Tedium in the life and work of professional women as compared with men

The experience of tedium, its antecedents, and its chronic life and work correlates in professional women as compared to men, were the foci of the present study. Tedium was defined as a general experience of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion characterized by depression; emotional and physical depletion; burnout; and negative attitudes toward one's life, one's environment, and oneself. Women did not differ significantly from men in the experience of tedium. This is particularly noteworthy, since women reported less positive features and rewards and more negative features, pressures, and stresses in their work environments than men. There were far more significant sex differences in work features than in life-outside-of-work features, and many variables emerged as equally important tedium correlates for both sexes. For both sexes, life outside of the work sphere provided more positive aspects, while work presented more negative ones.