Doing a boring job need not be stressful

Your contributor Dr Paul Charlson usually comes across as sensible and down-to-earth but to describe boredom as “malignant and soul-destroying” is somewhat melodramatic (“Should I stick with my dull job?” Yorkshire Post, June 29).

By definition, boredom is not stressful. Dr Charlson will have experienced real stress during his career, as have nurses, care-workers, prison officers and members of the Armed Forces and the emergency services. Stress is also standing in front of a class of reluctant teenagers in a sink-estate comprehensive, knowing that if they see through your bluff your days, evenings and nights will become a misery.

The subject of the piece admits that their job is “reasonable” which suggests that pay is adequate.

Have they never heard of deferred gratification? Doesn’t the prospect of carefree leisure time and restful nights make up for being paid for what may be useful if boring tasks during the working day? How about a spot of thinking? The great thoughts in this letter came while weeding the garden path.

Many people would give anything to have a “reasonable” job, no matter how dull it was. There are many causes of unhappiness, one of them being unrealistic expectations.