Prior to making a decision to change many people experience the uncomfortable sense of feeling stuck. Being stuck can paralyse action. It can be hard to envisage a pathway to progress or find the confidence to make change when you feel powerless and you can't imagine other choices. Here are 5 strategies to help tackle a stuck mindset.
Create structure for focused reflection
The problem about being stuck is that you can be in such a reactive focusing purely on the negative feelings of stagnation. Creating a structure to reflect involves taking time out to reflect on all possibilities beyond the current situation. This could be taking time out to journal, seeing a mentor or coach, or joining a peer support group.
Focus on balance
The problem with feeling stuck is that it is all encompassing. This can lead to overcompensation whereby you either throw yourself into work to avoid difficult decisions or you find you spend a disproportionate amount of time on escapism rather than solutions. Balance is key.
Recognise and reset your skillset
If you’re in a situation when you have little opportunity to use your skills. It’s easy to forget what you have. Deskilling environments tend to create a diminished sense of self-worth and a lack of appreciation. The best way to remind yourself of your skills if to look at your experience and expertise that you have acquired in different situations. If you can do this regularly and check which skills, you need to improve or acquire you are well prepared for the next step.
Plan an exit strategy
An environment that makes you feel stuck is ultimately toxic. It is damaging on a number of levels and may contribute to work, personal and mental health problems. Before these set in, planning an exit strategy gives a sense of purpose and hope so that you can make a positive transition. If you need to do more training, join more networks do so. If you need to start thinking about that business idea you’ve put on the back burner, start doing it.
Find your passions
A poor working environment kills vitality and is psychologically damaging. Feeling stuck is either a manifestation of this poor environment or created by doing work that does not align with your purpose. The passion for a particular area, sector, skills, or business is what fires imagination and purpose. There are some people born to be vets, writers, charity founders, lawyers, business founders, creative industry workers, if they’re in environments not aligned to their passions, they will feel stuck.
