Self care has become one of the buzzwords of late, with celebrities and various experts queuing up to tell us why and how to look after ourselves, with the vast majority of tips focusing on eating well, sleeping well, getting outside and putting down our phones.
Photo by Jared Rice on Unsplash
Many of these ‘checklists’ of to-dos either miss out work entirely, or merely suggest putting boundaries in place to regulate our working time, rather than ways to improve the work experience itself.
Most of us spend a not inconsiderable amount of time each week at work, and/or looking after kids, and so surely self-care in the work environment should be fairly high up the list of self-care to-dos?
Having spoken to a large number of people, work (particularly when we are in jobs we dislike or aren't suited to) is one of the top reasons why we are often feeling fed up, out of sorts and in need of some personal TLC. At the same time, work is one of the main reasons why we don’t spend as much time on ourselves as we should.
Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash
What if there was a way of stopping work impacting on our well-being, as well as taking time to do something for ourselves….
What about a career change?
Going through a career change is often touted as being a stressful time, full of uncertainty and worry. But at the same time, it can be a wonderful journey, exploring who you are and what makes you tick, and building a professional life that is stimulating rather than stressful and that leaves you fulfilled rather than fed up.
And so here are my 3 reasons why a career change can be the ultimate expression of self care:
1. It can leave you better off mentally, physically and emotionally – being in a role or a career that you are no longer enjoying is physically, mentally and emotionally draining. How often have you got to the end of a bad day or week and collapsed onto the sofa with wine and a takeaway rather than hitting the gym? Finding a new job or career that leaves you feeling energised rather than exhausted will not just mean that the 9-5 is more enjoyable, but it will have massive benefits across other areas of your life too.
2. It is YOU, doing something for YOU – no one else can travel this journey for you, no one else can make the decision to do something new. It is only you that can do the research, talk to people, go out and have new experiences, and it’s you that will reap the rewards at the end. Just like a new exercise program, or committing to listening to a meditation every night - you put in the effort and you will get to enjoy the benefits – and that’s pretty cool right?
3. It is an indication of your self-worth – how much do you value you? It’s a tricky question I know. But think about it – if you are sat in a job that makes you unhappy, what is that saying about how much you value your own happiness? Committing to a career change is a statement about your own self-importance. Why should we stick with something that makes us unhappy – we are all worth more than that.
If these have rung true with you, and you’d like to commit to changing career, and finding a job that energises rather than exhausts you, please get in touch to arrange a free 20 minute Discovery call, where we can discuss your career to date, your hopes for the future, and how we can work together. I also run a free Facebook group, The Returnity Lounge, for women looking for change career and find work that works for them and their families.