7 Reasons You May Be Feeling Stuck in Your Job

We’ve all been there – that Sunday-night slump, feeling defeated before you even set foot in your office, counting down the hours until you can go home, wondering if there’s more to life than this…

Sure, you may like your job or company, but something just doesn’t feel right. If you’re racking your brain for an excuse not to show up, constantly daydreaming about endless vacations, or standing in your closet for what feels like an hour trying to decide what to wear, you may be feeling stuck in your job.

And even though most of us have felt this sinking feeling at one point in our careers, it’s a sign that something needs to change. Feeling stuck in your job can have devastating effects on your life, leading to low self-esteem or self-confidence, feelings of unworthiness or not feeling good enough, decreased productivity or motivation, or even depression.

Identifying the root of these feelings is the first step to getting unstuck. When you know why you’re feeling trapped, you can take action to make the most of your job or even find a new one.

Here are 7 Reasons You May Be Feeling Stuck in Your Job:

1. You’re not using your strengths

Maybe the job you’re in now isn’t living up to the expectations set when you took the offer. Maybe your company reorganized, and your job description changed. Or maybe you got a certification or degree that gave you a new set of skills. Either way, you recognize that you’re no longer using your strengths.

I found myself in a similar situation after I spent a year working for myself. I took a job in my field as an individual contributor, and I felt excited by the potential projects and impact I would have on the organization. I wanted to focus on honing my skills and getting to know the organization. After being in the role just a few months, I realized that the work didn’t seem to be reflective of what I was told in the interview. When I looked at my project load, I realized the majority of my time was spent on managing IT implementations – which was not my skillset or background, and not something I was particularly interested in. I had little time to use my strengths of strategic planning, process improvement, coaching, or team development, and I felt frustrated.

If this sounds like you, think about the strengths you want to use more of. Is there a way to take on a new project or committee at work where you’ll use these skills? How might you start a conversation with your leader to talk about your strengths and how you see yourself contributing to the team? This also might be a good time to think about asking for a promotion (and if it is, I have a great pay negotiation workbook for you in my free resources library!). Before jumping into the job search, think about how you can have a greater contribution in your current role.

2. The work is no longer challenging

In a similar vein, if you’re no longer feeling challenged by the work you’re doing, you may start feeling trapped in your current role. This can be one of the most frustrating things for high-achieving women. You know you could do so much more for your team, department, or organization, but where can you start?

In the role I mentioned above, I also felt like I wasn’t being challenged. Before I took a year to work in my coaching business full-time, I was working alongside the senior leadership team, setting the strategy for our organizational transformation. I also managed a team of kick-ass women who challenged me to be a better leader every day. When I came back to the workforce, I realized I didn’t have the same level of confidence in myself anymore. I settled for the job I thought I could get instead of pushing myself to apply for jobs that were challenging, fulfilling, and in leadership.

Think about why you’re not feeling challenged. Are you settling for a position because it’s in your comfort zone? Are you ready for a promotional opportunity? Are you doing the same tasks day after day and feeling the drain of monotony? Whatever the reason, think about one step you can take to move forward. Many organizations have “extra-curricular” committees where you can build new skills and take on more responsibility. My organization has “core teams” like Diversity & Inclusion, Wellness, and Corporate Social Responsibility where anyone can join and participate. If something like this doesn’t exist in your organization, can you create it? Or, can you join something like this in your community? Find a way to bring more challenge to your current role before you start looking for a new role.

3. You don’t feel supported or valued

As someone who was often the youngest leader and one of the only women leaders in my organizations, I get it. Feeling like you don’t have the support of your leadership or peers can make you feel frustrated and stuck in your job. If your ideas are constantly challenged (or worse – claimed by your male counterparts), you don’t see leaders who look like you, or you don’t have a peer group to ask for help or advice, you can start to feel lonely even in a large organization.

Even worse is the feeling that your contributions and strengths are not being noticed at work. When your leader asks you for a report you sent two weeks earlier, or when a colleague asks what exactly you do, self-doubt can start to creep in. We all have a basic human need to feel appreciated for our efforts, so when our leaders or peers don’t notice our contributions, we can start to feel like we aren’t good enough, or like we don’t belong.

