If this is one of those moments and you want to feel even more hopeless ennui, read on!
“Boredom is something where none of the possible things a person can do realistically appeals to the person in question. This renders the person inactive, and generally unhappy. Therefore, boredom is the result of having nothing to do that one likes.”
The boring institute
Boredom is the featureless highway to despair. Its doom is diluted and measured into daily doses. Boredom has become dependent on people who have a high tolerance for dull, repetitive work and a casual acceptance of the status quo. Non-boring faculties such as imagination, courage and humour are diversions – they do nothing for efficiency. For every international diva enjoying a drug-fuelled, champagne and Jacuzzi sex marathon in their private jet, there are thousands of humble bureaucrats toiling away on the ground, keeping the endless cogs of the information society oiled and turning.
Boredom has been linked to illness and depression. Boredom is the major component in what we call world underload (vs overload), an unhealthy state characterized by low job demand. When you experience underload, the result is usually anxiety, which can eventually lead to illness.
There was once a feature in a magazine on an article on evidence for boredom in animals kept in inadequate conditions. For example, the confines of a zoo’s enclosure have virtually nothing in common with a polar bear’s natural environment. Before long, the forlorn beasts begin to exhibit repetitive behaviour. They pace up and down the concrete, tracing exactly the same steps, swooping their heads from side to side. They look very disturbed, they are portraits of frustration. Examination of captive animal brains has revealed that when certain neural pathways are damaged, stereotypical behaviour can develop. These findings have brought into question a huge body of research using live animals – it was presumed that they had no capacity for boredom and it played no part in their behaviour. Lab rats, it seems, are bored out of their tiny rodent skulls.
This hints at a deeper truth for humans – if you find yourself bored you are probably in a situation where your behaviour has been artificially restrained and your potential limited. Boredom is a biological alarm bell that you should be doing something else and if you don’t, the damage may be permanent. Resolving to quit a job on these grounds is as valid as deciding to move on because of poor pay and conditions, or stress. Flight from boredom is in fact a laudable strategy upon which to build a career.
Itching to make a move?
Moving jobs
It is accepted that most people will change jobs at least once, twice or even more during their careers. All companies are not the same, and it may take several attempts to find a good ‘fit’. However, moving from one company to another can be a daunting experience, particularly if you have never done it before, and the decision needs to be well thought out.
When to move
The decision ‘when to move’ will differ from person to person. There is not necessarily a specific right time to make a move. Sometimes you will have a choice, and sometimes events (particularly personal ones) will make moving desirable or even necessary.
When not to move
Like it or not, many companies and recruiters still attach a stigma to moving under certain circumstances. For e.g.: Moving before you have spent at least a year at a company can be a negative (unless temping or on a fixed contract). Moving several times in quick succession will always set alarm bells ringing in the mind of a future employer. Moving under some sort of cloud is always tricky. People with dozens of jobs on their CV come across as ‘unstable’.
Being informed when moving
It is very important to consult a recruiter early on. Finding a professional and experienced recruiter can save you a lot of hassle and heartache. It doesn’t cost you anything – recruiters are paid a fee by the client. The tell tale signs of a good recruiter is one that will consult properly with you about your long-term career goals, and future intentions, understand what is motivating you, and advise you accordingly. A good recruiter will also not make you empty promises, but direct and inform you as to what should be a realistic expectation for you, and also be honest with you.
Please note that until you have signed a contract with a new company – are you committed to anything. Just because you pick up the phone to a recruiter/advertise your CV, it does not automatically make you disloyal or mean that you ‘have to’ move. You do however need to fully understand yourself, and why you want to move before wasting your time and anyone else’s time when it comes to actually making the move. It is good to find appropriate professional advice before moving jobs where possible.
It is also worth noting that some recruiters are ‘tied’ to particular companies, meaning that they are on the company’s preferred supplier list (PSL)- this is especially true of search agents or head-hunters who approach you with regard to a particular positions that they are working on – whereas others agencies are more able to look at the full spectrum for you. Understanding this will help you to understand that just because someone is called a recruiter, does not mean they can necessarily help you. It is helpful to go to the recruiter’s company website to also understand what sectors they cover.
Why move?
It is only human and probably inevitable to go through some periods of dissatisfaction at work. Most of us are prepared for moments of boredom and minor disappointments. But most careers advisers say wise workers will also keep an eye out for long-term indicators that it’s time to seek out greener pastures.
You’ve reached a dead end
It’s time to move on when a job becomes pointless in terms of development and career growth. When you feel you are stagnating and have been for a while, as well as not being able to be challenged, when you feel your job has become routine and brain-dead, it is probably time to start looking. A sure sign of stagnation is when you go to work on autopilot and that is sufficient to get the job done.
