How To Know When It’s the Right Time for a Career Change
Many people don’t know what they want to do for the rest of their careers early on. So after graduating and entering the workforce, they look for any job that may suit their skills or education. Unfortunately, it may take the experience to find out that you are not happy where you are, and you want to pursue something else. And there’s no shame in that! In fact, people over 50 are still beginning to find their passions and changing their careers!
If you think that you don’t belong where you are and are looking to make a switch, it might be time to consider endeavoring in another profession. But if you’re not sure, here are some tell-tale signs.
You feel disconnected
Do you ever have those days when you feel complacent, unmotivated, and don’t have the energy to do anything? You may be mentally checked out. You’re underperforming. You’re late for work every day, etc. And in between all that, you know that this is unlike you, but you can’t seem to shake the emotions away and get back to performing.
What’s happening? It might be a sign that your job no longer satisfies you or makes you feel fulfilled. Every day may feel like work instead of a new opportunity to do something that you are passionate about. If you can’t remember the last time a task in your job excited you, it might be time for a career change.
2. You feel far away from your goals
You might have some career goals in place, but it’s taking you years to attain them — simply because you’re not taking any steps forward. Maybe your job has become a routine where you do the same things day in and day out, everything you’re doing today is identical to what you did yesterday, and you feel like you’re not putting your skills to good use.
Your job might be making you feel demoralized and undervalued, and you’re not making significant contributions to the company, to your industry, or society. If that’s the case, it might be time to reconsider and explore other more satisfying opportunities.
3. You hate going to work
On Sundays, do you ever think, “I wish it wasn’t Monday tomorrow” or “I hope the weekend never ends”. If you don’t like the idea of a new week at work, then it’s a sign of a lack of motivation or just simply dreading your job. This can also manifest in the form of not waking up on time in the morning, not being excited about your day ahead, etc. If you feel like you’re dissatisfied with the work that you do, it’s a sign that you need to find a job that aligns with your passions.
4. Your personal life is affected
While our personal and professional lives can be balanced and separated, it’s difficult when you start feeling burnt out with your job. If you’re exhausted, lacking sleep, and unmotivated all the time, you’re affecting how you interact with people. Not to mention that you don’t have any time to bond with your loved ones anymore!
If the stress from your job manifests physically, mentally, or even emotionally, it’s a sign that you have to hit the pause button. Your job might be making you an unhappy person, so it’s time to find something that sparks your interest and your satisfaction.