Overcoming Career Stagnation (25 Tips to Avoid Career Burnout)

If you hit a snag at work, you'll need to rely on self-evaluation, planning, and choice

For years, Kathy had been the glue at her company. Clients raved about her responsiveness and flexibility. Her superiors marveled about how she anticipated issues before they exploded. Colleagues recognized her as the one you turned to for advice, the can-do team member who got things done.

But something was wrong, and she knew it. She just didn't want to admit it. Sometimes, it was a flash of anger when a little thing went wrong. Other times, there was a restlessness, a yearning to escape. Too often, fatigue gutted her. Her feelings continued surging; the cracks started to show.

We have all experienced these same sensations at work. At some point, we'll find ourselves falling behind. We'll concede our lives haven't gone as planned. We'll realize that we should be so much more. And we'll know that something needs to change—and fast.

Early on, we probably imagined how our careers would unfold. We would exceed expectations, be recognized, and climb up the ladder. There would be no ceilings; any roadblocks would only be temporary. Of course, career trajectories rarely go from point A to point B. Like Kathy, we sometimes get stuck, and it eats us up inside. And even if you know that you are lucky to have a job when reading about massive layoffs is a daily ritual, you can still feel stuck. In fact, it could be compounded by feeling guilty, hopeless, or just plain depressed.

Overcoming career stagnation can be as dramatic as a defining moment that alters your path or a simple as a change in routine or attitude. Either way, it requires self-evaluation, planning, and choice.

Self-Evaluation: At his trial, Socrates warned his accusers, "An unexamined life is not worth living." So, go ahead—examine your life. Dissect your current situation. Do you just need a spark to get out of your slump…or is it something deeper? What makes you truly happy…and what just provides momentary respite? What attitudes and behaviors could be holding you down? The answers may be uncomfortable, but they are the first step in moving forward.

Planning: You know who you are and what you want. Now, how are you going to get there? Take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. What areas require retooling or polish? What is your strategy for getting where you need to be? What about the time involved and the trade-offs required? Track your progress by setting benchmarks, and reward yourself when you achieve them.

Choice: You can do all the requisite analysis and planning. It matters little if you lack the will to act. Too often, people are afraid to make choices. They intuitively understand the discomforts, sacrifices, and occasional failures that go along with making choices. Ask yourself: are you willing to change—and fully commit yourself to making it a success? Without such commitment, you'll quickly end up back where you started.
Want specific ways to reignite your career? Click here for 25 strategies.

Getting Back on Track
Feeling burned out? Trapped at the same place doing the same things with the same people? Use some of these strategies to get your career back on track.

Differentiate Yourself
Don't assume hard work gets recognized. Go beyond your job description. Collaborate with other departments to heighten your visibility. Broaden your industry knowledge. Conduct peer training or launch an initiative. Identify areas where your employer is lacking, and fill those gaps. Get results, and earn the respect you deserve.

Socialize
It isn't always what you know, but who you know. Play a little politics. Initiate tactical conversations at company events rather than just make an appearance. Build informal networks with company winners, and become an insider. It's schmooze or lose. Reaching out will undoubtedly broaden your world—and possibly save your job in lean times.

Emulate
It helps to have a role model, especially in the darkest of times. Identify someone who has successfully overcome the roadblocks you're facing. Model her behavior. Always ask yourself: How would this person act in this situation? Act like this person…until this person's conduct becomes second nature to you.

Become an Industry Force
As markets change, companies reevaluate and reinvent themselves. You can do the same. Raise your profile by speaking at conferences, publishing articles, and conducting Webinars. Serve as a media resource, if your company allows. Demonstrate to the industry—and your superiors—that you are an expert.

Build Relationships Outside Your Company
Face it: You may not always work for your current employer. In any career transition, you'll need alternate support networks. Are you actively involved in industry associations or local forums? Where would you go outside your company to broaden your skill set, raise your profile, and boost your connections? Look for ways to build strategic relationships to nurture your professional growth…and move up in your career.

Communicate
Work can be a lonely place. That's why a trusted confidant—spouse, friend, colleague, or family member—is so critical. Find someone who can reserve judgment and offer support and caution you when your views become distorted or unrealistic. Use this person to keep you on track and save you from poisoning office morale.

Mentor
Author Albert Pine once wrote, "What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal." Maybe it's time to leave a legacy. Give back by helping peers who are new, show potential, or need support. Share your time, expertise, and empathy. Help them navigate the unwritten rules and get the same opportunities you enjoyed.

Track Your Successes
Have you ever missed a deadline or cost your company money? You probably wanted to crawl into exile. Over your career, you've probably done far more good than bad. Keep a success list to offer perspective. When you're down, turn to it for hope. Let it remind you how setbacks are only temporary…and to cherish every small victory.

Watch Your External Voice
Evaluate your personal interactions. How are you projecting yourself through your body language and words? Are you generating smiles and laughter? Conveying hope and confidence? Calming frayed nerves? We control the atmosphere where we work. Good or bad, our work persona is infectious. Radiate a positive attitude, even if it's tough. Hold yourself accountable, and watch for complacency.

