Whether it’s the undeniable feeling of apprehension on a Sunday evening, that deep pit in your stomach when you’re getting ready to head to work at the start of the week or a total loss of motivation at your desk, there are certainly very real red flags that your present job might not be floating your proverbial boat any longer.
According to
The Australia Pay Experience Report, released by Ceridian and conducted by Hanover Research,
almost 40% of Australian workers are unsatisfied with their current job.
However, as with many things in life, there are phases that pass as the expected ebbs and flows of professional fulfillment and certainty. So, what are the more concrete indicators that this shall not pass and that it’s perhaps a good idea to start considering your next career move?
The environment is toxic and draining
I once worked in an agency where over a dozen employees left within a three-month period.
The office was fraught with tension and furtive glances and behind the back whispers were exchanged daily, communicating how uncomfortable we were all feeling.
Suffice to say it wasn’t long until I left as well; it was impossible to breathe easy or feel productive bathing in that
toxicity Monday to Friday.
Working in an unhealthy environment can make a job unbearable – whether it’s a toxic manager or boss or the overall team culture is radiating negative vibes.
However,
Ariel Schur, founder and CEO of ABS Staffing Solutions, believes there is a difference between a one-off remark and the toxic nature of the workplace trickling down from the top.
“Assess whether there is potential for the situation to change by talking to your hiring manager or your boss’ boss, and if you have fully explored all avenues, it might be best to move on.”
If you’ve tried everything and nothing is improving, there is no point subjecting yourself to emotional arsenic cocktails everyday for the sake of toughing it out and seeing if it gets better.
Because - spoiler alert - it usually doesn’t.
You’re unhappy most of every day at work
![man feeling frustrated at work]()
This reason is a no brainer; why stay in a job that makes you
miserable, especially when you spend so many hours a week doing it?
And if you’re feeling down and low every day at your desk,
it’s also very likely you’re not producing your best work which means it won’t be long until your boss figures out you’re unhappy and that you’d prefer to be anywhere else but there.
Also, it’s quite possible you’ll start transferring your work woe into other facets of your life.
Displacing negative feelings can be considered a natural reaction as well as a coping mechanism of sorts but the last thing you want to do is start seeing adverse impacts on your personal relationships outside of the office.
You have absolutely no interest in the work you're doing
Staring blankly at your screen? Procrastinating? Finding various tasks that you can “reasonably” delegate to other team members? Mentally planning the next holiday that you never want to come back from?
If you find yourself watching the tick tock of the clock and
counting down the minutes until you can go home, it might be time to find a new job that reignites your focus and determination to achieve meaningful goals.
Forcing yourself to try and enjoy what you’re doing will likely be a pursuit of failure.
In addition, wallowing in apathy and boredom is seldom fun for anyone.
It’s affecting your health
![woman's silhouette looking stressed out]()
Stress and anxiety can impact multiple systems of the body – mentally, emotionally and physically.
If you start suffering from afflictions* like insomnia, panic attacks, heart palpitations, headaches or nausea at the mere thought of going to work or while you are toiling away at your job, it definitely might be time to reevaluate if it’s the best place for you to be.
Listen to your gut (literally – a troubled intestine can send signals to the brain, just as a troubled brain can send signals to the gut) and make a decision that is the best one for you.
From my personal experience, enduring months of these
burnout symptoms from being in a job I desperately needed to quit took almost as long to recover from.
It's not worth the tears or turmoil.
You no longer aspire to grow in your role
Feeling stagnant or trapped in a role is usually a one-way ticket to Get Me Out Of Here town.
If moving up rungs on the career ladder in your current job isn’t on your vision board, or if you’re not even all that keen on being challenged or pushed professionally -
chances are you’ve hit the use by date of your current position.
Basically, if
you’re not aspiring towards your manager’s job - or their manager’s job – your current role may end up becoming nothing but restrictive and just a dead-end to no satisfaction.
May as well jump ship as soon as possible and find something else that rekindles your professional spark.
Thinking about quitting your job?
Upskilled offers a range of
flexible online courses that can help expand your career options. Chat to one of our education consultants today to find out how upskilling can help you find your dream job.
*If you are experiencing any worrying symptoms, please go and see your GP for advice
Katie Quirk
Katie Quirk is a PR and communications professional who has almost a decade of experience working with clients across a myriad of industries under her belt, including several in the education, government, not-for-profit and business sectors. In October 2019, Katie launched her own consultancy Katie Quirk Communications and is passionate about continuing to use her professional skill set to help inspire, encourage and ignite positive change within the community.