Feeling frustrated, unenthusiastic and bored with what you do for large parts of the day, can seriously impact your happiness, health and quality of life. This can leave you vulnerable to stress and career burnout.
“I remember the time an older man asked me when I was young, "Do you know what you are doing now?" I thought it was some kind of trick question.
Tell me," I said.
You are building your memories," he replied, "so make them good ones.” - Ravi Zacharias
Career change is not always an option, but you can find happiness and purpose in your present situation by considering the following:
- Taking on new challenges. Talk to your boss and discuss building your career and taking on new challenges. Examine the aspects that truly excite you in your current role. Think about where you started, experiences gained and how you can still develop and contribute as part of the existing team. The purpose of the discussion is to suggest new ideas and solutions that will benefit you and the company. New responsibilities should enhance your in-demand skills and contribute to your value as respected industry player.
- Sharing the burden. Feeling overwhelmed and worn-out can seriously impact your motivation to perform at your best. You are constantly racing against time and drowning in responsibilities. Research new avenues to share the workload, ask for help, learn to delegate and say “No”.
- Move to a different team or division. Consider the option of moving to a different team or business unit in the ogranisation. Be clever, research different options and get informed. The purpose of the transfer should not only be to join a nice team, but well thought-through and planned, focused on learning new skills and achieving long-term career goals.
- Be the guy with the excellent attitude. It is a well-known fact that workplace attitudes have an important influence on the morale and productivity of the environment. Choose to be positive and make the journey a pleasant one. You will also naturally attract confident, intelligent and focused colleagues, willing to collaborate.
- Mentor a junior. Nothing is more satisfying than developing and supporting a junior colleague. You will contribute towards the development of a career and ultimately the success of the organisation. Your efforts will be rewarded by respect from your peers and even a promotion.