In a Rut or Time for a Change: Here's How to Tell

Recently I sent an email out to my tribe asking them to answer two questions:  (1) "Do you love your job?" and (2) "Are you struggling to get up and go to work?"

Initially, I received several "I love my job" responses, which is always great. But then the "I can't wait to get out of this job" responses started rolling in. 

However, the "Some days it's great, but most days it sucks" responses actually caught my attention.

I don't believe career satisfaction is always an either/or proposition. It can be a very muted shade of grey or even 50 shades of grey. *wink wink*

Most of us start a new job or career with hopeful intent. Still, over time we can become disillusioned, stressed out, burnt out, or simply become unhappy because we have a nagging feeling that we're meant to do something more or different.

Or it can be as simple as being satisfied with some aspects of your job (and that means more than just your paycheck) while being dissatisfied with other factors like your boss, company politics, or difficult co-workers.

This idea that you have to be in one of two camps (job love or job hate) can feel frustrating and often ostracizing; too many people are caught in the middle. Sure, we all have good days and bad days, but it can be confusing when the pendulum swings from one extreme to the other.

With that in mind, I wanted to share four questions that you can use as a checklist or self-assessment to determine if you're just in a periodic rut or if it's time to make a move. 

Question #1: Am I Doing Meaningful Work?

So, you want to ask yourself if you are engaged with your work and are happy doing it at least 85-90% of the job. Let's face it, no job is perfect, but there's a difference between needing a break and needing to get the hell out of there. I believe in work/life alignment and help my clients achieve this in their lives and career. So, ask yourself if what you do feels aligned with your values and purpose, and if the answer is yes, your current career may be a keeper.

Question #2: Do I Have the Sunday Night Blues or Monday Morning Flu?

While we're good at mentally rationalizing or justifying our decisions, our bodies will tell us the truth. For example, in my last role as an associate dean, I remember consistently catching colds and having a few bouts of bronchitis. I attributed my frequent illnesses to my busy and recurrent travel schedule. But as my mind tried to rationalize what was going on, my body told me the truth of the situation...I was miserable and overstressed. So as the weekend comes to a close, pay attention to whether you're feeling an impending sense of dread or nausea because it may be your body trying to give you a clue to your level of career satisfaction.

Question #3: Am I Learning and Growing?

Life is ever-evolving, and you should be evolving with it. That means your work should facilitate your personal and professional growth and development. Learning agility is a complex set of skills that allows us to learn something in one situation and apply it in a completely different case. As you become more agile in applying your gifts, knowledge, and skills, you'll have more opportunities for promotion, advancement, and even change. This should be a priority for you; the prospect of learning and growth should be readily available to you in your current career. 

Now I'll ask you: "Do you love your job?" or "Do you struggle to go to work?" If you find it challenging to answer, use these three questions to help you find the truth and insight into your next move.

Feeling like you need to probe a bit deeper? Then watch my free training 10-Minute Career Jumpstart. In these three short training videos, you'll get clear on what you want and what's holding you back and explore what was possible for you in your life and career.