There is a day in our career when a fearful thought can strike us? We are sitting at our desk, doing something we have done a thousand times in the past and the thought creeps up on us. – is that all there is? Is this the sum total of our life for the foreseeable future? Are we doomed to spend the remainder of our days shuffling paper from one pile to another? Scary, isn’t it?
Let me be the first to assure you, though, that everyone, myself included has days like this. There is a certain amount of repetition in every job and there are times when it can overwhelm us. Usually this comes at the end of a long push on a particular project or cycle when our reserves, both mental and physical, are at their lowest ebb. We are already tired and this allows us to slip into deep thoughts about our future legacy and security. Instead of seeing the possibilities, though, we only see the drudgery we have been living with the last few months. Instead of seeing the future, we only see the past.
Post a Job! $20 for 7 days
Breaking out of a funk like this can be difficult, but it is critical to your own wellbeing. You can’t wallow in this world too long or you might actually start believing that this week, this day will simply repeat itself for the rest of your life – a career Groundhog Day – like the Bill Murray movie where he is forced to re-live the same day over and over until he gets it right. The fact is, there are many ways of breaking out of your rut, but you have to have the foresight to use them whenever you are feeling stalled.
The first step in escaping this trap of self-doubt is to change one small thing today. When I say small, I truly mean small. Have a different type of coffee. Pick a different place for lunch. Take different people with you – or go alone, if you usually have lunch with your co-workers. The smaller the change, the more likely you will be to actually do it, so while you might feel a little silly, do something small.
Taking a small step, making a small change provides you a number of benefits. First, you are reminded that you are still in control of your life at its most basic level. Even if you are feeling trapped in your job, you can still make decisions about how to live outside of your work. It also shows how much you can effect your overall happiness with one, seemingly tiny, action. Life and work don’t have to be drudgery if we still have the power to change them. See! Things are looking up already.
Continue these small changes day after day, altering a different action each day. Before you know it, you will start to see the possibilities that life provides again. This builds a momentum that will soon have you back on track – moving forward in your career instead of spinning your wheels. This momentum will grow and you will find that you want to make bigger and bigger changes. Instead of asking “Is that all there is?” you will being asking “Why does it have to be that way?” and develop ideas to change things.
I understand, though, that there are truly desperate situations that some of you might face You might feel trapped in your job due to lack of opportunities in your area, family and financial commitments or more. Don’t despair, though, because no matter how powerless you might feel in your career choices, you can still seek out accomplishments in your personal life. There is nothing to stop you from pursuing new and exciting activities, hobbies or even careers when you are not involved at work. In fact, I believe that this is an absolute requirement to protect your own well-being. I have talked with many people who feel trapped by circumstances, but I believe that if you can start to build some interest in your personal life, this same excitement and drive for change will eventually spill over into your work life. Suddenly, one day, you will see an opportunity for change in your career that you never saw before. The changes in your personal life can open a door in your career and give you some hope for the future.
While we can all become a bit overwhelmed with our work, the worst thing we can do is succumb to the false belief that it must remain that way. Through small changes, which anyone can do, we can slowly pull our way out of the repetition and sameness that give rise to troubling thoughts and even, in the worst moments, despair. Building a momentum of change through small actions will get our thoughts and careers rolling again, eventually creating a juggernaut that will be harder to de-rail in the future, Change begets change. Movement begets movement. Taking even the first step can start you down the road to an exciting new life and career.
***
