Have you just returned from your summer break and are feeling demotivated about returning to work? It’s not unusual and no, the grass isn’t always greener. It can, however, be useful to delve a bit deeper into why you’re having these thoughts and whether you were merely caught up in the moment of being on holiday or if it is time to make a change.
Firstly let’s consider what you enjoy about your current job.
Make a note of everything you enjoy, for example who you work with, the location, company culture, variety of projects, autonomy.
What is driving these thoughts about change?
Again, list everything, for example the pressure, an unhelpful boss/colleague, no longer feel like you are learning, the commute.
Did these thoughts only begin whilst you were away or have they been bubbling under the surface for a while?
Sometimes we just carry on as it’s the easiest thing to do. Taking a break away from work gave you the time to reflect on your career and question whether it is really working for you. Before you rewrite your CV and start job hunting here are 5 things to explore which will help you clarify whether it really is time to change, and what you want to change to:
1. What has your career looked like to date? What decisions have you made along the way? When did you love your career, and what did you love most about it? Think about the highs and lows of your career and see if you can identify some themes.
2. What are your values? If your values don’t align with your current role, it is unsurprising you are thinking about a change. Your career values now may be quite different to when you started work and so knowing more about what is driving you and what is important to you will help you with your decisions.
3. What are your job satisfiers? It is vital to clarify what are your non-negotiables. This is completely personal to you and questions you could ask yourself may include:
· How much do I need to be earning to live the life I want to lead?
· Do I want to be part of a team or am I happy working on my own?
· Do I want to be interacting with customers?
· Do I want to be working part-time or full-time?
4. Once you have identified your key drivers for career happiness, then you can start thinking about your skillset. Which of your current skills do you want to be using and what skills would you like to develop?
5. What does your future look like? Envision how your future could look in twelve months time and then realistically note down what you need to do to achieve this. What internal resources do you have to help you get there and what do you need to develop? What can you be doing in the next month to move towards your future goal?
Changing careers requires careful planning and can feel overwhelming. Taking the time to reflect on your career to date and what you want from your career going forwards will help clarify your thoughts. Is it time for a change? Maybe, and having taken the time to consider all your options you will feel more confident about moving forwards.
If you would like help with any of this please get in touch for a free, no obligation discovery call and see if career coaching could help you.