AdoGreen would only advise you to look for other job possibilities after you discuss this with your employer to see if there may be alternative opportunities within the company ie: a new position or working in a different department. If you are more or less happy with the company culture but bored with your own role, it makes sense to try to move sideways rather than out.
If your company cannot do anything for you, you will have at least made an informed decision. That is only step one. Step two would be to consult with a professional recruiter who will advise you in the right direction on where to go from there.
A very smart company will more than likely try to keep you, because you’re a knowledge asset. You already know how things are done there and have proven yourself by mastering your current role
There may be a problem if no matter what you try to do, you’re just not enjoying your current job.
There are important warning signs to look out for before you encounter burnout. If you become continually stressed and work is starting to affect your personal life and you’re not sleeping well, for instance, it could be a sign that you need to review your situation. Work is an important part of most people’s lives, however is it not the main focus, and it should add value to other areas. If you are bringing home the stress and worries of your job or you’ve got nothing left to give to yourself or your relationships eventually some area in your life is going to suffer and it usually starts with relationships.
Poor job reviews:
Another sign of doom: A poor performance review, especially when you know you’ve put in the effort, can mean it is time to move on.
If your manager doesn’t want to talk about your future or developing performance indicators that are realistic and motivating, there is little that should convince you to be staying where you are.
A talented employee always will want to achieve and grow and be acknowledged and encouraged for that. Also if you don’t want to get up in the morning (not because you might not be a morning person, or just plain lazy) that’s definitely a sign to think about your future career.
Conflicting interests
To experience job satisfaction in the long run, your values have to be aligned with the role and the company in general. If you highly value health and wellness and this is something you actively live out and strongly believe, for instance, you are not likely to feel good working for a tobacco company. Sometimes you may go into a job for one reason, perhaps a high salary, but over time your needs change and the money alone no longer satisfies.
If you find yourself having a conflict of interests with your job or the company you work with, it can lead to feelings of tension, resentment, boredom or distraction. Taking unnecessary sick leave is often a sign there’s a problem.
Talking to a friend or even a counsellor can help you to get a clear idea of what your values and priorities are. There may be a way to realign those values with your current job through a little readjusting. If it is really impossible to bridge the gap, it may be necessary to move on in the interests of your own happiness.
The same job too long
Everyone knows that staying in one job too long can equal career suicide in today’s workplace but how long is too long? How do you know when it’s time to move on and what will look good on your CV?
Opinions from recruiters vary, but most agree anything less than two years is too short, as few measurable changes are made in the first year in a role. Many say when a person has changed jobs frequently, it is assumed he or she will not stay in the proposed role long enough to make a difference as that could be a behaviour pattern.
At the other end of the scale, generally six years + seems to be the maximum time a senior employee should stay in a role, before recruiters and potential employers begin to question his or her ambition.
Many say the end of the third year is an ideal time to either change to a new role within the same organisation or move to another employer.
People who have been with a company for about 15yrs + can often times be seen as quite settled and comfortable, generally part of the furniture, and may be a challenge to work with when introduced to new methodologies and vastly different working environments in the new company, as this can be stretching for the individual. Of course this is not the case with everyone, but more often than not, this is a legitimate concern.
A great offer comes along…
It is true that you do not need to be unhappy in order to leave your job. Sometimes opportunity comes knocking on your door with an offer too good to refuse. You can consider all offers and approaches from head-hunters with an open mind, but if your first instinct is ‘no’, the reasons for this should be because you are happy in your job, and your career is going somewhere. If you do not consider approaches from head-hunters when you are unhappy and unfulfilled, you have to ask yourself, is it a fear of change. It is rather better to take a really pragmatic look at all the advantages and disadvantages and weigh up the information and your options.
It will be very wise to go deeper than the superficial advantages of a fatter salary or better hours – as important as these things are to lifestyle – because they are not long-term sustainable influences on happiness.
Deciding factors:
After a successful interview, it would not be wise to accept an offer when:
- No matter how much the increase, you know that the job itself is not really of interest
- It is not aiding you in your intended career path
- You know it is not a job you could commit to on a long term basis
- You may not have realised it but it will now mean having to travel great distances and added transport costs.
- You are clearly ambitious and there are no growth possibilities or promotional possibilities
- It will drastically conflict with important personal interests and relationships.
You have got to consider poor quality of life if you are willing to ignore realistic negative factors, beyond the money. Maybe you should then realise that you are purely money driven, nothing else matters and of course, this is not a healthy position to be in.
After the honeymoon period of getting a fatter salary, you will realise that you have made a wrong decision and you will more than likely end up being more unhappy than before you moved jobs.
