The alarm goes off and you lie there. Perhaps you reach for
the snooze button, once, twice. Again? Your job has lost its luster and you
have little desire to go into work. Perhaps you’re feeling stuck.
It’s not uncommon to feel stuck at various times in our
career and you’ve likely implemented various strategies to get unstuck at those
times.
But there’s something interesting about when we’re stuck. We
tend to forget what we’ve done in the past and our ability to think creatively
is hampered. Try the following five ways to get unstuck and that snooze button
might become a thing of the past.
Take on a new project. When we’re stuck we tend to hide. We might
spend more time hunkered down in our cubicle or keep our head low, but these avoidance
strategies just reinforce our feelings of being stuck. Instead, volunteer for a
new project, or to lead a cross-functional team effort, or to test out a new
product. Getting out of your comfort zone and doing something new can be a
first step in getting unstuck.
Brainstorm your ideal job. What do you want to do? If you
could do anything, what would you choose? Take some time today and write down
every job or career path that would be interesting to you. Don’t think too much
about it and don’t judge your responses. Just write and then read your
responses. You just might find a path forward there, either through an
opportunity at your current job or you might come to realize that it’s time to
move on.
Upgrade your image. Sometimes when we feel unmotivated we
let some things slide, such as our appearance. We might not take care of ourselves
the way we have in the past. Consider how you look and feel. If you’re low on
energy perhaps you need to start a new fitness regime. Grab a quick bike ride
or swim in the morning before work. Or change up your image by making some
strategic new additions to your wardrobe. Who knows? Perhaps a new hairstyle
will do the trick. The point here is to make an effort to look and feel your
best and even a minor change to our lifestyle can make a big difference.
Travel. If you’ve been driving the same route to work every
day and staring at the same four walls for months or even years, it’s time to change
things up. Take the scenic route to work. Switch up the décor in your office or
workplace. And then request a vacation and travel to somewhere new. Experiencing a new place can help you gain a
new perspective.
Expand your network. Similar to the change in perspective you
can gain from travel and experiencing a new place, is the benefit that comes
from meeting new people, developing additional contacts, and expanding your
network. Check out some local business meetups or conferences coming up and
register. Perhaps someone you meet can
help put you on the path to the ideal job you brainstormed earlier.
Feeling stuck is not fun but there are steps you can take to get unstuck every day. Try one or more of the above, or come up with some strategies that work best for you, but make the effort today.
