Mid-career blues
SO, YOU are bored with what you are doing and curse the day you chose the career. Frustration builds easily, and at the end of the day you are satisfied neither with your work nor with the way you are leading your life. You are in a dilemma for this was the job you thought you had chosen with much deliberation and thought. So, what has gone wrong?
Well, you are not the only person going through such a phase. Remember that everyone at one time or the other in their career experience this. And, take heart; there is help on hand to take care of the predicament. The following solutions should help you overcome the monotony you face in your job and let you rediscover the passion you once had for your work.
Be realistic
Sometimes, we wait for aeons before realising that the situation is not going to change. So, if you are sticking to a job in the hope that working conditions may improve one day, ask yourself this question, "Do I really think anything is going to change in here?" "Am I happy with this job?" If you are not happy with your work and if there is no positive change taking place in your workplace then it is time to decide whether continuing there is a wise option.
We spend most of our adult life working, so it is better to find something we like doing in a conducive atmosphere rather than subjecting ourselves to torture everyday. Decide what you want to do and then do it - life is short, make the most of it.
Know and accept your priorities
Be sure of what is important to you. Know your goals and priorities. Then, make sure you are walking the path leading to them. Monotony often results when we are working without any goals and without being sure of the future.
If your priority is spending time with your family, then you might resent a job that keeps you away from them. Before you take up any work, ask yourself, "What is this bringing to my life?" "What am I giving up for this and how much is what I'm giving up worth to me?" So, consider your options and then decide if your work fits in with your goals.
Get motivated
Ask yourself why you have lost the motivation to do a particular job. Is it because you have outgrown it? Or, what was once exciting now become a routine?
Talk to your team and to your team leader. Try to look at the job from a new perspective or take on a new role in the team. Taking on a new role works for many of us because a new situation challenges us. You might have to learn a few skills to do your new job and that itself is a change from the routine.
Look at your original goals. Sometimes, when we are busy working, we forget what our goals were originally. So, revisit them and you might find the motivation you were groping for.
Learn to make decisions
We have a tendency to pile up work, even the one we are not interested in, just because we can't say no. So, know that you cannot be all things to all people. "No" is a simple word. We often don't use it because we are afraid we might hurt people or even worse make them think we are incompetent. Well, be bold. There are some things you don't like to do. It is after all your time and you have every right to spend it as you wish.
Be bold
Change is scary, especially late in life. But, it can do wonders for you. Be bold and you can have the life you always dreamed of.
Yes, it means moving out of your comfort zone.
So, if you get it right, then you would have changed your life. Even otherwise, you'll have the satisfaction that you were bold enough to take the plunge.
Handle your personal problems
It is not easy to leave personal problems behind when you enter your work life. We carry these emotional burdens along wherever we go and this often impacts our work.
So, first realise that such problems can be sorted out. Ask for help from friends and family, there is no use putting on a mask of happiness and crying behind it.
Re-prioritise your work at lest for a short period till you overcome your problems.
Stay out of politics
Remember that you are a professional; behave like one. Don't gossip about other people and don't get sucked into other people's games. Stay focused on the goals of your job and your projects.
Reward yourself
Socialise, do something that you consider fun, take a short vacation or just go out on a dinner with your loved ones. Take up some hobby to be pursued in your spare time. Life is not all about work; remember that.
SRUTI SAGARAM
faqs@cnkonline.com
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