Most of us have been there. You took a job years ago and you genuinely were excited about it, but now it can be a drag just to get yourself to the office in the morning. Or maybe you feel unappreciated, underpaid, or simply burnt out.
Whether this is you currently or not, we all know someone who has felt like this. We all probably even know someone who has been stuck at the same job and position for years, and though they might frequently complain about their job, they refuse to make a change.
Everyone has a different attitude about work, but generally, work shouldn’t be anxiety-inducing or dreaded. When circumstances in your workplace start to take a toll on your personal life, something has to change.
Fortunately, there are many ways you can take control of your current work situation. Here are 10 things to consider doing if you feel stuck at work.
1) Understand Your Strengths
Knowing, or discovering, what strengths you possess will help you better understand what you actually want in a career.
It is common for people to focus on their weaknesses at work and spending significant time trying to improve them. While trying to improve a weakness is in no way wasting time, individuals should spend just as much time capitalizing on their strengths.
Everyone has their own weaknesses and strengths. When you are focusing on just your weaknesses, it can become demoralizing. We often forget about our strengths, and what makes us qualified to do our job. If you are feeling stuck at work, it could be because you are focusing on a weakness instead of capitalizing on all of your strengths.
Consider going through StrengthsFinder to identify what your strengths are and what you should focus on.
2) Decide What You Value at Your Current Job
Remember when you were first offered your current job? What made you excited about it? What drew you to the company in the first place?
Responsibilities and repetitiveness can wear on workers, but there probably were some aspects of your job you enjoyed and still do. What do you value at your current job? Is it a part of the work? Or something about the company culture like the people, or the flexibility to work remotely. Whatever it is, write down what you value. This will help improve your outlook at your current job and guide you should you decide to look for outside opportunities.
3) Ask for More Work
Many people, especially millennials, complain that they feel underutilized and bored at work.
Sometimes, people feel stuck at work because they simply feel undervalued. One way to combat this is to ask for more work.
Some supervisors might be hesitate to give up control and delegate a project to you. But with reassurance and convincing, you can take ownership of a project and expand your job description to include many new projects and responsibilities.
4) Reach Out to Your Network
For anyone who feels stuck in their job, your network of people you know can be priceless.
Maybe you are looking for a career mentor, a friend to listen, or someone who is in a similar situation as you are. No matter what you are looking for, don’t be afraid to reach out to individuals within your network of acquaintances. Their experience, knowledge, and understanding is invaluable.
5) Try Changing Your Routine
Sometimes, when we feel stuck, it’s likely because we are simply in a rut. A change in routine can do wonders for anyone who feels stuck.
A routine change can be as big or as small as you would like. You could overhaul your entire day, or just try to get to work a few minutes earlier. Whatever the case, a change in routine will reveal when and how you work best.
6) Start a Side Hustle
Side hustles are an excellent way to provide career purpose for anyone who feels like they might be lacking. Not only do side hustles give you purpose, but they provide extra income and the opportunity to explore a business or topic you might be interested in with low risk.
Whether you start a blog, a freelance writing career, or a lawn care business, a side hustle will provide a sense of purpose outside of work, and the extra income can help your finances radically.
7) Learn New Skills
No matter where you are in your career, it is always worthwhile to update your skills. Learning new skills will not only fill your time, but it has the possibility of opening up new opportunities at work.
You can take matters into your own hands by finding free webinars in the field you work in. Or you can talk to your employer about potentially sponsoring the opportunity for you to learn new skills, whether it’s formal classes, seminars, or certifications.
9 Websites and Apps For Learning and Developing New Skills
8) Know When to Look for a New Job
If you’ve tried everything else to improve your feelings about your current career path, it may be time to consider switching jobs.
All experts have a different opinion regarding job hopping, but the truth is, everyone’s situation is so unique. It depends on you, your goals, and your situation to decide if switching jobs is the right decision for you.
9) Consider the Lifestyle You Crave
Is your current job providing you with the lifestyle you want? Jobs can either empower the lifestyle you desire, or it can restrict it.
If you enjoy your work, it can be easy to write off the lifestyle that comes with it. But the truth is, a reputable company will want you to have a fulfilled life outside of work, and will allow you time and resources in order to achieve that.
Prioritize the lifestyle you want. For many people, unhappiness at work is a product of a lack of support for anything outside of work. Even though lifestyle doesn’t correlate directly with work, it’s one of the most important factors to consider.
10) Act on It
Have you ever known someone who had extreme distaste of his or her current job? And you give them all of the advice you can, but they still won’t make a change?
Unfortunately, some people would rather stay unhappy than make a change. If you are truly unhappy at work, something needs to change.
Be honest with yourself and when you need to make a change. Staying in a job where you feel stuck is profitable for neither you or your company. Change can be a very good thing, and it takes honesty, discernibility, and the willingness to act to make it happen.
Have you ever felt stuck in your career? If so, what did you do about it? How would you give yourself more career purpose?
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Great tips Rachel! This is something I think far too many of us can relate to. I know I faced it a number of times when I was in the traditional workforce and would always try to use it as a way to grow myself in a certain way – realizing that my development was on me. Ultimately, it led me to leave my job and go for it on my own. I’d just caution people to not view being bored or unsatisfied at their job that quitting to start working for yourself isn’t always a wise decision.
I love that quote “my development was on me.” So true in every situation. You could have every resource at your disposal, but it really depends on you and your willingness to change.
Nice post, Rachel – I think a lot of people feel stuck at work these days and it’s great to show that there are actually ways to change your situation!
Before I went freelance, I worked in an office job which I felt I had totally outgrown. Eventually, I just started creating projects for myself to work on – it helped the company, showed initiative, and actually engaged my mind more! Not a bad option for those who feel stuck but can’t actually leave quite yet.
Thanks, Yaz. That’s great to hear that you were able to find other projects to work on at work. From talking to other people, I think it’s a common instance millennials run into. They often feel underutilized at work, but many aren’t like you and refuse to do anything about it.
Great post, Rachel! I think number 8 is key – knowing when it is time to walk away. Millennials are notorious for changing companies for a variety of reasons but it is important to time everything right and exhaust your options to ensure walking away is the best idea.
About 3 years ago, I left a company. I tried everything possible to make it work there – talked to my director, started a passion project on the side, asked for more responsibilities – but ultimately, the company couldn’t meet my needs. I am so glad that I walked away when I did. Over the next year at the old company, my entire team left (many of them following me to my current employers).
That’s great to hear, Tia. I agree in that we should all exhaust our other options before walking away. I definitely don’t advocate for staying at a job you hate, but I think people are sometimes too quick to leave a job. Once you’ve tried everything, you should be able to walk away confidently, knowing you made the right decision for you (and I’m happy you did that!)
Changing routine and positive thinking are my best solution:D
Glad to hear, Giulia :)
Number 8 is key. Sometimes people are too loyal to companies that don’t care about them. If you think that it’s time for a change, then it probably is. Once you decide to look for a new opportunity, make sure that you act on it.
I see it both ways. Some people stay in jobs they hate for years, but I also see a lot of people throw in the towel as soon as a job gets difficult. I guess it depends on your personality to know whether you are too hard on yourself or too easy on yourself with regards on your attitude about the workplace.