5 Ways to Get Unstuck in Your Career

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.