is not overload but the absence of demands that makes people unwell. Boreout often goes unnoticed, as many struggle to see underload as a serious burden. One image makes it tangible: while overload overstretches a rubber band, in boreout it hangs slack – the healthy tension is missing.
Underload can be quantitative or qualitative – either there is too little to do, or the work lacks intellectual challenge. Anyone who is not sufficiently challenged over a longer period begins to decline mentally, loses confidence in their own abilities and may find even simple tasks stressful. New challenges can help at work, through further education or through hobbies. Those who remain underchallenged over time should consider changing jobs.
Boreout can also be avoided in the application process – if both sides honestly assess whether qualifications and requirements truly match. A structured personal and professional assessment can provide valuable guidance.
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