What to do when stuck in a career rut
Identify the signs and take action
Have you been feeling like you're stuck in a career rut? You're not alone. Many people feel this way at some point in their careers. It's normal to feel unmotivated and bored when you feel like you are doing the same thing day in and day out. Whilst work can be challenging or even boring at times, on the whole it should be a positive experience and an opportunity to learn and develop. So, if you feel that you are lacking that passion and drive, do not worry, as there are things you can do to get out of a career rut and get your career back on track.
But first, identify the signs.
The first step to getting out of a career rut is to identify the signs that you're actually in one. Here are some common signs:
You are struggling to have the enthusiasm to start work
This could be hitting the snooze button on your alarm multiple times until the last moment, or other general procrastination tactics that are distracting and  are preventing you from facing your work issues head on. This could include housework, scrolling on your phone, rearranging cupboards, and drawers, leaving the house late (if you are going into an office), or logging on at the absolute last minute.
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You are experiencing the ‘Sunday Blues’
If you find that you are spending your precious time off thinking about work and feeling a mix of emotions such as anxiety, dread, irritation, you may be experiencing the ‘Sunday Blues’. The organisation Headspace has some great advice and guidance on mindfulness and meditation to help you manage some of these emotions https://www.headspace.com/articles/sunday-anxiety. However, if you feel these emotions are becoming overwhelming and you are struggling to switch off or function with simple tasks, please find someone who can give you professional advice or support.
You're bored and unmotivated at work.
Do you spend your time scrolling or browsing the Internet? Are you easily distracted by things to do at home, or non-work-related tasks in the office? Are you sitting in meetings and not contributing when you used to be full of ideas?
You're not learning anything new.
This could be because your company does not provide any learning and development opportunities, or you feel that you know all there is to know about your role. For the latter, there is a theory around diminishing returns. Essentially, at the start of a new role, or a new piece of learning, you develop skills quickly and take on a lot of information. As time passes and you become more familiar with your work, your capacity for learning levels off, or diminishes over time.
Image: Author’s own
You're not challenged in your role.
This often goes hand-in-hand with a lack of learning opportunities. You may feel as though you have peaked and you are at the top of the skills level or pay grade for your current role, or you are finding that you don’t have enough opportunities to be challenged. Alternatively, your role may be so busy that you are simply firefighting all the time – completing the bare minimum of tasks quickly and moving to the next task, as there is no chance to really get stuck in and work on something in a detail-oriented way.
You're not reaching your full potential.
Do you feel frustrated because you cannot apply your wide range of skills and knowledge points to your role as there is no capacity to do so? Is your current job too narrow in focus for you? Are there any restrictions with working across teams?
You're daydreaming about leaving your job.
Are you fantasising about handing in your notice and walking away? Are you thinking about what a dream role or life-work balance could look like for you, and a large part of that is no longer working where you are?
If you're experiencing any of these signs, it's time to take a step back and assess your career.
1. Reflect on your goals and values
Once you've identified the signs that you're in a career rut, it's time to reflect on your goals and values. What are you passionate about? What do you want to achieve in your career? What about what you want to achieve in your life in general? What do you want to be known for? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
You may find it easier to work on these questions if you write them down. The advantage of writing it down is that you can refer to your list and reflect on it or even amend your responses as you are working out what you would like to do with your career.
During this reflection time, be sure to take some time for yourself to relax and recharge. Maybe arrange a day out with friends or family or take yourself out on a one-person date – go for a walk, have a picnic, go to the cinema, book a spa treatment or a hair salon appointment, or even just take an hour to sit and read a book in peace and quiet. Whatever you like to do to relax or have fun, try to make some time for it during this process. Take yourself away from the day-to-day worries and stressors and you will be able to find some more clarity over what you want.
Once you have a better understanding of your goals and values, you can start to think about how to make them a reality. Review the answers to your questions regularly and follow the steps below.
2. Explore your options
After some reflection time, you can start thinking about your options. Think about your current life and work situation and what you would like to change or improve. Â One option is to look for new opportunities within your current company. You could ask for a promotion, transfer to a different department, or volunteer for new projects. This is a really good choice if, in general you like your company and what they stand for, but it is your role specifically that you feel is holding you back.
Another option is to look for a new job outside of your company. This could involve a complete career change, or simply a move to a different company in the same industry. Do you have any friends or contacts in different industries that you can reach out to for confidential advice? Speaking to people you know will help you understand if you have the right skills for a career change. Also, may companies have great HR teams who you could reach out to.
If you're not sure what you want to do next, it's okay to take some time to explore your options. Talk to people in different industries, read career advice articles, and look at job vacancies online in lots of different industries and make a note of why a particular role is appealing to you. Is it the salary, the flexibility, or certain role requirements that spark your interest? Also, make a note of what you don’t like in these vacancies. Having a list of likes and dislikes will help narrow down the options for you and stop it from feeling like an overwhelming task.
At this stage, you may also want to consider finding a career coach. Coaches can be an excellent source of support and guidance at many stages in your career and life. They will ask you open questions to challenge your current thought processes and help you work out what you want. I want to write a whole separate post on the power of coaches and mentors, so I will dive into this a little more in future.
3. Build your skills and experience
Next, you may want to look at building your skills and experience. This could involve taking classes, attending workshops, or volunteering in your field. You could also start a side hustle or freelance business to gain new skills and experience. Check for opportunities and training funding support within your current company first as there could be some amazing resources that you didn’t know were available.
Building skills don’t have to be specifically linked to career skills. For example, I take drumming and singing lessons to help me build confidence, help me focus on the specific task in hand and also push me out of my comfort zone. I am not very good at handling failure and so by taking part in classes where I will constantly fail and mess up as I am learning help me be better at handling failure in a work environment. My music teachers are wonderful supportive people and it is a safe space where mistakes can be made without consequences. You may find that you enjoy the challenge of a CrossFit class or a team-based activity where you can meet new people and learn new things.
By building any skills and experience both in and out of the office, you'll make yourself more marketable to potential employers and open up new opportunities for your career.
4. Network and build relationships
Networking is also another separate post that I want to focus on in future. For the sake of what is covered today, I will keep it brief, but don’t underestimate the power of networks and leveraging them to your advantage. To start with, talk to people in your field about your goals and what you're looking for in a job. You can also look at attending industry or cultural events and connecting with people on LinkedIn.
The more people you get to know in your field and in new areas that you are keen on working in, the more likely you are to hear about new opportunities. You may even be able to set up meetings with the recruiting manager before the job goes out publicly, if you can utilise your networks effectively.
There are a few other ways you can build relationships to help you out of your career rut:
Talk to your manager about your career goals. If you have a good relationship with a supportive manager, they may be able to help you develop a plan to achieve your goals or find new opportunities within the company.
Find and join professional organizations or online communities where you can connect with other people in your field.
Volunteer for projects or leadership roles at work. This is a great way to gain new skills and experience, and to demonstrate your commitment to your career.
5. Take action
Now it’s time to act – this is the most important part. Once you know what you want to do, and you’ve been inspired by talking to family, friends, peers, and contacts in your network, start taking steps to make it happen. Update your CV/Resume, start applying for jobs, or reach out to people in your network.
It may take some time and effort, but getting out of a career rut is possible. Take time to enjoy this five-stage process and congratulate yourself for making changes that work for you – learn as you go along, try lots of little experiments with CV style, job roles, interview preparation and so on, to find something that works for you and suits your personality and your values and goals. Just remember to be patient and persistent and you will get there.