Let’s start this with, how are you feeling right now about your career? Are you genuinely excited about your career? Or do you live for the weekend and crave something more?
If right now you’re feeling a little lost or stuck in your career and are unsure where to turn, I want you to know that you’re not alone. A lot of people have felt this way and when I say a lot, I mean almost everyone has had a “what on earth am I doing?” moment in their life. I know, I definitely have!
So, what can you do?
Before you go any further, I want you to be super kind to yourself during this time. Not loving your job can be really uncomfortable, so take the pressure off having to have everything figured out.
- Become aware of what you don’t love so you can go after what you do want
Instead of just feeling angry and frustrated by your role, decide to get curious! What exactly don’t you like? Once you become aware of what you’re not loving at work you can create a list of what it is you actually want from your job. This gives you a totally unique blueprint for what will make you happy!
- Take initiative to make a change
Sometimes the hardest thing is to speak up. Yet without us speaking up, nothing will change. If you can, why not grab some time with your manager to talk about how you’re feeling? Speak up about what you’re not enjoying, ask for help if you need more resources, etc.
- Create a gratitude list
To create a healthy mindset around work, I would also create a gratitude list. These are amazing, they truly do help you focus on things that light you up and make you feel good. When you think of all the things you are loving at work it brings a sense of peace and positivity.
- Smile more
A super-easy way to switch up your mindset is to smile. Yeah, seriously! Smiling actually releases endorphins which help us feel happier, and deal with stress. Whenever you feel the negative feelings rise up, use it as an opportunity to take a break and go do something that makes you smile or even laugh.
- Learn a new skill
Learn a new skill, something to switch work up and allow you to develop a laser focus on something you enjoy. This will help get your creativity flowing and feel passionate about something you have wanted to do that will benefit your career. Feeling a sense of passion around something you love to do seriously boosts your attitude.
- Look for new opportunities
While there are many ways you can make the best of a job you don’t absolutely love, you also need to be aware that you don’t need to settle for a career that doesn’t light you up. You are meant to feel fulfilled and excited and passionate at work! If you’ve gone through the first 7 steps and are still feeling unhappy and frustrated, then it is time to find a new role; one that loves you back!
While you may wish you could quit your job right now, implementing a couple of these mindset shifts will make work a happier environment for you. This may help you decide whether you do really want a new job, or are happy where you are – just with a few mindset tweaks. You’d be surprised how much power a positive mindset has!
Amie Duignan is the founder of A.D Connects. She is shaking up the recruitment industry by helping candidates establish what their dream role may be, and then helping them land that dream job. Her success comes from aligning a candidate’s personality to their perfect role with a business that shares their values and/ or coaching a candidate to help them realise their career goals. By recruiting people this way, she has found that is much high satisfaction for both the candidate and the company she has placed them with.
