Boredom in the Creative Studio

Abstract

Despite its high incidence in the workplace, boredom is yet to be examined in the context of the creative studio. This concern is particularly pertinent because creative personality types are reported to be more boredom prone than others and because, in general, boredom is negatively associated with motivation, a key determinant of creativity and workplace performance. Using control-value theory (CVT) and based on interviews with more than 30 creatives, this article reveals situational antecedents, with their associated control and value appraisals, which lead to creatives becoming bored. Poor briefing, lack of autonomy, and insufficient feedback lead to low control appraisals, while repetition and task-identity incongruence result in low value appraisals. The article examines the consequences of boredom both in terms of individual (reduced or diverted effort) and social (asocial or antisocial) behavior. It also recommends strategies for suppressing the emergence of boredom in the studio.