Are you “bored” at work? Maybe it is time to look in the mirror! Susan Cramm, the founder and president of Valuedance and a former CFO and CIO, asks this question in a post I have been meaning to share. She suggests, “Maybe You’re the Reason Your Job Is Boring” for the Harvard Business Review. (Thanks to @J2BMarketing for tweeting about this post!)
Susan suggests you ask yourself these questions (points 1-3 are Susan’s, commentary is my own):
- Are you on autopilot?
- Your energy level is less than impressive.
- You’ve become a conformist.
How often are you driving somewhere new, but you accidentally turn the wrong way because you usually go the same old places? It’s tough to break out of routines that are monotonous. Think about how you can make a change. Otherwise, you are always going to wind up in the same place, and you will have no one else to blame!
This is familiar to most people. We are tired, busy, overworked, have too much on our minds. It would be surprising if our energy levels were not much lower than necessary for active, productive work. What can you do about it? Break your routine. Get more sleep, exercise. Read a good book. Make time for yourself so you have more energy to give at work.
Susan says, “It’s not unusual for leaders to start sleeping on the job once they hit year three or four. At this point, they have molded the organization in their own image. They know their people, processes, and technology aren’t perfect, but have adjusted to their imperfections and lose sight of the opportunities for improvement.”
Are you sleeping on the job? Have you given up on making changes that you might have pushed for early in your tenure? Can you take one problem and think about how you may push for a solution? Is there ONE thing that really excites and interests you at work that you can take upon yourself to champion? What issue can you try to solve? Is there a strategy you can pursue that will engage and interest you?
4. I would add – you are complacent.
I have a friend who was thinking of looking for a new job, but realized how much work she would have to do to achieve the level of trust and flexibility that she maintained at her current (boring) job. Once we start to become accustomed to the way things are, it is difficult to take action that would challenge us and keep things interesting at work.
So – the question remains: Are you fooling yourself? What actions are you willing to take to grab the wheel and drive your own career bus? Is it time for a change? Maybe the change should involve a job search, but maybe it means re-engaging and re-connecting with your current job. It’s up to you, but nothing happens until you take the wheel!
Read what my #CareerCollective colleagues have to say on the topic:
10 Ways to Tell if Your Job Search is a Joke, @careerealism
April Fool’s Day – Who’s Fooling Who?, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
If It’s Not You and It’s Not True, You’re Fooling Yourself, @GayleHoward
Don’t Kid Yourself! (The Person You See in the Mirror is a Good Hire), @chandlee
Avoiding the Most Common Blunder, @jobhuntorg
Are you fooling yourself? Bored at work? Is it your own fault?, @keppie_careers
Hey, Job Seeker — Don’t Be a Fool!, @resumeservice
Job Search Is No Joking Matter, @careersherpa
Is Your #Career in Recovery or Retreat? (All Joking Aside), @KCCareerCoach
9 Ways You Might Be Fooling Yourself About Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman
Don’t get tricked by these 3 job search blunders, @LaurieBerenson
Trying to hard to be nobody’s fool?, @WorkWithIllness
It’s not all about you, @DawnBugni
Mirror ‘their’ needs, not ‘your’ wants in #jobsearch, @ValueIntoWords
Stop Fooling Yourself about your Job Hunt: Things you may be doing to sabotage yourself – @erinkennedycprw
Same as it ever was – @walterakana
Don’t be fooled. Avoid these – @kat_hansen
Job Seekers: You Are Fooling Yourself If...@barbarasafani
photo by and_there_I_was
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Miriam:
I have seen co-workers fall asleep during meetings! I have also seen team members not speak up because they know, in their minds, they will not be heard. They are wasting their talent. It is like throwing money out the window. Don’t we owe it to ourselves to be “engaged”? Thanks for getting us on the right route to driving our own career bus!
career sherpa´s last blog ..Job Search Is No Joking Matter
Very true Miriam! I particularly love “You’ve become a conformist” It’s so easy to do when one becomes comfortable with the status quo. When personal comfort is combined with an organization with a silo mentality, innovation is stifled and can die a death before the individual ever recognizes what has happened. If this means a change of job to start building strengths and regenerating enthusiasm for learning and driving new ideas, this may be the answer. Recognizing it is the key.
Miriam, these are great. I especially like your addition–that of “avoiding complacence.”
If you let somebody else drive your bus, you can’t control the destination!
Thanks again for all you do with Career Collective.
All the Best,
Chandlee
So very easy to operate on autopilot and get complacent when you’ve been doing a job for several years! And so deadly – going from being an “A” performer in your job to a “C” or worse. Not good for salary increases, job longevity, or your long-term career.
Great post, Miriam!