8 Ways to Create a Change in Momentum When You Feel Stuck in Life and Work
Change Your Momentum and
Get Unstuck in Life and Work
Healthcare is a field of constant growth, discovery, and motion. But what happens when you, personally, feel stuck in life and work - like you're standing still? It's time for a change in momentum.
The feeling of stagnation can sneak up on you.
It's almost laughable to think that you can feel so stuck and ineffective when you're regularly beyond busy and exhausted.
But busyness doesn't necessarily equate to productivity or satisfaction. And there's more than one way to feel stuck.
Ways You Can Feel Stuck in Life and Work
Feeling stuck and unmotivated is a common - and nebulous - predicament.
Before you can figure out the "how" of generating big momentum, it's helpful to first understand how you got to where you are. There's power in naming the "why."
For introverts in healthcare, one big way you can find yourself immobilized is by not honoring your energy needs.
If you're constantly pushing yourself beyond your energetic limits, it makes sense that you'll have no energy left to play, grow, or explore new directions in your life.
You might also find that your myopic vision is to blame. (I had to throw this eye pun into the mix. I'm an ophthalmologist, after all!) If you're too busy putting out fires or are so burned out that you've barely figured out how to get through the next hour, it makes sense that you slowly start forgetting to imagine your ideal future. When you're focused on survival, there's little room for taking in the long view.
Having an overarching vision for the life you want to design contributes to momentum generation. Just as trying to go on an epic journey without a map or itinerary results in aimless wandering, not having long-term plans for yourself can leave you feeling stuck.
This brings us to another culprit - avoiding decisions. Though, if we're honest here, even not making a decision is a decision!
It's estimated that we're deciding between this and that approximately 35,000 times a day. It can be exhausting, especially in healthcare, where many decisions are big and often life-altering. Decision fatigue is real. And it can keep you stuck.
Last but not least, consider your commitment to wanting change. To be clear, this is NOT an accusation that you're stuck simply because you're not committed. However, we can keep ourselves stuck by giving into fear, short-term comforts, and the need for circumstances to be perfect before we push ourselves into action. Some of your wants and needs will have conflicting priorities. Your future depends on which of those wants and needs you're most committed to.
Now that we know the "why", let's name the "what" of creating a change in momentum.
What to Consider When You Need a Change in Momentum
When you're really feeling stuck, it can seem like a colossal effort to overcome the power of inertia.
Knowing the degree of effort sometimes involved in getting started, let's consider the "what" of momentum generation.
When you think about the change you'd like to create, clarity is key. It's easy to rattle off what you don't want. Thoughtfully and intentionally identifying what you DO want takes self-reflection.
Because you're an introvert, I know you've got that self-reflection skill covered! So, take some time to connect with your inner wisdom to help you decide what's most important to you.
When you feel stuck in life and work, the way out includes setting specific goals that move you toward your desired future.
Whether getting unstuck means creating new habits to improve your health, getting more sleep, exploring career options, or creating boundaries to support your well-being, you'll want to approach those goals in ways that energize you.
If you're not feeling at least a glimmer of excitement to create change, ensure your goals are truly yours. It's easy to get wrapped up in reaching for goals you think you "should" do because society says they're important.
Equally vital is letting go of comparison. Nothing can be more discouraging than comparing your inner experience with someone else's outward performance (which may only be great acting!). Accept yourself where you're at right now and create your own yardstick for determining growth and success.
Finally, embrace a beginner's mindset. Be open to play and experimentation.
The path to getting unstuck will unlikely be like a straight, paved highway. Creating a change in momentum doesn't feel as intimidating when you treat your experience as a hike on a gently winding trail out of the valley.
Ready to get started?
Creating a Momentum Generation Plan
Like most things in life, there's no "right" way to start creating a change in momentum.
You're a healthcare professional, so I know you can do hard things. Yes, you can push yourself to achieve through the sheer force of your will. But willpower and driving yourself harder aren't the best answers.
When you feel stuck in life and work, the more strategies you have for momentum generation, the better.
Sometime in the 20-teens (that's a mouthful), I found myself feeling stuck and unmotivated. My vision for the future felt muddled. I was stalled out mentally and physically. Here are some strategies that helped me start feeling energized again:
Decide to Get Unstuck
Here's the only time when I suggest invoking sheer willpower.
Decide that you want change and commit yourself to action (even if you don't know what that looks like yet).
Set Down the Extra Weight
Unfortunately, introverts in healthcare are often carrying an invisible load that drags us down.
