What’s Holding Your Back from the Career You Want?

There are some warning signs that show you’re unhappy with your current job.

If you find yourself in a bad mood, feeling low or anxious every Sunday evening before starting back to work on Monday, or if you drag your heels when it comes to getting up in the morning or are taking more and more sick days, then it might be time to assess whether you’re in the right job. Of course, everyone has periods of time when they aren’t getting on as well as they want to at work, but if a bad month has turned into a bad year, or a bad couple of years, then really think about whether you’re where you should be. Below are some questions you can start by asking yourself. 

1.   If not this, then what?

We’re living through an age where it’s highly likely many of us will have multiple careers. When we could be working into our seventies (and happily and healthily too), starting on a new career path into your thirties or forties is not the mid-life crisis it once was. However, before you start forging down a completely different path, it’s worth thinking about what else you might do. Look at some career guides for guidance. It’s also worth asking yourself the question, what do you really NOT want to do? That can prove just as valuable as the opposite.

2.   Can you afford it? 

The last thing you want to do is leave a job that makes you miserable only to find the financial stress of unemployment is ten times worse than the nine-to-five. Above all else, avoid taking out multiple loans or putting yourself in other, difficult economic situations just to change your situation. This is bad enough when you are only considering yourself, but especially risky if you need to take into account a family. Assess your finances and talk to your partner or friends for advice before making any bold decisions. 

3.   What are the options?

There could be choices available to you that you hadn’t considered before. There are multiple ways to make money over the internet, like becoming a forex broker, so you can bring home an income without even leaving your couch. Low-stress jobs like this will bring you in some cash immediately and free up your time to look for other work. You might not have the energy after a forty-hour week to even contemplate a job application, so if you can make ends meet whilst still keeping some energy for career research, then that might be the solution.

4.   Do you have the right attitude?

For a career change, you need to find the confidence for a can-do attitude. If you’re full of self-doubt and are a natural pessimist, then adjust the way you think about things before taking the plunge. It might involve shaking up your natural mindset and, if you’ve had a job that’s knocked your confidence, this might take some doing. Just keep reminding yourself, it’ll be worth it in the end.