There comes a time when you have to face the reality that your career may have passed its shelf life and that it is time for you to make a career move and do something different.
Staying too long in a job and becoming stuck means you are denying yourself professional fulfilment. But making a career move can be difficult if you have worked at an organisation for many years and are loyal and committed. The thought of leaving may feel like you are betraying them.
You may not even know what you want to do but you know deep down something is amiss and you’re turning up at work every day but the spark has gone from within you. Here are 7 signs that your career could have passed its shelf life and if you can relate to them, it might be time for you to move on.
#1 The job is no longer challenging
You used to find that you would get your teeth in to projects that would stretch your thinking, utilise all your skills and give you a buzz of motivation. Now, what you do seems very mundane, it does not stretch you, it does not stimulate you and it certainly does not leaving you buzzing.
If your job is no longer challenging you, consider finding something that does.
We need healthy challenge in order to develop and grow. When we don’t grow, we become stuck. Staying stuck in a rut for too long can be dangerous. You can become bored, easily distracted and look for external stimulation that may not be good for you.
#2 The Monday morning blues last all week
If you find that you are experiencing the Monday morning blues not just on a Monday but on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as well, that is not good.
Do you wake up every morning and the thought of getting out of bed and going to work fills you with dread? Is the snooze button your best friend first thing in the morning?
Whilst the occasional Monday morning blues is not an issue (particularly if you have had an action packed weekend or evening or done something over stimulating), when you constantly find that you hate getting up in the mornings and would rather stay in bed than go to work, you need to ask yourself why this is.
When you have something to do that you enjoy, I am sure that you have no problems getting out of bed and getting going in the mornings. Considering the amount of time you spend at work, don’t you think that it is important to do something that you enjoy, something that you look forward to getting out of bed for?
#3 You’ve passed your performance peak
Are you being taken to task for poor performance but you believe that you are not to blame? Whilst there can be occasions where someone may have it in for you and so constantly pick at your performance, if there is an emerging pattern and your performance is not as it used to be or should be, you need to take a close examination of what is going on for you.
I once worked with someone who had been taken to task by their manager but they were adamant that their manager had it in for them and did not appreciate what they did. When they moved location and the same thing happened, they formed the opinion that the 2 managers where colluding about them. They blamed systems, a lack of recognition for their busy workload, colleagues not pulling their weight, rather than taking ownership and looking at what part they played in all this.
If your previous performance has been impeccable and you are now experiencing dips but cannot see why, rather than letting your performance continue to decline to the extent of disciplinary action, maybe you need a new challenge, something that will give you your oomph back.
#4 You’ve been passed over for promotion one time too many
You know you are capable of working at a more senior level. You have the skills, you have the experience but you are just not getting the recognition and keep getting turned down for promotion. You see colleagues start after you and surpass you but you believe that you have what it takes, not them.
Rather than growing bitter and resentful, have you considered that you just may not be a fit for a senior role in the organisation?
Don’t try to be a square peg in a round hole. If you do not fit the environment and the environment does not fit you, find somewhere that does. Somewhere where you can fully utilise your skills and experience at the level you want. Somewhere where you will get the recognition that you deserve.
#5 You stay just because it pays the bills
You don’t particularly enjoy what you do but it pays the bills. You have developed a particular lifestyle and your salary enables you to fund that lifestyle. Or, your financial situation dictates that you stay in the job because you cannot afford to leave.
In my experience, people who stay in a job just because it pays the bills are more likely to be miserable and constantly moaning about the job. Moaning exerts a lot of negative energy, the effects of which can be very demotivating, demoralising and even depressing.
Do you really want to be doing the same thing in 5... 10... 15 years, just because it pays the bills? Doing work that is intrinsically rewarding has a far greater impact on your health and well being.
#6 You spend too much time on social media when you should be working
I once had a client who was spending too much time on social media and personal emails and she had no motivation to achieve important deadlines. She constantly left things till the last minute, getting a bit of a kick out of the pressure that arose as a result.
It transpired that she found her work too easy and boring, so much so that she became easily distracted and not focused on the things that were important in her job. She knew what she needed to do but the enthusiasm just was not there. She was not working to her full potential and was operating beneath her capabilities.
Are you working to your full potential? Do you have too much idle time on your hands or find that you are easily distracted because your work is beneath your capabilities? If so, you may want to consider doing something that allows you to achieve your full potential so that you experience satisfaction and fulfilment in your work.
#7 You're under too much pressure
Stress can creep up on you without you even realising it. As more and more demands are placed on you, you may find that you work ridiculously long hours to get the job done. Yes, it is good that you have a high profile role and well done for achieving this. But when the job takes over your life to the extent that you are eating, drinking, breathing your work, you could be on the road to burnout.
This happened to Juls Abernethy of the Body Retreat Programme. A former HR Director with high performance expectations, she exhibited symptoms of stress that she chose to ignore until she suffered burnout and broke down from stress. You can listen to Juls story in this radio interview I did with her.
Recognise the signs before you get to that stage and do something about it. You only have one life so look after it.
Originally Published on LinkedIn.