The reality is that many of us go through periods of feeling stagnant in our careers, whether we’ve been in a role for a long time or we’re still finding our rhythm in a company. It’s natural, but that doesn’t always make it easy to navigate.

“This feeling can come from a combination of things: unfulfilling work, monotonous daily routines, a lack of clear goals, staying firmly in your comfort zone, feeling like you’ve achieved as much as you are able to in your workplace with nowhere else to go or no available options,” explains Georgie Shears, a life design strategist and founder of the Shift life design system. “It can also occur when there is a disconnect between your actions and what you really want out of life.”

But whether you are in a work setting or a relationship rut, why does the feeling of treading water happen?

According to Shears, when you’re feeling stuck, it’s because your brain is on autopilot and following the same old ‘routes’ it’s used to. “Neurologically, our brains can – and do – get stuck in familiar patterns,” she says. “Research has shown that the brain likes to always take the easiest, most familiar path to conserve energy, and this is why sometimes, when making a change, we can feel it’s a bit daunting and as if it’s too much effort.” 

Understand why you feel this way

Some questions that Shears suggests asking yourself:

• Are you stuck in your career because it’s too cushty or you feel you’ll never make that money anywhere else?
• Are you too stuck into your daily routine?
• Do you need to mix things up a bit?
• Are you playing it safe?
• Are you scared to change?
• Do you not want to fail or look stupid or put your head above the parapet? 

Once you have some answers to the above, it should be easier to implement some strategies that shake up your routine and make you feel more positive about your current position.

Start small

Doing the exact same routine everyday can (and does) become monotonous: the alarm goes off at the same time, we eat the same thing for breakfast every day, we then pack the same things into the same bags, commute the same route to the same job with the same people…

Just doing the same routine, every single day, can make us feel stagnant and uninspired. However, you can stop that feeling just by adding something new to the mix. “This could be as simple as going somewhere new on your lunch hour, taking a different route on your way to work, changing the mode of transport, working for home one day a week or exploring a new work space/coffee shop, signing up to a workshop or class, meeting a friend for a drink or dinner at a new restaurant,” says Shears. 

Prioritise yourself

As Shears explains: “In order to shift our focus and stop feeling like we are constantly treading water, we need to take action, learn how to overcome our limiting beliefs, step out of our comfort zones and find enough courage to take the first step.” It’s only when we allow ourselves time to really stop and think about what we want from our careers and start to tune into what that might look like. Why not try waking up at a different time in the morning, setting your alarm half an hour earlier so that you have 30 mins just for you, to give you self time and mental space. “

Find things to look forward to every single day,” adds Shears. “You can just get quiet, you could do yoga (if you enjoy it), it could be taking the time to make yourself a nice breakfast, it could be taking time to read a book about something you’re passionate about. You could meditate, journal or spend some time focusing on your own personal development, in whichever way you love.”

Trying ‘dreaming with the lid off’

“Many people feel like they are stuck in a well-paid and what looks to be a successful job – but it can still feel like you’re not getting anywhere if you’re bored or unfulfilled,” says Shears. “If deep down you find yourself wanting a new challenge, it may be time to get brave. Go for that promotion or a side shift or explore a completely different avenue or industry you’re passionate about.

“Pretend that money is no object and that none of your responsibilities exist: what would life look like? What, in your dream world, would you love to be doing? Where would you like to be? What work would you like to be doing? How would you like to be feeling? This exercise isn’t to encourage you to change your entire life on a whim, but it helps to visualise other options and ways in which you could create a job or career that links more closely to that vision.”

Georgie Shears is a life design strategist and founder of the SHIFT Life Design System, a framework designed to help people create a life they love.

Images: Getty