Joe Calloway, author of Work Like You're Showing Off: The Joy, Jazz, and Kick of Being Better Tomorrow Than You Were Today gives advice about the rut; how you got in, and how to get out.
But before he does, I realised I'd been stuck in a rut before. Mostly when I've been unhappy in my workplace environment where I've had to work long hours for no reward or recognition, the boss is screaming, no one feels like they can talk out loud or be caught chatting so a 'whispering' culture' has developed for colleagues to let off steam before we all get to boiling point. This is definitely an unhealthy work culture. My way out was to decide to quit and find a new job. I figured the work culture wasn't going to change any time soon, my esteem became low, I felt demotivated and stressed as a result. I didn't recognise myself...
We don't realise how much of an effect work can have on us until we step out of a negative environment, but it takes guts and willpower to get out. There's also the feeling that you've somehow failed or what if the next job is just as bad, or even worse... gasp, shock, horror.
On the flipside, I flourish in environments where there's great leadership, fantastic team spirit and where everyone supports one another - where there's a distinct lack of office politics.
However, Joe Calloway explores how we can all fall into the trap and what we can do to get ourselves out.
Joe Calloway says:
"The most common of all workplace mishaps is falling into a rut. A rut is most commonly experienced as a feeling of boredom, dissatisfaction, and the frustration that comes with feeling stuck.
Ruts are sneaky. One day you look at your job and that groove you were in has become a rut that feels like a grave with the ends knocked out. How did you end here? Most ruts are caused through complacency. If we’re not paying attention, we get lulled into a false sense of well-being simply through becoming proficient at our jobs. As we get better at what we do, the work gets easier and becomes less challenging. We may be getting a bit bored, but it’s comfortable. The trap of complacency grabs hold and we’re trapped.
If you’ve dug yourself into a rut then rest assured it’s your job to dig yourself out. That may not be fair, but it's how it is. Waiting for someone else to do it won't work, because they've got their own ruts to worry about. The first essential step is recognising that your rut is your responsibility. Once you accept that, you've just given yourself power over the situation.
So how do you climb out of a rut at work? Here are six ideas that just might help give you a boost"
1. Quit. This is obviously the most drastic solution to being in a rut at work, but you may need a complete change to get you recharged. It’s scary to quit your job and face the unknown, but for many people, being scared is preferable to being bored.
2. Shift gears. Your job may not be all that bad. It’s just that you are living the same day over and over. Shake things up. Volunteer for the kind of project or assignment that you’ve never taken on before. Stretch yourself a little bit. Your rut may disappear if you just start to use some neglected muscles.
3. Spill the beans. Tell your boss you’re in a rut. Who knows? She may be the very person to help you out. Most bosses don’t want unhappy employees. Invite your boss to give you a boost out of the rut. You may be pleasantly surprised at her response.
4. Learn you way out. Sign up for continuing education, training, or any course that will add to your skill set and make you a more valuable employee. Then act on your newfound abilities and let them take you to a more interesting and rewarding position. Get smart. Then use it.
5. Ask for a promotion. A raise in pay alone probably won’t get you out of the rut. You need new scenery and what better way to find it than with a promotion? Build your case. Document the results you’ve created for the company. 100% of the shots you don’t take won’t go in. Take the shot.
6. Change your mind. You can change your reality by changing your perception. Your view from the rut may be keeping you from seeing the truly positive things about your job. We don't see things as they are. We see things as we are. Change your perception and you change your world.
Comments (1)
Posted by Timothy Johnson | August 9, 2007 2:06 AM
Great post and all wonderful suggestions from Joe. I like the way he makes each a personal ownership issue rather than letting the "rut monger" dwell in victim status.
On #1, I've quasi-quit clients before... just told them I wasn't adding value and that maybe we should terminate this specific contract. They've always appreciated the honesty and candor and I'm usually invited back because of it.
For #2, shifting gears may be something as simple as just ANY change. Get up from your gray/tan cubicle walls and walk around outside the building in the middle of the day. Watch other people, their conversations, their interactions, and their body language. You'd be surprised how your own perspective can change.
Absolutely love #6. As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "We see the world, not as it is, but as we are."
Awesome post!!
Posted on August 9, 2007 02:06