Do I need to change my job?

How have you been feeling about going back to work after the Easter break?

Even those that usually enjoy their work can find it a bit hard, and it can take a few days to get back into a routine.

For others there can be a dread, a sickening to the stomach, fear.

The thought of work loads, work types, the environment, unhelpful cultural norms, clients, remuneration, unfairness, certain people at work. All or some of them.

It can continue for decades for many. This dread. Sometimes it becomes like this day in and day out. For some it reaches a stage of causing serious mental health concerns.

Whilst changing jobs may be the answer, there may also be other aspects to be considered before you send off your cv.

Ready to move but keep putting it off?

If you know it definitely is time for a move, but haven’t yet, despite significant time passing. It is often useful to explore any worries or fears behind what’s holding you back. Followed by then going on to consider what you might do about it.

One useful exercise is to write out all the fears, and all the niggling worries.

Once you have completed that list, you can explore those feelings further, digging a bit deeper, and go on to list all of the practical ways you might be able to deal with that situation, if, or should it arise.

This might, for example, be gaining a new practical skill, saving some money, developing certain personal skills, asking for help, developing confidence in certain areas, growing self esteem, chunking it and taking what feels like a less scary first step, or being mentally prepared to change jobs again in the near future.

‘Better the devil you know’ is one of our brains less helpful wirings.

Our default is to avoid the unknown. We would rather endure all sorts of pain that is known and certain, rather than face the unknown. ‘What if it’s worse’ is one of our biggest fears, alongside what if we’re ‘no good’ or ‘found out’.

However, by doing the work above we can override some of our fears, work through others, gain courage, get support, or take back control through thinking through our practical choices.

Remember, we can choose again. If we need to. Getting closer to knowing what we do want. Moving through what might be rather self convincing excuses.

Ready to move, but not still unsure?

If you are unhappy, even if you are ready to leave, it can be useful to take time to analyse what precisely makes you feel unhappy. The more specific the examples, the more useful it is.

This is helpful for several reasons. Including:

– You may notice a pattern across previous jobs which means something needs to be different, to break that pattern.

– You may notice specifics of your role, environment, or needs that you hadn’t fully appreciated, or asked for, before.

Whilst this of course helps, when looking elsewhere. It could also mean asking for change where you are first.

This could include changes to your role, location, or hours. Greater responsibility, control, new projects, new support, mentors, coaching, or training. Seeking a new role, or going towards, or for, a promotion within the company.

When I work with clients, through career coaching or leadership coaching, we start by moving away from the detail of any role and look at the whole picture of what we enjoy or don’t enjoy in relation to work.

Whilst I don’t have a prescriptive list of questions, I do take a holistic approach. What emerges covers a range of activities, tasks, environmental needs, people needs, how to feel challenged, physical, financial requirements, location and travel, and more. You need to decide what is important to you.

We also often explore any mindset or internal rules/stories that might be holding us back (this might include our views on our abilities to learn, age, working hours, our discomfort around asking for money, thinking we need to have all the experience or skills to even apply, or other areas we want to develop confidence in).

– You may notice patterns across your work, home, and life which could suggest other work needs to be done too.

This could be external changes to your experiences, environment, or those you spend much of your time with.

Or it could be internal. Noticing where we might be choosing or behaving in a particular way and in doing so creating the common denominator (and then going on to create a better experience for ourselves).

As uncomfortable, or time consuming, as it might feel at the start, the alternative can be exhausting. To keep not looking it at it. For however looking that may be, perhaps forever.

Exploring choices

For those wanting to spend time doing the exploration work it often helps us to think differently.

We can spot where our mindset, behaviours, and actions could be holding us back from creating the change we know we want. From this insight we can create new paths for action.

Sometimes the work we do helps find clarity (but I don’t know what I want is sometimes the rallying cry) where there was confusion, noticing blind spots, or developing confidence in new ways.

It’s always exciting to hear from clients, or even those that have come off one trial coaching session with me, when they’ve got a new job, promotion, or insight that’s prompted significant action after a longer period of feeling stuck.

If that’s you. Remember that taking the time at the start can be a real boost.

Here are the steps again: Getting clear on what you do or don’t want. Exploring any worries, fears, or niggles that might be holding you back. Developing and growing your approach, and self awareness, further through noticing any limiting beliefs, stories, or rules.  And then going on to plan your steps to make it manageable for you.

If you have decided that you ready for a change, let me know what your first step is.

Simona

p.s. if you need a helping hand, you can find clarity even from one coaching session. The best way to know is to try it. You can do that here: https://SimonaHamblet.as.me/Intro