Stuck in a career rut? You are not alone!

Why do so many of us find ourselves miserable and paralysed by our careers when we know we should be doing something to get unstuck? What can we do about it?

For some people, fear is what keeps us tied into an unhappy job. Take 'Annie' as an example. She had fallen into accountancy after university, worked hard to get qualified, earned a comfortable salary and had been bored for years in the same job at the same firm. She felt she was in a rut… a comfortable rut that paid fairly well and was secure. When she came to coaching, she felt very stuck and didn’t know what she wanted to do. The biggest fear was keeping still for long enough to explore what she wanted.

Maybe it’s a fear of emptiness - that if we look inside ourselves we won't find a life purpose, or career purpose, or whatever it is that makes getting out of bed in the morning worthwhile. So where might we draw the strength from to work through this fear of emptiness?

In this video, Career Elevation Coach Carly Ferguson explains the best things you can do for yourself when you're stuck in a career rut and the ways you can move forward.

How to break out of a career rut

1. Allow yourself time to discover what's important

Think about what you want, rather than what you should be doing. There's no pressure to act on your thoughts or to make big changes... just allow yourself to be aware of what's important to you.

2. Read biographies of people you admire

As you read, think about what resonates with you - their values, their approach to adversity, their approach to success.

• What does this mean for you?
• What values do you share with them?
• What does their journey through life tell you about what's important for you?

3. Do the wheel of life exercise

The life wheel tool can help you to consider what's important in each area of your life, what your achievements have been, and what you have appreciated the most.

4. Describe your career to date

You can use Post-it notes for this - using one Post-it note for each thing. Include achievements as well as things you enjoyed doing. When you get to 30 or more, pick out 10 Post-it notes that represent the 10 things that you would find the most difficult to give up.

• What do these 10 things say about what's important to you?
• What would you find easy to give up?
• What does this say about what’s important to you?

5. Imagine you were 16 again

With the benefit of all the experiences you've had, what might you consider doing differently? What advice might you give your 16 year old self?

6. Make time for reflection

Keep a private journal for all of these reflections, thoughts, feelings and dreams. Let it evolve over time and see what themes are coming through for you. Eventually, your career values will become clear in these themes.

7. Contact a career coach

The aim of career coaching is to help you understand what you want from your work life, the skills you need and how you can develop. A career coach can support you in making these initial steps, setting you on your way to a more fulfilling future.

Contact a career coach today and start your journey to a more fulfilling career.