Why losing interest in your job can be a fabulous opportunity?

Often, we start a career full of stamina, excited about the new realities opening in front of us. And then 5, 10, 15 years into it, we can lose interest… Is this your case?

Do you find you are not motivated anymore at the end of holidays to go back to work? Do you find the hurdles, that come up in any job, now weigh more than the satisfaction of your work? Does it all feel heavy and draining?

If this is your case, you will know that it is quite an unpleasant feeling. It makes you feel tired, lacking energy and even sometimes losing your usual efficiency and creativity.

I can understand you because I went through it too. And because of that, I can tell you that despite all you think, this is actually some good news!

Why is that so? Well, because it is an opportunity for you to get to know yourself more and what you really need. Then, you can start searching for the next role, the one that will fulfil your needs. This is an opportunity to stand up for yourself and gain self-confidence and self-esteem in the process!

Let’s consider the following quick steps:

1. Take a moment to list what is not working for you anymore in your job.

2. Looking at your list, write the things and values that are important for you in a job.

Example: if you write “I am sick of internal politics” in your first list, it will become in list 2 “It is important for me that we are all valued fairly for what we do” or “It is important for me that processes are in place to prevent “friendships” decisions” etc.

3. Close your eyes and take a minute to feel these values in you; feel how important they are for you.

4. From this positive place in you, ask yourself: “Is there a way I could try to have this value met in my current work? What could I do to work towards it?”

It may be that you find you could try during a relaxed lunch with your boss to share how important this value is for you. You might think it is a lost cause, but you can’t really know until you have tried…

Or it may be that nothing can be done, and in this case, you now know this is something you will pay attention to next time you apply for a job and maybe even ask about. We often think that having some expectations on our side, as a candidate for a job, is not going to give us the job, but actually as long as they are reasonable, they only show you are professional and know how to take care of yourself so as to be a happy and resilient employee. Seen from the company perspective, this is good for productivity and retention.

Either way, being able to know what is important for you in your work will help you make the right decisions when it comes to accepting a project, negotiating with your management or choosing a job. It will also be helpful if you can’t change anything at work but can compensate by outside activities, which will fulfil what is missing at work.

Standing up for our values is an essential step for happiness. It allows us to recognise, value and honour who we are. This can only make us happy!

Does this article resonate with you but leave you wondering about your own situation? Feel free to book a free 20 minutes chat with me on https://www.maudbr.com/free-consult I’ll be delighted to assist with you!

Photo credit: caio_triana