Dealing with a mid-career slump.

Dealing with a mid-career slump.

Are you feeling unmotivated? Dragging yourself out of bed every day? Feeling unfulfilled in your working life? Are you scraping by doing the bare minimum? Do you keep your head down when new projects are on offer? Has your enthusiasm disappeared? You may be in the midst of a mid-career slump.

Taking accountability for your own performance is professional and mature. Being self-aware about your performance ensures you can take steps to resolve it.

So what causes a mid-career slump? Take some time to consider the following.

Is it burnout?

Have you been dealing with high stress levels? Are your own expectations sabotaging your success? Perhaps it is time for a holiday or to look at your work-life balance. Sometimes dealing with family and home life can be challenging. Are there items on your home to-do list that you can outsource?

Is it Boredom?

It might be time for a change in role. You may have outgrown your current position. Whether a change means a promotion or a sideways move, it is true that a change is sometimes as good as a holiday. It might be time to invest in some training and development. By learning something new you can give yourself an energy boost. Learn something challenging or specialise in a newly growing area. Be on the lookout for a project that interests you.

Is it lack of Motivation? Have a good think about what motivates you, has something changed? Were you previously motivated by money and now you are motivated by flexibility? You may need to make your people leader aware of your changed circumstances. Perhaps your current role can be renegotiated to suit.

Solutions to a mid-career slump.

Set New Career Goals.

This is a good time to set new career goals and to decide what is next for you. Spend some time thinking about your own values. Decide whether they are in line with the organisation who currently employs you. Make your goals challenging and write them down. Is there an employer who represents these values that you want to work for?

Update your CV.

Revisit your career highlights and achievements. Dust off your CV and ensure it is up to date. This way you can take advantage of any opportunities that come your way. Ensure that your LinkedIn profile presents the best version of yourself.

Get a Mentor.

A mentor can give you an objective perspective on your mid-career slump. They can also give you advice and keep you accountable for dragging yourself out of it. This can be a formal or informal arrangement.

Network Offline.

Catch up for coffee with colleagues past and present. Ensure they are aware of your new career goals. This way they can keep their ear to the ground for opportunities and you are front of mind for them.

If you catch yourself in a mid-career slump it is time to start doing something differently. After all, if you do the same thing day in, day out, you will just get the same result!

We challenge you to be self-aware and drag yourself out of it today!