As children, we all have our dreams. We are going to be doctors, lawyers, astronauts, or NBA players. Then reality sets in. The cost of college or graduate school deters you from going. And then you realize the chances of you making it to the NBA are small because you’re only 5’10”. Then you settle. You settle, you settle, and then you settle some more. Here are 17 signs that you have been staying in the same job too long, and it’s time to get a little inspiration to get your tushie in gear and make a change.
1. You learn absolutely nothing new at training sessions.
Yeah, yeah, yeah … team building. Yaddah yaddah yaddah… leadership. Blah blah blah…diversity. If you could teach the trainings yourself, maybe you should actually go do it!
2. You think the new employees are “kids.”
Aging is weird. It sneaks up on you. But when the day comes that all the new people seem like children to you, then you know that maybe you’ve been there a little too long. Well, let me clarify. If the new hires who are equals – at the same level as you – are “kids,” then that’s a problem.
3. Your sick days and vacation days may have rolled over so long that you might lose them.
Hey, it’s highly commendable that you are so healthy that you don’t need your sick days. But if your vacation days have stacked up because you can’t afford to take one, well, maybe you need to get some more ambition and move up the corporate ladder.
4. Your stack of awards for longevity on the job are piling up.
It’s great that you have commitment. Commitment is good. Well, that is if you’re talking about a 50-year marriage. But if you’ve been so committed to your company, your boss, or your job that you just get numb inside when you see all the plaques on your wall for all the years you’ve been there, well, need I say more?
5. You surf the internet way too much.
Either you get done with your work way too quickly (and have a lot of time left over), or there isn’t enough work for you. It doesn’t matter. Either way, your brain is searching for ways to overcome boredom. You can only watch so many YouTube videos a day before your mind becomes mush.
6. You constantly check your clock to see if it’s 5 PM yet.
Is there anything worse than having time drag? I think not. Have you ever heard of the saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun?” Yeah. We all have. But if that’s not what you’re living, then there’s a problem. You should be in the moment and love what you’re doing. Not be a clock-watcher.
7. You daydream about anything … and everything.
Winning the lottery. A fantasy trip to Bora Bora. Escaping your life and living on a mountain alone. It doesn’t matter. If you find yourself thinking about anything other than work, then your mind is trying to tell you that it’s bored. Prepare for the next challenge.
8. You don’t get invited out with the “in-crowd” for happy hour anymore.
Maybe you used to be the life of the party in your day. But what if you’re only in your 30s? It’s not okay if you consider yourself “over the hill” if you’re not. Heck, even if you really are over the hill, it’s better to live in denial. If you’ve lost your spark, you need to go find it again. Probably somewhere else.
9. Your resume titles sound different, but the descriptions are the same.
Let’s face it. Anyone who has written a “good” resume knows that it always sounds better “on paper.” A telemarketer can be a “marketing specialist.” Or a receptionist can be an “executive assistant.” Anyone who has written a good resume knows that you can spin any job into sounding cool. If you find yourself doing that, you need to move on.
10. You no longer care about cool business lunches.
It used to be a sign of prestige. It used to be a time to go out and show your stuff. It was glamorous. It was seductive. But if all you do is dread these business lunches, well, you guessed it. Houston, we have a problem!
11. You don’t care if you get in trouble from HR or your boss.
Maybe it’s that you know them too well because you’ve been there forever. Or maybe you just don’t even care about being fired anymore – either because you think you can’t be – or because you think it might actually be a good thing.
12. You could sleepwalk through your job because you know it so well.
While feeling confident and knowledgeable in your duties is a wonderful thing, if it becomes so routine that you could do it blindfolded and tied up, then that’s a problem. Human beings need positive challenge in life to thrive. So if you’re not getting any, it’s time to do something different.
13. You count the “ya knows” and “likes” that the newest 22-year-old is saying.
You’re so bothered by the new cool lingo of the 20-somethings that, in order to keep you from doing something unacceptable, you decide to count the number of times that they say a word. Obviously, this will just drive you crazy and it won’t help you retain what they are saying.
14. You don’t even need to look at your performance review, because it’s the same. Every. Single. Time.
If you just toss your review in the bottom drawer of your desk without looking at it, you might have a problem. Maybe you’re at the top of your game and you don’t need to improve. If so, that’s great. But you’ll never know what to change if you don’t even glance at it. But if you have enough experience with reading the same comments over and over, then it’s time to move on.
15. Your boss is 20 years younger than you.
How did that happen? When did that happen? If the “kids” are already at your level or above (like your superior), maybe you need to look for the next challenge and better yourself.
16. Your reasons for staying aren’t even believable to you anymore.
Health insurance. Vacation. Sick days. Promotion opportunities. Your commitment to the company. While these might be some good reasons to stay, remember, when you go somewhere else, you will probably have a similar situation with all of these things. So these reasons aren’t really reasons, they’re called excuses.
17. You dream of retirement.
If you start calculating how much money you’ll bring in per month between your retirement pension and social security, then you are dreaming of escape. Not many people look forward to being “old,” but if it’s your fantasy because that means freedom from the mundane doldrums of your job, then you need to start moving onward and upward.
The takeaway
Becoming stagnant in any area of our lives is not healthy. And plus, safety and security are only illusions. So be brave. Be bold. Try new things. Get a new job!
