Boredom is generally understood as a negative emotion, a state in which individuals are dissatisfied with their current situation and desire a change in what they are doing or the environment around them. Boredom is a natural process that serves as a warning for individuals to adapt and evolve. It encourages people to make changes in their current situation to survive and thrive in the future. If there were no boredom, humans would not adapt. What is more crucial than boredom itself is the process of managing it, especially in the workplace.

Cummings proposed three simple ways to deal with boredom:

Task-unrelated thought: This refers to when an individual's mind wanders, thinking about things unrelated to the current task. This may include thoughts related to work or completely unrelated matters. This process occurs naturally and helps individuals reduce dissatisfaction with their current situation. Looking at it negatively, employees might slow down their work or not fully engage with the present task. However, from a positive perspective, this time could lead to new ideas or innovative ways of doing things. Without experiencing boredom, employees may not think about how to improve the current situation.

Other task engagement: This involves avoiding the current task and engaging in other activities, either related or unrelated to work. For instance, employees might switch to a different task that is less boring, help other colleagues, have conversations with co-workers, play games, or check social media. In a negative sense, this could be seen as slacking off, but certain aspects of these actions can have positive outcomes. Engaging with colleagues could strengthen their network, and checking social media might lead to new ideas.

Changing task engagement: This means changing the way the current task is approached or considering improvements in the current work process. It also includes altering work objectives to make them more challenging or making the work process more interesting. For example, if an employee's current task is to guard a village entrance, the task could be changed to becoming a welcoming host for the residents. Alternatively, the work process in a production line could be turned into a competitive game between groups. This method helps employees reduce their boredom and increases their productivity. It is an effective way of dealing with boredom.

Boredom is an inherent part of being human and serves as a process that encourages development. Organizations must manage their employees' boredom appropriately to invite them to handle their boredom constructively. For instance, providing spaces where employees from different departments can interact and share ideas, allowing employees to provide feedback for improving their current tasks, and granting access to the internet to find information related to their work are ways to manage boredom in a way that benefits both the employees and the organization. Striking a balance between dealing with boredom in a desirable manner and ensuring that employees keep moving forward with their work will create a situation that benefits both the employees and the organization.