Covid-19 has left the many in the workforce feeling run down and frustrated. If you’re feeling the pressure of showing up when you’re deep in a work slump, here are some suggestions to help pull yourself out.
Get to the Root
In order to get out of a slump, you have to identify the root cause. Identify where your feelings are coming from. Is it the tasks you’re expected to complete each day? Is it the heavy workload? Is it the inadequate pay? Could it be that you just aren’t cut out for a career in the field you’re currently working in? Take a deep dive into your feelings and determine the specific aspects of your job that are getting you down. When you narrow down your specific feelings, it’s much easier to fix it.
Identify your ‘Why’
What motivates you? Why are you working at the job you’re currently at? Is it because you love your career field? Is it purely for the money? Write down a list of all the reasons you need to continue working. Remind yourself of the things that motivate you to keep working hard. This will help put things in perspective.
Take a Break
When you’re in a work slump, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to take a break. However, the type of break you take matters. An article written for memory.ai/timely elaborates by saying, “By ‘take a break’, we don’t mean grab a coffee or go for a walk. We mean take a break: a vacation, a holiday, a retreat – something that removes you from your setting. Having enough time for yourself is crucial; when our lives are all about work our stress and anxiety levels soar, and insomnia and depression are far more likely. These aren’t things to take lightly (obviously), so prioritize your health, happiness and wellbeing.
If you don’t have many vacation days left, a long-weekend or even one day’s leave can help. Try to go somewhere, if possible: if you stay at home it’s easy to get distracted by chores and responsibilities, and the whole point of this break is to get away from it all – to have some breathing and thinking space, to rest and to refocus, so you have more energy and clarity to deal with the issue.” It might be helpful to make a list of activities you can do or places you can travel that will help completely take your mind off of work. Keep that list on hand for when you need it! If you’re currently in the midst of a work slump, it’s completely understandable. The amount of pressure and uncertainty that has plagued the workforce in the last couple years has been tremendous. Don’t feel bad if you’re struggling to find happiness or purpose in your job.
Go easy on yourself and use the above mentioned tips to help pull yourself out of that work slump.