Do you ever get jealous of those people who have it all figured out?
Like they knew from a very young age that they wanted to be a veterinarian or a teacher and they just pursued it and ended up with a job they love?
Meanwhile, you might feel a little lost and not sure what your passion is. And work is fine, but you wish you cared more about it.
Is it normal to have no idea what you want to do with your life?
Um, yes, it is.
But actually you probably have some idea. It probably just got clouded by all the pressures you’re facing, some bad past experiences with jobs, and maybe an outdated image of what you thought you wanted but never re-evaluated.
You don’t have to like your title, coworkers, or your company. But here is a suggestion:
See if there are any parts of your job that you like. Then think of three skills you would like to learn.
Combine those six things to see if they translate into a new, but related job. If not, keep going.
What to do if you hate your job and can’t quit?
One piece of advice I like to give people in this position is to use whatever role you’re in as a skill building exercise.
You may be working in a random job that you know you don’t want to stay in. You might not even be working at all. Pay attention to the skills you’re building. Those will matter way more than your job title or even your salary. (I know.)
But if you forget about the big picture for a second, you will be able to see that you are gaining very useful skills, even in the most uninteresting jobs.
Are you practicing organization, delegation, managing timelines, decision-making, prioritizing, creativity, customer service, sales, quality assurance, or something else?
Suddenly your boring job becomes a lot more valuable. You can put those skills to use in a career that actually interests you.
What is career complacency?
Career complacency is when you put your work life on autopilot and just “phone it in.”
This doesn’t mean you are doing lower quality work. It means you stop caring about your career as a whole.
It’s ok to start investing in other parts of your life, especially if it’s been out of balance. But it’s also important to find meaning in your work. I mean, you spend enough time there, you might as well do something fulfilling.
Career complacency can become a potentially dangerous position to be in. If you reach a point where you become so tuned out in a job that your autopilot turns on, or worse, you cut corners to achieve your end result, it could lead to feelings of depression or anxiety.
When work starts to become…well, work…it might be time to re-evaluate some things. Complacency is an attitude that can be addressed. If you find yourself hating your job or career, it is time to take action.
How does mental health affect job satisfaction?
Whether you think you are complacent or not, it is important in any career to be mindful of your behaviors and look for red flags. Signs you may be reaching complacency include:
Loss of passion
Reduced engagement with your work or your peers
Disinterest in growth opportunities
Lack of initiative
Consistent mistakes
Cutting corners
Tardiness
Carelessness
If you find yourself tuning out at work, it can lead to overcompensating outside of work to feel better. These are some steps you can take to balance out your job satisfaction without selling your soul.
What Makes your job suck?
What do you like and dislike about your current role? Start making a pros and cons list of sorts. Take out a piece of paper and pen, and do it now. Are you finding problems with your specific job tasks? Is it a lack of growth or opportunity? Do you have issues with your boss or administration? Maybe you haven’t specifically thought about this before, so this could be a new evaluation for you. There are questionnaires that can help with exploring other duties that could meet your needs. You may also need to switch departments if your leadership team is the problem.
How to find your purpose
Every so often, it is good practice to re-evaluate your purpose. Not only for your career but for your own personal interest. What sparks your interest? What are you passionate about in and outside of work? Are any of these areas something you could shift your career towards? Or, at the very least, can you incorporate new work options into your life? If your current career doesn’t align with your above answer, it might be time to switch it up.
Speak With Your Leadership Team
Depending on the support available from your leadership team, this may or may not be an option. If it is, find out what your manager/supervisor can do to increase your job satisfaction. Are there additional tasks you can take on? Is there an option to change departments? Is there training that can be completed to increase your value and happiness in the current company?
Re-evaluate Your Professional Goals
Most annual reviews discuss your status on yearly goals. This is a good practice to complete with yourself as well. What are your career goals, but also what are your personal goals? Are you meeting them? It’s not uncommon for goals to change, and there shouldn’t be any consequence for it. Is your current role allowing you to meet these goals? If not, what would it take to get you there? Explore options to make these goals possible.
Explore New Opportunities
It’s possible a change of scenery may be what you need. Is there an option for you to work remotely, allowing for more efficient use of time or a better work-life balance? Are you able to be more autonomous in your job or find something with more flexibility? Sometimes changing the rote day-in and day-out schedule can lead to quality improvements in the job.
With life stressors at an all-time high, it can be easy to start feeling stuck in your job. You don’t have to continue moving forward in a job that drains your energy or places you in an unsafe environment. Schedule a time to talk with us and allow us to help you redirect your career.
Read more about Integrative Therapy for High-Achievers here.