Do you feel like you’re dragging yourself to work every day, only to count the minutes until it’s time to go home?
Boredom, lack of motivation or inspiration, feeling like you’re not doing your job to the best of your ability or adding value to your company … none of these are good feelings. The occasional unproductive or “down” day – or even week or two – are normal and can be expected. But if a feeling of being in a work rut is prolonged, you need to address it and take proactive steps to change it.
Conduct a self-evaluation.
Take some time to think about what got you into this rut. The more specifically you can pinpoint the root cause, the better. What triggered the change?
- Look at your lifestyle, both at and outside of work. Stresses related to personal issues can have just as much of an impact as work-related concerns – sometimes, even more so.
Regain your focus.
When you become bogged down with busywork and day-to-day demands, it’s easy to lose sight of the inspiration that truly motivates you. If this happens, consider planning a mini-retreat so you can refocus.
- You don’t necessarily have to travel anywhere, as long as you dedicate intentional time to rediscovering your purpose. Of course, a day or two away from the office doesn’t hurt. Turn off your phone and email, and unplug. Meditate, contemplate, and just “be.” Ask yourself the big questions, such as “What would I be doing if money wasn’t an issue?” and “When do I feel the most alive?” The answers will open doors, no matter how scary it may seem at first.
Take it one step at a time.
Multitasking is a great quality to have, but enough is enough. If you’re trying to juggle too many balls, most of them are going to come crashing down. This will lead to greater feelings of inadequacy, stress and productivity paralyzation.
- Focus on getting one task done, and then move on to the next one. An important prerequisite is to make sure you’ve correctly prioritized the items on your to-do list. Sometimes, you need to literally check off an item after you’ve completed it. This will nurture your feelings of control and create a positive feedback loop so you can get back on track.
Which decisions have you been avoiding?
Procrastinating or avoiding a tough project won’t make it go away. Confronting a difficult issue, as unpleasant as it may sound, will allow you to move past it and, hopefully, your rut.
- Believe in yourself. Once you’ve completed your self-evaluation and reviewed your goals, identify a decision you’ve been avoiding, so you can act on it. Like your to-do items, tackle them one step at a time. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself back at peak performance level.
A professional career coach can be your best resource to carry out all the necessary steps toward relief from a work rut – and whatever it takes to move forward. The PrideStaff Modesto team can help you get your motivation, and your long-term career plans, back in sync. Why not spend some time talking with us to explore the possibilities? Contact us today!
