Body Language

Before determining that someone is bored with what you’re saying, look into

her eyes. If they’re bright and alight the person who’s resting her head in

her hand may be thinking. If the eyes are dull and unblinking, she’s probably

bored.

Showing You’re Deep in Thought .................................................................

Some of the most misinterpreted gestures are those that demonstrate pen-

siveness or deep thinking. Auguste Rodin’s sculpture, ‘The Thinker’, is the

prototype for the thinking position. The subject has his head resting on his

hand and is in a forward leaning position.

Placing your hand on your cheek indicates thought, consideration, or some

kind of meditation. If your eyes are active and regularly blink they show that

you’re considering your options.

The main difference between someone who’s thinking and someone who’s

bored can be detected in the body’s energy. A person who’s actively engaged

in thought shows interest and attentiveness. Her eyes are engaged, she may

have one or both hands placed by her head, and her body leans forward.

58 Part II: Starting at the Top

Boredom and burnout

According to Ramon Greenwood, senior career

counsellor at Common Sense At Work (www.

commonsenseatwork.com), critical bore-

dom, in which you’re tired of your day-in-day-

out job is more dangerous than being bored

with a specific part of your work. His research

shows that being bored with at least one-half of

a person’s tasks for any particular job is usual.

Being bored by the job itself can lead to burnout.

Signs of burnout include fatigue, low morale,

fear, despair, absenteeism, hostility (at home as

well as at work), increased health problems,

and substance abuse – which are all threaten-

ing to your health and your career. Boredom and

burnout often result over time from bringing

more ability to a task than is required. Stated dif-

ferently, the job only requires half your brain and

half your energy.

According to the American Psychological

Association, signs of boredom are similar to

signs of depression. Common symptoms include

changes in sleeping and eating patterns as well

as loss of pleasure and purpose. The two

groups of people most likely to commit suicide

are teenagers and the elderly. Both groups

described themselves as bored. This informa-

tion gives added meaning to the expression

‘bored to death’.