A new study into the routines and existences of 2,000 Americans found that as many as 65 percent worry they’ve become a boring person.
Results showed the biggest indicator of someone being ‘boring’ is if that person insists on talking constantly about himself or herself.
Lacking a sense of humor, complaining a lot, and never having any new stories or anecdotes also rank among the top 10 characteristics of a dull person.
As many as 45 percent of those surveyed said they frequently worry that other people find them boring - with nearly two thirds (64 percent) worried they don’t have many good stories or interesting anecdotes to tell people.
Over half (58 percent) of Americans feel desperately in need of a new and adventurous hobby according to the study, commissioned by Flatbike, providers of full-sized mountain and commuter bikes that fold into a car trunk.
Results showed one in seven people feel they’ve become so boring that they don’t have any interesting personal stories to share with others whatsoever.
The research also measured the topics of conversation that bore people most quickly. It found politics the leading subject for people switching off, followed by talk of finances and sports.
Bob Forgrave, president of Flatbike said: “The results show a widespread, fundamental desire to break out of our daily routines and have real-life adventures.”
“The big question is how to make that happen—how to be ready for exciting opportunities when they come your way. The best solution is to make adventure and exploration more convenient, so you naturally go out and do more exciting things.”
Boredom can seep in to our personal lives in all areas and 53 percent of people in relationships say their partner can sometimes be a bit of a bore.
The main criticisms levelled at partners for being boring are that the person never wants to try anything new, isn’t passionate about anything, or is lacking an adventurous side.
It’s no surprise then that more than half of those polled felt trapped in a routine that doesn’t allow for new experiences or adventures, with a fifth strongly feeling this is their reality.
And the boredom mounts up: respondents typically endure three hours and 15 minutes of pure boredom a day, which equates to 22 hours and 45 minutes of monotony every week.
On average, that week is likely to include three boring conversations with someone where they desperately look for a way to escape, steer the conversation to a new topic, or just zone out and nod in agreement at whatever the other person is saying.
The good news is that people intuitively know what they need in their lives. “It’s about spontaneity—about putting your smartphone aside for a bit and immersing yourself in life,” said Forgrave. “68 percent of respondents wish they could get out and explore new places, more than half simply wish they were more active, and 48 percent feel more time outdoors would make a real difference.”
How would it make a difference? People believe the added spontaneity would allow them more fun (72%), make them more interesting to others (43%), and add more confidence (42%). One in ten even thinks being spontaneous would make them more attractive.
In other words, setting aside your technology and immersing yourself in real life outdoor adventures might make you resemble the dashing and desirable person on your Facebook page. At least you’d have something new to post on Instagram!
TOP 10 SIGNS OF A BORING PERSON
- Only interested in talking about themselves
- No sense of humor
- Complaining a lot
- Repeating the same jokes/stories over and over
- Constantly checking their phone
- Not being open-minded
- Showing a lack of empathy
- Uninterested in trying new things
- Interested in things others don’t care about
- Having no passions/hobbies
***This random double-opt-in survey was conducted by OnePoll, a market research company and corporate member of ESOMAR and adheres to the MRS code of conduct. For more information about OnePoll’s research in the media, navigate to their portfolio here: http://www.onepoll.com/in-the-media/. This survey of 2000 married US adults was conducted between April 28, 2017, and May 08, 2017, by Market Researchers OnePoll and commissioned by Flatbike.
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