How did you get your mojo back?

[SnorthSnarf]

I've lost my mojo at work.

On paper, it looks like I'm absolutely flying: At the mid-stage of my career, ticking all the boxes for promotion, lots of successes recently. I've been told I'm tenacious with infectious enthusiasm.

But I'm just feeling a bit "meh" about the whole thing. I really struggle every Monday to muster any enthusiasm at all. I don't hate my job. I don't have Sunday night feelings. I just don't feel any kind of spark for it.

I've lost my mojo. In fact, my mojo has emigrated to the moon.

I'm looking to leave my job in about seven or eight years so I'm not too bothered about getting back to full mojo. But seven or eight years is a long while to feel "meh".

If you experienced similar, how did you get your mojo back?

I don't want to change jobs - I'm well-paid for easy, autonomous, flexible work.

I did a tenuously related qualification in something I was interested in (that work were willing to fund). And asked my boss for a project that was different to my day to day.

In a very similar position - have 10 years until retirement- don’t want promotion but job is relatively well paid, good pension get on well with colleagues- good work life balance, have autonomy etc just feel like I’m going through the motions though. Have been in the same field and sector for 10 years and it all feels a bit samey.

Watching with interest, I am in a very similar position

Weirdly, I have actually quite significantly changed the focus of my work over the last couple of years.
That change has led to lots of new projects, collaborations and opportunities which are challenging and sometimes exciting me, and giving me a bit of good visibility both internally and externally.
But I'd be pretty happy to just drop it all off a cliff tomorrow. I just can't be arsed.

Where are you menopause wise? I had this and am convinced it coincided with the full onset of symptoms in the 'can't be bothered about anything' way.

I could have written this post. Im 46 and bored rigid! Would happily retire tomorrow. Im also well into peri and so so tired of the endless slog. Please let me win the lotto or similar...! I tried another career a few years ago but pay and conditions were terrible so back to decent paid but corporate.

What or who is the job serving? Can you reconnect to the basic purpose?

Start a side hustle just to get your creative juices flowing. Corporate life can deaden the spirit and imagination. Think about what you enjoyed as a child and young person.

I quit and started a new degree to completely career change 🌝

Financially id love to know how you made that work? Good for you though 😀

You don't have to enjoy work. It's a weird modern thing where people expect to enjoy work. As long as you aren't mistreated or exploited or whatever, "meh" is fine. You're there to earn money to live.

Get your creative outlet via hobbies on the weekends, social events, etc

I'm just coming up to 40, not yet in menopause.

I actually have started a side hustle (kind of) but through work. That's what I mean about me having changed what I'm doing over the last couple of years- really trying to get the side hustle going.

I don't expect to enjoy my job as such. It's just a job. But I'd prefer not to feel quite so flat and deflated.

I mean if you reframe your expectations you might feel less flat. What do you require of your job?

I hated my previous workplace before my current one, it was toxic, demands were unreasonable, backstabbing everywhere. In my current one, I've got a supportive manager, the workload is moderate and sustainable, I have no "enemies" among my colleagues. The salary is totally adequate, no one hassles me with unreasonable demands. My hours are really good. Do I feel inspired? Invigorated? Passion? "Mojo"? An elevation to a higher plane? Nope. I do the job, everyone is happy with it, I get paid. It ticks every box that I require for a job.

I've got a good friend who is a surveyor and she could not really care less about it, but she does a good job and her employer is happy. She helps build new tube stations (in another country). In her spare time she is part of an amateur dance troupe and goes on all sorts of adventures. She never had any ambition to be a surveyor but her dad does it and she got the qualification and just got on with it. It pays fine.

I think the concept of a "vocation" is an unrealistic goal for the majority of people. It's a modernism that sets us up to fail. We can't all be Florence Nightingale or someone similarly inspiring/inspired. Lots of jobs are boring and just gotta be done.

Also, often people like my dancer friend are more fun. They do a lot of fun stuff outside work, and never talk about work.

I often find that just by looking around for another job it either inspires me to do something new, or reinforces that I’m good where I am.
Can you get a stretch assignment, a training course, some travel to another country? Something to break it up a bit and so you learn stg new?

@Nogimachi Its funny you should say that - I had a job cross my path on LinkedIn yesterday. I don't normally click on them but the title sounded very aligned with what I could do. I spent quite a while digging into that job and exploring others that were similar.

It reinforced to me that I'm on a cushy number at my current job 😅

I go through phases like this (about 10 years older than you). Weirdly promotions etc can make you feel more flat as you realise there's no holy grail to work for. I find what helps is reconnecting with clients/customers and focusing on doing a great job for them.

Also, focus on the actual point of work. You're being paid a salary to do the best job you can. Do the job, take the salary and use it to have as good a life outside work as you can, whether that's nice meals out, trips, plants to make your garden pretty, saving for your kids.

OP I have no advice but just to say I feel exactly the same. Corporate job, decent salary for the type of work, but totally uninspired.

OP I'm another one who is joining to say that I'm afraid I have no advice but I could literally have written your OP!

I'm 43, perimenopausal (as confirmed by my doc and on HRT) and am essentially counting down until I can give up my corporate middle management role!!!

I have been in my place of employment for 20 years and moved up and have been in my current role for a couple of years.

I am past the point of going above and beyond. I enjoy being able to decide my own schedule and I have a great hybrid arrangement. When I work from home it is a treat for me. I remember having to trudge into the office every day during the height of covid. Now I can finally enjoy working from home.

I remind myself of these perks and I know there are staff striving to get into my role permanently. I look over my old applications and remember how fortunate I feel having my role with how easy it comes now.

Being happy with a quiet work life with tasks I know how to do well is enough mojo for me.