Are you in a role that’s past its use by date?

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You know it’s time to move jobs but here you are in a job that’s well past its use by date. Understanding exactly when it’s time to move on can sometimes be difficult to determine but most of us know deep down when the time has come.

We may try to ignore our intuitive knowing but if we were to truly listen, the signs are there and the whispers are getting louder.

So what’s stopping you from making the move?

Is it fear? Is it lack of clarity or direction? Is it a lack of support and confidence to step out into the unknown?

Is it that you’re too busy to devote the time required to dust off the CV, update your LinkedIn profile and get out there connecting with your network and letting them know that you’re on the market?

Or are you just too exhausted and don’t have the head space required to do the work that’s needed?

There’s no doubt that moving on to a new role takes time, effort and emotional energy.

Moving jobs is hard work and can seem somewhat scary!

And it’s an emotional roller coaster. You invest in dreaming about the fabulous new opportunity, you experience the excitement of being invited in for an interview (or multiple interviews), and if you are unsuccessful at securing the role, what follows is disappointment and feelings of rejection.

Staying where you are may feel safer. The devil you know may seem better than the devil you don’t. Or perhaps you’re tied to the benefits and perceived security that comes with a long period of service with the one organisation.

It’s little wonder that we often stay longer than we know we should!

But have you factored in the cost of staying put? The negative impacts of staying too long in a job can be significant.

Here are 5 negative impacts of staying too long in a job.

1. The price of ill health. The number one impact I see in my work with high achieving professional women is ill health. Many times these women report increased incidents of colds and flu, excessive fatigue and a myriad of chronic unexplained and often debilitating symptoms.

Studies have found that if we spend our work days in a more or less permanent state of low level ongoing frustration, anger and anxiety, there’s an increase risk to our immune system, ultimately leading to all sorts of illnesses.

2. Your reputation is at stake. Your reputation is based on the quality of work you produce, the results you create and the attitude you bring to the table. Be honest… are you currently producing your best work?

There was a time when I stayed in a role for 18 months beyond it’s use by date and I definitely wasn’t doing my best work. I did what was required… but that was about all. I was no longer fully engaged and my motivation to go the extra mile had all but vanished.

Is staying in a role that no longer lights your fire damaging your reputation?

3. Boredom bites hard. At first being in a role that has become “easy” may seem enticing but over time boredom is likely to set in. At our core we all want to contribute and be valued and to do work that’s interesting and fulfilling. We are hard wired to seek out new challenges and to learn and grow.

When boredom sets in we are likely to become disengaged, become less productive and ultimately our performance is likely to take a hit. Is that what you want?

4. Career Stagnation. You know it. You feel it. Your career has stalled. Where once you were being offered new opportunities, promotions, exciting projects… now all that has dried up. And the bad news is that the longer this period of stagnation lasts, the harder it will be to be taken seriously for the type of roles you really want to be considered for.

5. Life is passing you by. You know you are capable of more. You know you aren’t living up to your full potential. It’s frustrating to see opportunities pass you by and it pains you to see people younger and less experienced than you get those roles.

Life is too short to spend our working days doing work that no longer inspires and excites us. So what are you prepared to do about it?

Is your role past its use by date?

If it is, what’s stopping you from moving on? Are your reasons legitimate or are they elegant excuses keeping you stuck?

Take a moment now to reflect on the impact of staying where you are. Be honest with yourself. Is staying in your current role impacting your health, career progression, you professional reputation or your overall life enjoyment?

If it is… then it’s time to take action.

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