Watch Your Internal Voice
Sometimes, we are our own worst enemy. When things go wrong, what do you say to yourself? How much time and energy do you spend fueling your resentments and worst fears? If your internal voice is a negative one, it can unravel all the good you do and spark self-fulfilling prophecies. Make sure you can recognize when your thinking is sparking self-destructive

Do a Self-Evaluation
Self-knowledge is power. Do some soul searching, and pinpoint the sources of your dissatisfaction. Evaluate your career path; faith in corporate leadership and mission; personal values and motivations; and experience and skill gaps. Examine how your underlying mind-set and fears are driving your reactions. Don't make any rash decisions until you understand what truly holds you back…and your readiness for change.

Create a Personal Plan
After you've evaluated yourself, develop an action plan. Decide where you want to go and what it takes to get there. Set clear and actionable goals and identify the steps you need to take. In particular, keep your initial goals small, to build your confidence. Similarly, assess how you spend time, and use opportunities like commutes and lunch hours to grow.

Change Your Routine
Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing and expecting different results. Maybe it's time to evaluate how you spend time. Do you constantly answer e-mail? Are you a slave to your to-do list? And just how much time are you on the Internet? Identify what clutters your life, steals your time, and drains your energy. Look for ways to step out of your comfort zone and do things differently.

Take a Break
Maybe you need to escape or try something new. Money permitting, take a vacation (or a sabbatical). Put distance between yourself and whatever troubles you. Indulge in the activities that stir your imagination. Find solace in a world larger than your own. Use your time to reconnect, refresh, refocus, and reinvent yourself. If you can't afford to go away, use some vacation time and have a "stay-cation" and that includes staying away from work.

Diet and Exercise
Vince Lombardi used to say: "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." Of course, fatigue results from bad habits. Look for the right ways to build your energy. Go to bed early. Keep caffeine to a minimum. Take a walk or hit the gym to relax and fire up the mind. Breathe. Eat the right types and amounts of food, particularly for breakfast.

Laugh
Have you heard that children laugh almost 400 times a day? By adulthood, that number drops to 17 times. When we laugh, we reduce stress and enhance brain functioning. That's why we need to step back and not take ourselves (or our jobs) so seriously. Just as important, laughter (or even smiling) enables us to build rapport with our peers.

Read
You can only learn so much from observation and reflection. Step outside your world and learn from the greatest minds, past and present. Look for readings that stimulate your mind, challenge your assumptions and rejuvenate your spirit. See the world through fresh eyes and apply their wisdom to your daily life.

Take a Class
Our economy is growing increasingly complex, demanding, and combustible. Maybe it's time to go back to school. Whether you want to earn another degree or just sharpen your skills, school is a risk-free environment to test your limits. It's an even better place to meet new people and get your creativity pumping with new ideas and challenges.

Find a Passion
What do you love to do? What concerns you outside the workplace? Integrate the personal with the professional to give your life a true mission. Look for support in a community of like-minded people, such as your church or synagogue, interest groups, or volunteer organizations. Use this time to make a difference and better understand who you want to be.

Reward Yourself
Everyone needs to see the light at the end of the tunnel. To motivate yourself to step it up—or even get through the day—look for ways to reward yourself. Whether you treat yourself to a frappuccino or a Bahamas vacation, take time to celebrate your accomplishments. The euphoria only lasts so long, and the bar gets higher after each success.

Let Go
It isn't easy coming to terms with disappointments. It can be even harder to forgive. You may have squandered your youth and talent for little return. It doesn't matter; it's past. Quit blaming and nursing grudges. Find the positive. Move on.

Be a Better Person
Don't kid yourself: The personal IS the professional. There is no disconnect. Who you are in private eventually filters into your work, where every flaw is magnified. If you aspire to greater responsibility, make sure you merit it. Your peers often put their livelihoods in your hands; do right by them. Ask yourself: Am I the person I should aspire to be? Commit yourself to being that person every day.

Live Spiritually
At work, you're constantly under siege by deadlines, demands, and the unexpected. Your job can be liquidated or reengineered at any moment. The stress can easily leave you hollow. That's why you turn inward and find a larger purpose. Express yourself through prayer and meditation. Remember the blessings in your life: your spouse, children, family, and friends. Give them your time and attention. Don't take them for granted.

Look For Another Job
Is the grass greener elsewhere? It might be time to find out. Everyone reaches a career plateau. The key is knowing if it's time to get out. Look at a job change as a catalyst, a chance to be reinvigorated by new people, surroundings, and challenges. So spruce up your résumé. Take an interview. See if the money is greater, satisfaction higher, and stress lower.

Do Nothing
That might sound counterintuitive. Sometimes, though, we can exhaust ourselves trying to make things happen. Maybe you need to step back and let up a bit. Save your energy until you're truly ready to take that leap of faith, embrace your potential and work on your terms.

- January 29, 2009, BusinessWeek