Making the move (Please see resignation letters, remaining motivated)
Values plays a major part in leaving. If you decide to move on, it is essential to develop a sound exit strategy. How we finish things really affects how we move on to the next stage of life.
No matter how dreadful the old job has been, exit well, hold your head up high, and do the most professional job you can to the very end, giving 100%. That way, you take your integrity with you.
Money, money, money!
It’s juicy info everyone wants to know: how much are other people being paid? The question that is particularly relevant when you have been with a company for a long time, and may have missed out on the larger increases that tend to come with moving between organisations.
How do you find out what you should be earning, being market related – or what is your earning potential?
What should I be earning?
A good starting point is the internet. For eg: http://www.mywage.co.za provides minimum, maximum and average salaries for a wide range of positions. These are salary surveys. The regularly updated figures of salary surveys are based on actual job listings and can be broken down by location and industry. You can do more salary survey searches on the Internet to get other options
Chansers vs Winners
The most accurate way to find out what you are worth is to apply for another job, however, you should only do this when you have a genuine intention of finding a new position, as those who are merely trying to ‘shop around’ are very quickly identified by experienced recruiters.
If you are not quite ready to make your next move, you can get some idea of pay rates by monitoring job advertisements, as some do include salary packages.
One candidate said that he began to realise his pay was not in line with industry standards when a few people he was interviewing for more junior positions were asking for salaries comparable with his own. In cases like this it is wise to use that information to negotiate a better package for yourself
10 Signs: Time to consider other options
Should you stay or should you go? Here are some signs to help you decide.
Sign No. 1: Your co-workers are annoying and nothing is being done about it
Office life can be full of tension. A surveys have shown that one in three workers have considered leaving their jobs due to the irritating habits of their colleagues. Colleagues who keep getting in the way not only distract but also hinder productivity. If once addressing this with someone who is able to deal with this, nothing gets done, it may be time to look around.
Sign No. 2: The environment is poisonous and that is the norm.
Do you work in a less-than-nurturing atmosphere? Is the morale constantly low? Do you get abuse and disrespect from your seniors? Whose company do you seek out? Are you continually drawn toward the constant whingers? Do you always moan about your boss? It’s time to seek a more positive environment.
Sign No. 3: You’re mentally exhausted by the end of every day.
Continual stress can cause despondency on your personal life. It is true to say the workplace is a much more stressful place for young people today than it was 20 years ago, and yes we will have to step up a gear, but if it starts to affect your health and well-being, it is time to go and find peace for your soul.
Sign No. 4: The boss from hell.
Does your boss make your life a misery through bullying, disrespect, ignoring you or even stealing your ideas? Another random survey concluded that nearly half of women had actually left a job because of the boss’s demands, which even included cancelling a honeymoon for a work event. A good boss should always be supportive, encouraging and understanding about work-life balance.
Sign No. 5: You’re watching the clock … every 10 minutes.
If you are feeling unmotivated, unchallenged and unfulfilled, you need extra responsibilities or a change in roles, where nothing you have addressed can be changed. But be warned, if you find yourself with consistently nothing to do, management might be trying to phase you out, and you might be in danger of losing your job.
Sign No. 6: Lack of respect and affirmation
Your ideas aren’t taken seriously; your employer discourages you from improving skills with a course or seminar; you’re passed over for a promotion — again; or you’re consistently excluded from key projects. Why are you still giving this organisation your time, energy and great ideas?
Sign No. 7: Too many cat-fights and emotional abuse
Research shows that every office loses an hour’s work a day through personal spats. Most of these are because of power struggles. Clash of personalities, different ways of working, distrust or jealousy can all lead to acrimony.
Sign No. 8: Often left in the dark.
Lack of communication from the top is the top factor making people unhappy at work. In a successful office environment, information needs to flow freely and openly around the workplace.
Sign No. 9: Pay rise? Can’t remember when last!
National Statistics cite unsatisfactory pay as a trigger for looking for another job for a third of men and almost a quarter of women. Demonstrate what you’ve done to earn a rise or bonus and why you’re a key player. Your boss may genuinely not be able to make any pay increases at the moment but are there other benefits? More time off, training, vouchers, healthcare and a sabbatical are ways of being rewarded without adding to the company’s salary bill.
Sign No. 10: All work and no play.
Nearly one-in two of today’s young workers receive work calls on their mobile up till 8pm while 27 per cent say they regularly stayed late, on average 45 minutes a day. There’s no reason why your company shouldn’t support you and consider this and reward you from time to time. Once this starts becoming expected when not in the contract, one should deem this unfair when not given voluntary.