Self-employment may come with an overlooked psychological benefit: a less boring life.

Being self-employed is often associated with greater job satisfaction and a stronger sense of meaning. But could it also make everyday life less boring? A new study examined whether boredom represents an overlooked dimension of well-being among self-employed people.

The researchers first analysed data from almost 19,000 people across 25 European countries. Self-employed individuals reported modestly lower levels of boredom than employees, even after accounting for differences in age, education, income, country, life satisfaction, and meaning in life. The difference was particularly pronounced among self-employed people running larger businesses with ten or more employees.

The researchers then examined a separate US sample and found the same general pattern: self-employed participants reported less boredom at work. Importantly, this difference could not simply be explained by less boredom-prone people choosing to become self-employed.

The findings suggest that traditional measures such as happiness, job satisfaction, and meaning may not capture the full psychological experience of work. Boredom may represent an additional and distinct aspect of well-being. Understanding why self-employment is associated with lower boredom, for example, greater autonomy, variety, or engagement, could ultimately provide useful insights into how jobs can be designed to make work more stimulating, and less boring, for everyone.

Pirla, S., Ortega-Lapiedra, R., Oishi, S., & Pfattheicher, S. (2026). Boredom and psychological well-being among the self-employed. Small Business Economics. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11187-026-01265-w