You might think this is a clear sign that you should start looking for a new job, and that may be the case, but there are also a few steps you can take in your current role to get the appreciation you deserve, like publicly recognizing other leaders or teams, politely reminding your leader of your team’s accomplishments (most leaders don’t know all the details of your work!), or ask a trusted colleague for feedback. If you tried those things and are still not recognized for your contributions, then you can consider moving on from that job.

4. You took the job for the money

Have you said to yourself or a friend, “the salary was just too good to pass up!”? I’ve been there, too, and sometimes taking a job for the money puts undue pressure on ourselves. When I took a lucrative job leading the strategy for organizational transformation, I later found myself with little work-life balance because the work was stressful and I had a terrible commute. But because I was making good money, I felt like I couldn’t leave. I didn’t want to put my family in a precarious situation (I did anyway, but that’s another story!).

Be honest with yourself: did you take this job because it will help you grow and develop your skillset? Because it’s with an organization or industry you’re passionate about? Because it will open countless doors for the rest of your career? Or because the money was “too good to pass up”? Think about what you really want from your job. Chances are, a good salary may not be enough to keep you motivated. Is there another role in your organization for which you’d be a better fit? Or is it time to create an exit strategy and start looking for something new? Be honest and realistic about what you want from your career and how you will get it. (If you don’t know what you want, start here!)

5. You don’t feel aligned to the company’s mission

Sometimes we lose sight of our own personal values and beliefs because we’re so caught up in the day-to-day fires we’re putting out. Maybe you love the type of job you’re in, but you’re working in a corporate setting, and you’ve always aspired to work with non-profits. Or, maybe you didn’t realize your values didn’t align until you were asked to do something that just didn’t feel right. Although values help guide our decision-making, they can be subtle and go unnoticed until they are threatened or questioned. Or maybe you work for an organization that’s in business for the wrong reasons (there are bad companies are out there, too!).

What can you do when you realize you no longer align with your company’s mission? The first step is to get very clear on what you want. What are your core values and beliefs? What type of organization or industry do you want to work for? What are your deal-breakers? Once you have clarity around these ideas, you can start to create your exit strategy. Think about what type of job will fulfill your needs, one where you can easily align to the company’s mission, vision, and values. Ask around your friends circle to see if anyone knows someone working in an organization that might be a good fit. Apply to jobs in organizations and industries you feel passionate about. Finding alignment will give you an enormous sense of career satisfaction.

6. You’ve been in the same role for too long

This is where the majority of my coaching clients are – they’ve been in their same role (or same company), for 5, 7, 10, 15 years and suddenly they realized they’re stuck. In some cases, these women have stayed in their company because they were promoted quickly and often. In other cases, women stayed in their roles out of fear of leaving their comfort zones. If you’re in the latter group, it’s time to take a hard look at where you might make a change.

If you truly love your company, align with its mission, and can see yourself rising through the ranks to senior leadership, by all means, don’t leave! Think about how you can get more involved in your organization, take on new projects, or learn new skills that will allow you to pivot to a different role. However, if you feel indifferent about your company and know you don’t want to be in the same job for another 5 years, think about what you want from your career. If you’re not sure, read on to #7.

7. You don’t know what you really want

If none of the above reasons fit why you’re feeling stuck in your job, maybe you don’t know what you really want from a job or from your career. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed with too many options, losing confidence in your ability to be successful, frustrated with where you’re at in your career, or having a quarter- or mid-life crisis (I’ve been there, too!). Either way, you know you don’t want to be where you currently are, but you have no idea what that next step, job, or career is. If that’s you, check out this post where I share a simple, 6-step process to help you figure out what you really want.

The Takeaway

Feeling stuck in your job can have detrimental effects on your career and life. Figuring out what’s causing those feelings will help you take action in a specific area, so you can find more joy in your current job or start looking for one that’s more aligned to your strengths and experience. Remember, what you’re not changing, you’re choosing.

What one action will you take to get unstuck in your current job? Leave me a comment and let me know!

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If you’ve determined that your current role isn’t the right fit for you and you’re ready to look for something new, take the first step now:

Sign up for the free masterclass, Thrive Beyond the 9-5, where you’ll learn how to turn your strengths and passions into a thriving business. You’ll learn how to leverage your strengths, skills, and career experience to start a business that aligns with who you are, so you can get paid for what you already know – at double (or triple!) your current rates. Click here to sign up for instant access to the free training!