How to Tackle Burnout (in 4 Hyper-Practical Steps!)

Four Signs it’s Time for a Career Change

When it comes to work, some of the symptoms of burnout could also be synonymous with clues that possibly signal that you’re at the end of your journey in your current job. 

There’s nothing wrong with that—many people will jump around jobs and careers throughout their working life. It’s all about finding the right balance of enjoying your job, your workplace, and being able to balance having a fulfilling life outside of work, too—along with any other benefits or circumstances that you may need for your personal situation. 

So, what are some of the clear signs that you’re probably ready to look for new opportunities?

Your tasks are feeling repetitive and monotonous.

If the working week feels a bit like Groundhog Day, it might be a sign that you’re extremely efficient—or that you’ve outgrown your position. Working may not always be fun, but there should be some elements of joy or pride that you can find. If you’re not finding these elements, you might be working a job that’s unfulfilling.

You’re no longer learning anything new.

When you’re at work, there’s a sense of ownership and expertise that comes with your role. Of course there is—you’re the best person for the job! However, this doesn’t mean that you’re at the end of your learning journey—in fact, there should always be room for improvement and learning. Whether that’s additional training for your specific role, or “extracurricular” learning that will benefit your working life in some way, your place of employment should, to some extent, facilitate this and encourage you to improve yourself. If they don’t, it may be time to move on. 

Your life outside of work has shifted.

You may have taken on new responsibilities in life: a new partner, a new pet, or another new addition to your family. Maybe something has happened to someone close to you, which means that you’re looking for less—or more—responsibilities at work. Maybe you’ve just moved to another part of town—or another part of the country—and it no longer serves you to continue working at your current pace or with your current company. Perhaps you need a new set of benefits or allowances that allow your life outside of work to be lived a lot easier.

You wouldn’t recommend your workplace to your friends.

Sometimes talking about work in a social setting is a sign that the conversation is going downhill. However, if you’re actively avoiding talking about what you do for a living, that may be a sign that you’re no longer interested in your job. Why should you be embarrassed by it? 

Alternatively, if your friends enquire about your company and you feel as though you couldn’t recommend it to them as an employer, why would it be acceptable for you to work there, either? You would want the best for your friends, so why not make a step towards getting the best for you, too?

What should you do next?

These signs may indicate that you’ve outgrown your current place of employment, but it may also indicate that you’ve outgrown the industry you’ve originally trained in, too. You could go freelance, retrain in a new industry, or work your way up the ladder in the industry you’re currently in. What’s important is to take some time to think about your current position, and do some research to figure out how best to transition out of it. It may be a slow, gradual process—but being patient and thorough will be worth it! 

Read more on this topic in this article: How to Overcome the Obstacles and Achieve Your Career Goals