If so, you’re not alone. To gain clarity, start by asking yourself a few of the questions below.

We only have one life. There is no point waking up each day and dreading the work we do. As I stated in a recent article, 65% of us cite work as a significant source of stress in our lives. And stress leads to illness. And illness leads to an early death. Need I say more?

So why do many of us put up with that stress when we could choose to do something different?

If you’ve reached a stage in your work life where you’re finding it hard to get up, then watching the clock when you’re at work, perhaps it is time to make a change.

And as scary as change can be, ask yourself this:

• Would you rather spend the next 30 years of your life doing something that leaves you feeling depressed and lacklustre?
• Or would you rather spend a few months dealing with change to find something that brings you lifelong excitement?

Here’s a guide to find out if your current job is no longer serving you:

Is something is niggling at you, and you cannot pinpoint it?

Do you wake up each day with that dreaded feeling of having to commute to work? Are you finding you’re snoozing your alarm more than you used to? Are you starting to feel apathetic or more lethargic than usual?

Have you stopped sharing your ideas?

When you’re at work, do you keep to yourself more? Have you stopped sharing your ideas around projects and how to make things better?

Are you no longer interested in staying abreast of new trends?

Did you use to read current news about your industry and now you don’t bother? Are you feeling out of the loop recently but can’t find the motivation to do anything about it?

Are you no longer looking at career advancement?

Have you stopped pining for that promotion? Have you stopped working on your self-development in the company? How have you been dressing lately?

Have you stopped taking initiative?

Are you finding you volunteer less for work? Do you no longer go the extra mile? Do all new work projects seem mundane and pointless?

Do you have an “I don’t care” attitude when it comes to working?

Are you disinterested in the outcome of your work or projects? Do you care how well you or the team performs? Are you just not bothered anymore?

Is it none of the above, and maybe it’s your personal life causing your lack of motivation?

Or do none of the above sound right? Has something happened in your personal life that is causing life to feel really out of place? Have you noticed a decrease in exercise, self-care or social activities? It’s also important to take stock of where your lack of motivation is derived.

But if it is work and you’ve answered yes to many of the questions above, it’s time to do a little self-reflection to get yourself back on track.

Many of us get lost in the dreaded societal routine. Graduate, get a job, work for someone else, retire, die. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t work for me.

Have a look at the timeline below. If you’re like the average, you start work at 19, retire at around 65. That leaves very little time outside the 46 years you’ve spent banging your head against the wall working for someone else, doing something you dislike.

Perhaps it’s time for a change?

And maybe it’s not a major change. Perhaps you’re not interested in running your own business or even changing careers, but something has to give. We cannot keep repeating the same behaviours and expecting a different result.

Some Solutions

Perhaps your change looks like moving into a different department within your firm.

Perhaps your change looks like upskilling in another area of expertise.

Perhaps your change is relocating to a new country with the firm.

Or maybe it is to leave altogether and branch out to something different.

There are many ways you can go about change. Change doesn’t have to look the same for you as it does for someone else.

“The human race is a monotonous affair. Most people spend the greatest part of their time working in order to live, and what little freedom remains so fills them with fear that they seek out any and every means to be rid of it.”

― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,

So my advice to you. Reread the questions and start questioning yourself.

Have you lost the motivation to go to work?