Chances are you’ve heard the expression “living in limbo” once or twice before. But do you know what it takes to actually get to that point in your own life? Do you know what it’s like to be in a “limbo” state of mind?

The hard truth is that so many people live their lives in a constant limbo and don’t even realize they’re doing it— especially when they’re doing it in the workplace.

I like to compare living in limbo to a balancing act. Picture yourself standing on top of a surfboard. Now picture that surfboard on top of a barrel. In my experience, living in limbo is a lot like that. Both situations keep you focused on something that scares you, instead of the things that make you happy.

Along with fear, living in limbo can be a major source of stress. This can be especially true for those who feel at limbo in their jobs, rather than their personal lives. Many people believe that changing your professional situation can be significantly more difficult than changing a personal one, such as a bad relationship or living situation.

Ultimately, these are the people that are concerned with what makes them happy last and how they’re going to pay their bills first. Don’t get me wrong— being able to pay your bills is extremely important. Not to mention, knowing where your next source of income is coming from can quiet a completely different kind of stress. But is the fear of losing money enough to keep you in a constant state of professional unhappiness?

More importantly, is any fear at all really worth your unhappiness?

Before answering that question, let’s rewind a bit in order to figure out if this situation even applies to you. Here are 7 ways to tell if you’re in “workplace limbo” (and a few quick tips from yours truly on getting back on track).

“You May Be Living in Limbo if…”

1. Getting your butt out of bed and into work feels like a punishment 5 days out of the work week. It’s normal to not love going to work, but you want to be able to find some level of enjoyment in it.

2. Your schedule keeps you feeling tired. Just because being an adult means waking up early doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be time to enjoy yourself without feeling drained of all energy.

 3. The communication is off between you and your boss (or you and your employees). Translated, that means you should feel comfortable approaching your boss or employees— especially with an issue related to the workplace.

4. You consistently question your value. Questioning your value within a company is not okay. Absolutely everyone— and I mean everyone— has worth. If you just can’t seem to figure out where you’re most valuable in your company, it might be time to switch things up in your professional life.

5. You feel like you should be doing more with your life. Like questioning your value, it’s never okay to feel like you’re wasting your life away. If you think you should be doing more, ask for more. If they won’t give you more, leave them in your rearview and go find it on your own.

6. You’re envious of those around you on a professional level. Pretty self-explanatory.

7. Your professional life is negatively affecting your personal life. Work is important, but in no world should it ever be more important than what I like to call the “three F’s”: family, friends, and fun. If your professional situation causes you to bring a bad mood home with you, it may be time for a change.

Now that you’ve gone through this list, it’s time to ask again: are you living in limbo at work? If so, you can probably guess my next question, but here it is in black and white for you anyways…

Is the fear of change really worth your unhappiness?

Let us know your answer and your thoughts on living in limbo in the comment section below or by reaching out on social media.

And while you’re there, don’t forget to follow along on June’s journey toward self discovery. That’s right— this month BoydTech blog articles are all about YOU. Something tells us you won’t want to miss what’s coming next…

As always, thanks for reading and happy marketing!

—Amanda Myers, Copywriter at BoydTech Design, Inc.