Are you in Cruise Mode!? It's time to Act!
At some point in your career, its highly likely you will be just cruising in your job. You feel a lack of purpose and unproductive. Each working day passes at a snail’s pace and each evening flashes by presenting the dreaded morning. If you feel this way, coasting is upon you and it’s time to shake it off!
Signs of Coasting at Work
Your job and its responsibilities don’t offer you any challenge or excitement. This is not to be misinterpreted as boring or tedious days. There will be times when every now and then days can drag on. It is when you feel your career is at a standstill with no change or progression in sight.
You dread going to work and you ponder on how to avoid work as much as possible. This is a definite sign that something isn’t working out for you!
You find yourself doing the same tasks everyday with no variation. Career is about developing yourself and building up for the next step. If the job does not offer that, you are very likely to be operating in your comfort zone and without knowing it, in cruise mode.
There is always an aspect of your performance that needs improving. If you can’t pinpoint any, your career has most likely stagnated. Getting too comfortable will not produce any new opportunities.
Has someone ever asked you how your job is going and you shy away from giving a confident answer? It means you understand your job isn’t progressing the way it should but you are not doing anything about it!
Ways to overcome Coasting
Coasting is a combination of both the role and yourself. Majority of the time the problem lies within you. Face the issue head on and think…how can you change it to not feel “bored” or “unproductive”.
Set aside some time to evaluate on what you have done and how you have performed at work. Identify which projects you found most challenging and work on how to improve for the next time it comes around. Don’t be afraid to identify your flaws…leaving them unattended shows weakness.
Organize fortnightly or monthly check-ins with your manager. Discuss what has been accomplished and what could be improved. That way your role continues to change and progress. Bringing to light certain aspects of your responsibilities can also assist the manager in better understanding how to enhance your role.
You are responsible for your own professional growth. Slipping into cruise mode is dangerous. Before you know it, performance slides and you get passed over for a promotion. It just reinforces the same cycle. Further developing new skills will increase your personal value and in turn you become a greater asset to the organization. Or perhaps it’s simply time to move on.
Take Home Message
Slipping into cruise mode is dangerous. Before you know it, performance slides and you get passed over for promotion. It just reinforces the same cycle. Further developing new skills will increase your personal value and in turn you become a greater asset to the organization. Or perhaps it’s simply time to move on and you are holding back from taking the plunge.
Your career should be a continuous uphill journey, with occasional pauses for when you need time to shape the future. Keep finding challenges and look to improve yourself. If you identify with any aspect as described above, it is not too late to act. Take the wheel and take control of your career and ultimately your direction in life. “Your only limit is you”
