Your Career Rut

Ah, the career blues – you know, that feeling of dread that creeps into your stomach on an otherwise pleasant Sunday evening because Monday morning is looming just around the corner. If your job isn’t living up to your expectations or you’re bored with your current position, watch out! It’s all too easy to get caught in the trap of just treading water… coming in a little late, or calling in sick (after all you are sick… of work!).

Career boredom will dull the finish of your once stellar performance leaving you passionless and uninspired – and you probably won’t be the only one to notice. You may find yourself overlooked for choice assignments and promotions, or worse. Unless you take matters into your own hands and step out of the doldrums you could be headed for career suicide. But there is a silver lining. Being uncomfortable in your career is a wake up call that you’re not living the life you want.

But wait! If you channel a little bit of reassessment, you can re-chart your course and be on your way to smoother sailing. Here’s how:

Step 1
Stop and seek direction. Step back from the red tape and paperwork and listen to what your feelings are telling you. Are you frustrated? Exhausted? Sad? Allow yourself some quiet time to figure out the source of your feelings – is it that you’re bored and need more of a challenge? Maybe the job itself isn’t all it was cracked up to be and now you’re frustrated. The good news is that you have a job to be dissatisfied with! Now that you’ve recognized your true feelings (that you’re not happy), you can take your time to find a job that’s right for you.

Step 2
Change your course. Don’t let routine dictate your path – career or otherwise. That’s probably what got you to the burn out place to begin with. Mix it up, try something new. This could be as simple as taking a seminar that relates to your current career. While you’re looking at your options, take a new route to work, try changing your hours at your current job, and make a commitment to learn something new on the job each day. Breaking the routine opens the door of possibility and wonder. You may find that it’s not where you work, but what you do. Look into other positions or departments that may interest you.

Step 3
Find your true north. If you’re having a complete career meltdown, take a look back to the glory days and remember what drew you to this choice in the first place. Keep that feeling in mind and look for options that evoke a similar sense for you. Another great place to find career inspiration is by looking at what you love to do when you’re not at work. You can find creative ways to integrate your passions into your work at a comfort level that’s right for you. For example, if you are a Project Manger who loves to garden you could try to find a happy medium and look for a Project Manager position with a landscaping company… unless, of course, you’re ready to take those classes in floral design! Your only limitation is your imagination, so get creative.

Now that you have ascertained where you’d like to go with your career – take action! Research training options, re-do your resume, make use of the myriad career sites online. Even doing one thing a day will totally add up at the end of the month. Set aside time each day to focus on your goals: research job sites, check job listings and send out your résumés – say 1 -3 a day for a month. Taking action signals to the universe that you are ready for change and takes the dread out of Monday mornings.