Your phantom load might consist of past regrets, worries about the future, or negative thought loops. It might be topped off with others' expectations, draining obligations, or violated boundaries.
Creating new habits and facing the uncertainty of change can be daunting enough without having to haul a bunch of mental garbage around. Give yourself a leg up and let all of that go before trying to embark on a new adventure.
Believe You Can Have What You Want
Now that you've let go of all that weight, it's time to start believing you can have what you want.
Your brain loves to think thoughts, so consider intentionally giving it something positive to support your goals. A mantra can be a helpful way to reinforce your belief in yourself. To increase the effectiveness, let your mantra be inspirational AND realistic.
If "I'm no longer spending my nights and weekends charting" sounds far-fetched, try something like "I'm implementing strategies to decrease the time I spend on charting so I can get more of my nights and weekends back." It's a subtle difference, but the latter is easier to believe and implement quickly.
Visualization is also an excellent tool for generating belief in your ability to achieve your goal. Engage all your senses and imagine yourself having reached your goal. If you can already see, hear, feel, smell, and taste it, it's easier to believe it's yours.
Find Meaning in Your Goal
What makes your goal meaningful to you? The answer can be the difference between success and falling short of your goal.
When you feel stuck in life, it can seem as if you're trapped in a deep hole. Climbing out can take persistence and effort. Since relying on willpower can be exhausting, it's helpful to have a deep and intrinsic knowing of why your goal is worth the effort.
When you don't have a meaningful reason for striving to the finish line, you can lose sight of the long-term goal. It's easy to get distracted and misdirected by the short-term pleasures and comforts that feel good in the moment but leave you feeling guilty and disappointed in yourself in the long run.
If you're not able to name why your goal is meaningful to you, you may be chasing after a goal that never really mattered to you in the first place.
Play to Your Strengths
Lean on your strengths when you're stuck and on a mission to find your mojo again.
It makes sense that you'd start feeling stuck and unmotivated if you're spending much of your time on tasks and activities that feel like a struggle or deplete your energy. Finding yourself in this pattern can contribute to a downward spiral and make you doubt yourself.
Tapping into your strengths helps bring back a sense of confidence and accomplishment, and that's great for your momentum.
Remember that using your strengths in your personal life can positively impact work and vice versa.
Reduce the Barriers to Feeling Better
Overcoming stuckness and moving toward momentum generation is challenging. Why not let it feel as easy as possible?
Consider the barriers standing in your way, and then get creative. Getting unstuck is much more fun when you feel you're running toward delight than trying to escape misery.
What's something that energizes you right now?
When you're stuck, you lose sight of your future. Identify something you can start looking forward to, no matter how small.
Treat getting unstuck like any other goal.
Create mini-milestones and take tiny actions to find pleasure every day. Ask yourself, "What's something easy I can do today to feel better?"
Brainstorm all the ways you can resource and support yourself.
Give yourself every reason to stop feeling stuck.
Put Yourself on the Agenda
This one is simple but not always easy. Your natural tendency may be to put others first. You may feel guilty that you're feeling unmotivated. You may not be showing up as the person you want to be.
When you're stuck, you must recognize it's time to prioritize yourself.
Put yourself on the to-do list and create space in the calendar for YOU.
Acknowledge Yourself
When you're feeling stuck, everything feels effortful.
Give yourself credit for the incremental changes you're making to shift the momentum. Look back to where you were a week, month, or year ago and acknowledge how far you've come.
When you take regular steps toward your goal of getting unstuck, you'll notice progress, regardless of how small those steps are.
Last but not least, celebrate yourself.
Big Momentum
I don't remember the date or the time of year that I decided I'd had enough of being stuck. I do remember sitting on the edge of my bed, looking out my window, and thinking, "I want more for my life than this."
I didn't know exactly how I was going to get unstuck, but it started with a decision.
That decision led to lots of exploration and growth. It led to possibility. The rest is history.
Use the ideas above to start overcoming inertia and create momentum toward a life you intentionally design. If you're ready for support, you can find me here.
Charity is a physician and burnout coach helping introverts in healthcare escape feelings of apathy, irritability, and resentment brought on by the increasing demands and decreasing rewards of medicine.
She uses her 20 years of experience in clinical medicine combined with coaching to help introverts discover ways to be diligent, thoughtful clinicians while prioritizing their needs and protecting their energy. She wants you to know you don’t have to feel guilty for wanting a thriving life inside and outside of medicine.