Shake Up Your Career With These 4 Actions

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A recent Gallup poll found that only 30 percent of people felt “engaged” by the work that they did, indicating that there is an epidemic of apathy at work. In other words, 70 percent of people believed that work wasn’t allowing them to reach their full potential – a sober number indeed. If you are in the majority, it may be time to shake up your career.

Many women have good reasons for not changing jobs at this time, including the fact that the economy is still bad for workers. I do believe there are some things you can do to shake things up without jumping ship.

End Procrastination

For highly creative people, procrastination can be a powerful and terrible enemy. Usually, chronically putting off things is not a sign of laziness, as some may believe. Instead, it can be the opposite high standards that keep you from following through. Perfectionism is a powerful chain that can hinder completion of any project. If this type of anxiety is causing the procrastination it can be tough to overcome. However, awareness is the first step.

According to Money Crashers, creating a list of all the tasks you need to do every day will help to beat procrastination. Being more on top of things and showing initiative could help you get noticed at work.

Make A Five Year Plan

Creating a five-year plan helps you get where want to be by pre-selecting goals and action steps to get there. Leaders and businesses have used this technique for a long time to reach optimal outcomes. Here is an interesting article on how Five-year plans are used in communist China in 1949. I find history so helpful when I’m looking for tips to overcome my own challenges.

Start off by brainstorming your career goals. Next, look at the steps you need to take to you get there, whether it’s taking a part time course on weekends, speaking to your boss about promotion, or starting your own business.

After that, set a timetable to accomplish your ambitions. What can you do in the next year? How much closer will that bring you to your stated goals? Set regular milestones and reward yourself when you reach them.

Finally, have someone to be accountable to. Meet or speak with him or her regularly. This will help keep you on track and also give you support.

Take A Course

Taking courses and learning about your industry is a powerful way to increase your value. Some training is even free or very low cost. If, however, you want to get specific training for a position that requires a certification, you’ll need to attend an accredited institution. For example, if you want to become a real estate agent, schools like Allied Real Estate School can provide the appropriate education. Taking additional courses shows your employer that you have the motivation and the skills to advance in your company.

Take On Challenges

Finally, if you want to shake up your career, take on some challenges above your usual responsibilities. Again, your willingness to do more will send a positive message to your employer. I believe that pushing yourself will also create a more positive attitude about your present job and career. Taking pride in your abilities and quality results might be just the thing to give you a new perspective.