How to get out of a career rut

If you’re feeling stuck in your job, you’re in good company. Unfortunately, there are a significant number of people who say they feel like their role isn’t progressing or as if they have nowhere to go in their career. And a report from Glassdoor found that 65% of employees felt stuck. Stagnation has become a defining feature of modern work, with people who feel trapped between wanting change and fearing the risks that go along with making a shift. But you can take action to reduce your feelings of frustration and move your career forward in meaningful ways. 1. ENGAGE When you’re feeling trapped or unhappy, it’s natural to disengage or detach from your work. In fact, engagement is at a 10-year low, according to Gallup, with only 31% of employees who are engaged and 17% who are actively disengaged. But when you disengage, you start a cycle of dissatisfaction because you can miss opportunities for meaning and progress. It may seem counterintuitive, but to bring more meaning to your work, one of your best strategies is to lean in and do your best to make a great contribution. Staying engaged will help get you noticed and you’re likely to have more opportunities as a result. When the new project comes up, decision makers will look for those who demonstrate commitment. When the promotion opportunity emerges, managers will look for those who are energized and interested in their work. Engaging can result in more opportunities to keep things moving in your career. 2. Connect with colleagues Another unexpected way to move your career forward is to connect with your colleagues. A hallmark of feeling stuck, depressed, or stagnant is feeling insular or overly self-focused. But empathizing with others is correlated with greater wellbeing, according to research published in Industrial Psychology Journal. Why? Because it takes the focus off of ourselves and helps us feel linked with a community. Creating positive relationships with others is good for them and it builds our mental