Are you In a Job RUT?

Most of us have days when we feel that we are in a job RUT. The uneasy feeling that is difficult to describe can creep in at any time. Often when this feeling creeps in, it is short lived and we can shrug it off and go about our daily tasks.

However, sometimes the listlessness settles in and takes root in your psyche.  Day in and day out you feel emotionally drained and you no longer enjoy the things that used to energize you. There might be occasions when this feeling serves as a clear signal that it is time to move on. But, often the culprit is nothing more than good-old-fashioned boredom.

Fall in Love With Your Job Again

If you have become disenchanted with your work life, it’s time to leave the job rut behind and fall in love with your job again!  The first step is to focus on the positives of your job. Yes, there are positives. Think back to your first few days, can you conjure up the excitement that you felt? What was it about the company that first appealed to you? Who are the people that you truly enjoy?  Make a list of all the positive things about your job and put the list somewhere nearby so you can refer to it whenever necessary.

Create a New Feel

Refresh and personalize your work space. Seriously, this helps! If looking at your 0ver-crowded calendar causes instant anxiety; then looking at your favorite cat picture can make you smile.  How about a special tea that warms your soul; or, a cutting from a favorite plant that grows on your sun-porch. Anything that makes your office feel fresh and compliments you will make a huge difference.

Try re-arranging the furniture in your office. it’s amazing how much the mood changes with the view. If you are in a cubicle try new desk accessories or different photographs.  Perhaps a new bulletin board filled with  photos of your favorite sports teams or vacation spots could be enough to change your mood and perspective.  While these might seem like minor alterations, they can have a major impact on your mood. Tiny changes which can have an impact on how you embrace your job.

Change up the Routine

Still in that job rut? Find ways to amend your routine. When you do the same thing each week, it is very easy to fall into a boring, repetitive pattern. Patterns are good at times and they help with efficiency; but when you are burned out patterns can add to the problem. In fact repetitive patterns can cause boredom, dissatisfaction, or even worse poor productivity. Look over your daily planner and determine what you can do to change your routine. Sometimes it only takes a small change to have a big effect on reducing boredom.

Take a look around your company; are there projects that you could ask to work on? Could you learn a new skill in the process? Stretch your limits. Growth is a magic motivator. My guess is if you are bored enough to be in a rut, you have extra time to take on more work. So explore this possibility and maybe, a new found excitement about what you do will be the positive result.

Choose Your Mindset

Finally, remember that the way you approach your job is a choice. It is possible to choose the mood you are in when you arrive at work. Every day, every thought is a choice. It is not much different than choosing what you will watch on television in the evening. If you don’t like the programming, change the channel. The same holds true for your perspective. If you are stuck looking at the negatives each day you need to change your mental station and focus on a new perspective. Embrace the good parts of your job, re-engage, and your new year will begin on a positive note!

Cynthia Corsetti, CPCC, MS is a certified career coach, executive coach and leadership speaker whose focus is on improving employee engagement.