At every stage in your career, it’s possible for you to stumble and feel lost or in limbo. Often, this probably means you’re just coasting and going through the motions. If that happens, you need to put yourself back on track.
What Causes It?
There can be several reasons why you’re off track now, you hit the ceiling in your current career track, were forced to change responsibilities from what you originally applied to do, got stuck at a dead-end job to begin with, or had some personal issues to sort out and now you’re in a rut.
A few bad days at work doesn’t mean you’re in a rut or coasting, but if you’re having more grueling days than good ones, and this has been happening consistently for several weeks, you probably need a change. Try to reflect and think about what is really making work so rough – is it something you hate doing? Is it not challenging enough? Too repetitive? Be honest and think about how you could change that.
Your weekends should not be spent dreading the workweek to come. Again, it’s okay occasionally, but if this is happening consistently you need to make a change pronto. If your work bleeds into your weekend, make sure you get at least one “off” day to recuperate as well.
If you feel out of place on your team, be sure to evaluate whether it is possible you need to transfer to a different team or leave the company entirely. Culture issues can make your progress stagnant and should be avoided so they don’t turn into bigger problems later.
The average person has a general idea about where they want to be with their personal life in 5-10 years, but make sure you take the time to think about your long-term plan for your career too. The job market is always rapidly changing, but if you have an idea of where you’re trying to go you’ll be better able to seize opportunities as they appear.
Do you want to do the same exact thing in five years? Do you want to manage the type of group you’re currently part of? If you don’t see your career progressing in 5 years, it is time to reorganize and make some goals. Start by trying to improve your current position and see how you can do that successfully.
How To Make A Change
If everything so far strikes a chord with you, changing your current role or some job responsibilities might be a must. If you have no opportunities where you currently are, try applying elsewhere.
Coasting isn’t something you should be ashamed of – most people do it at some point – but it should generally be avoided and fixed when it becomes an issue. Comfort is nice but it leads to stagnation, which can kill your drive and passion.
Coasting isn’t quite the same thing as just slacking or goofing off either. A lot of times you’ve done everything the role requires, but you still have a lot of downtime at work! This can be good if you need to prioritize something else – like a side hustle, continued education, or family. Don’t forget to focus on your needs and priorities, even if it means you aren’t quite as efficient at work as you could be.
When Is Coasting Bad?
Be wary, coasting will frequently lead to a bad reputation, and you might even be put in the same category as the slackers who don’t meet the requirements their job demands. Everything is a balance, so just be careful when finding yours.
Remember, being overworked is never a good thing. Too much work leads to burnout. While being productive is good, make sure you work in time for rest & relaxation too. Take your time and make your work the best it can be.
Some people recommend having 2 or 3 “vigorous” workdays, and then coast during the rest to help recuperate. If you haven’t before, trying that could help you find a better work-life balance without just coasting on autopilot. Needless to say, doing the bare minimum will just make bad habits and cause a lot of issues for you.
Now, What Does All Of This Mean?
Coasting at work can occasionally be good. Coasting at work can also be horrible. Be honest with yourself about which is the case for you. Don’t coast long-term though, and if you’ve been coasting for a while you need to fix whatever issue you’re having. To be clear, coasting through life is NEVER good.
When you need to take a step back from your 9-5, step back. Spend that time on your family, a passion to revitalize yourself, or start a business.
Conclusion
It’s always easy to take the path of least resistance, but putting in the effort now will only help you in the future. Enjoy your life, but working hard will be rewarding and make you appreciate what you have even more. If you have something else to add, let us know in the comments – and for more content like this, be sure to sign up for the Bitter to Richer newsletter!
