INTRODUCTION.

Would you say that you are passionate about your work? Would you say that you feel satisfied after a long and difficult day at work? Answering these questions can be difficult and justifying your reasoning can be even more challenging. According to Gallup's State of the Global Workplace research, only 15% of employees are engaged at work, a big issue for companies trying to retain top talent.

It is a well-established fact that change is an integral aspect of professional advancement and personal growth. Internal factors, such as a lack of motivation or interest, or poor work practices, as well as external factors, such as limited opportunities for professional development, inadequate salary, or an unsatisfactory work environment, may necessitate a change in one's career path. Moreso, it is important to recognize the significance and potential long-term ramifications of these negative emotions that may be prevalent in our daily perspective, as they are often overlooked.

Scroll down to have a look at signs you should look out for that may indicate its time for a change.

1. FRIGHTENING MONDAY

• Dreading work: Finding yourself dreading the beginning of a work week, whether it’s facing your workload or your colleagues is certainly not a good attitude to bring into work. Liking what you do and where you work is so important to bring in job stability and satisfaction.
• Finding the right cop out: Looking for excuses to get out of work, thinking of every reason to avoid work.
• Being systematically late for work can reflect an unmotivated attitude towards work.
• Counting down the hours till work ends, counting down the days till the weekend reiterates dreading your work and coming to work.

2. SENSE OF WORTHLESSNESS

• Feeling underappreciated: Feeling like the work you do isn’t meaningful, and your presence or contribution is not beneficial to the company in any way.
• Salary: Knowing your worth is important, and considering the current economic instability we’re all experiencing it is perfectly alright to have certain salary expectations. Feeling like you’re being underpaid is demoralising and an important factor to initiate change.
• Finding your work monotonous: Feeling like your work is weighing you down and you’re subjected to a dull routine can be stagnating.
• Additional bonuses or commissions seem inconsequential: The perks and benefits fail to outweigh the mental taxation caused by your work.
• Your skills are not fully utilized: This can make one feel like their optimum potential is being limited instead of being encouraged.

3. IRRITATION AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS

• Overusing the word ‘too’ to negatively describe your work (‘too boring’, ‘too much’, ‘too hectic’) may be an indication that your sensitivity may be at its limit.
• Not finding your values and views aligned with the company any longer: It is important to be proud of the work you do and for the company you work at. However, when you find yourself not agreeing to company policies or protocols, you can be left with feelings of dissatisfaction despite putting in the necessary hard work.

4. FEELING OF ‘TOO SIMPLE’

• Not being challenged enough: Being challenged in the workplace is an important factor in ensuring employee engagement. It is important to feel stimulated at work, to not only create job satisfaction but to also maintain skill building and application. A dull environment is transferable and reflective in your attitude and actions towards your work, and can essentially demotivate you in your journey for growth.
• Feeling like you’ve outgrown your role: Finding no more room for professional growth in your work can make one complacent. An attitude where you don’t care about doing or learning anything new anymore can be dangerous because it can set you into an uninspiring work routine.

5. FEELING OF ‘TOO MUCH’

• Feeling overloaded with your workload: Feeling overworked can cause burnout symptoms that can be detrimental for your mental well-being in the long run.
• Your responsibility outweighs your salary: Feeling like you’re under-compensated for the work you do can cause an influx of negative emotions towards your superiors, your work and your company. This can lead to poor working practices due to the lack of effort and motivation you may feel.

CONCLUSION.

Of course, being mindful of the timing for a change like this is an important factor to consider. Don’t make a change when its too late, when you’re already burnt out or mentally exhausted from a bad work experience, but also be mindful of the timing when you’re at the cusp of a recession, when the competition is fierce and it may be difficult to find your right fit.

Regardless, change can be scary but sometimes necessary. Some factors are too important to ignore when it comes to work: feeling motivated, a deserving salary, a stimulating work environment, job satisfaction and opportunities for growth. These factors are important to consider when it comes to finding the right job for you.