According to monstor.com, 76% of people get the “Sunday night blues”. Really?? How sad. Aren’t there enough things in life to feel sad about without living out a recurring sad situation that happens every week?
Things. Must. Change.
I know, I know. You say you’re stuck in your job. But are you really? Or is doing something about it just too hard to think about?
No worries, I’m here to help.
If you’re simply bored of your routine and in need of something fresh and different, there are things you can do to spice things up.
1. Don’t put off until Monday, what you can do on Friday. For most people, Friday afternoons are highly unproductive. Instead, really dig in on Friday afternoon and work ahead. Check a couple of things off of your Monday list. Then….plan something fun for Monday that you can really look forward to. A long lunch with a friend, time reading a book, taking a walk, or getting some exercise.
2. Aesthetics are important. If you haven’t done any “redecorating” to your work space, do it now. Change out some pictures, bring in some color, add flowers or motivations quotes. Get some plants. Plants add oxygen which helps you think. Give yourself a fresh new space to look at while you’re working.
3. Are you in the habit of taking Friday off when you’re in need of a long weekend? Try taking Monday off instead. Psychologically this gives you a boost on Sunday night because you’ve still got one more day off. And, when you start work on Tuesday, you’ve got a short week in front of you.
4. Ask your leader to let you stretch your wings with a new project or assignment that is not ordinarily in your scope of work. Mental challenges go a long way to keeping things interesting and engaging.
If what you really need is a new job, pay attention. Landing a new/different/better job is NOT impossible. It may take effort and time but doing what you’re doing takes effort and time too. Might as well use that energy to move toward something you really want.
1. Carve out time once or twice a week to think. Think about what you want to do next. Think about what preferences you have for your next job. DREAM about having a new job that you love!
2. Check out the job postings. See which ones spark your interest.
3. If your next job requires skills you don’t presently have, find a way to learn them. Online courses, certifications, community ed classes, You Tube. Embrace learning something new.
4. Get yourself prepared. To be most successful, you’ll need a current and ATS friendly resume, a killer LinkedIn profile (with a personal summary that tells your story), top notch interview skills, and a great job search strategy. And most of all, a positive attitude and patience. The job search is not easy or quick. But it’s totally worth it when you no longer have those awful “Sunday night blues”.
5. Hire a career coach with expertise in the job search. Doing this takes a large portion of the work and stress off of your shoulders and sets you up for success. A career coach can also help you figure out what you want to do next making that career transition smoother and easier.
TAKE YOUR MONDAY’S BACK..
IT’S ALL UNDER YOUR CONTROL.