Signs It’s Time For A Career Change
It is something that I get asked a lot - how do you truly know that it is the right time to change career? How do I know that it is not just my ADHD brain getting tired of something and maybe I just need to refresh things a bit, in a less dramatic way?
What if i just need to ride through whatever this is right now and I will be glad that I stuck it out.
These were some of the things I told myself when I went through my own career change. I had a great job, people told me regularly that I was so lucky - I got to travel, meet exciting people, work on great brands, what was not to like!
However when you know, often we really do know, but we just don’t trust ourselves enough.
So here are my top 8 signs (in my opinion) that it is time to make a change:
1) You have been thinking about making a change for a year or more
It has become more than just a recurring thought. Sometimes you convince yourself that you should just forget it and move on, however that feeling does not go away does it?
2) Sundays land heavier than they used to
Before you never felt the Sunday blues, however now it has become a thing. You live for your weekends, and when they go too quickly you find yourself in a cycle of dread each Sunday afternoon (which feels amplified once the summer is also over).
3) You are not living the lifestyle that you truly want to
It is often the ‘small’ things that you feel start to grate so they don’t feel so small anymore. Being able to get home and spend the evening with your family, not having to travel and miss your partners birthday, walking your kids to school each morning, finding the time to exercise and look after yourself better. These things are important to you, and you often feel you are pushing them lower on your list just to keep going.
4) Your energy has disappeared
This is one that I often hear from my clients, often when we think of burnout we assume this happens when we are pushed and stressed due to over working. Lack of interest, challenge and boredom can all create burnout which results in us feeling drained, like we have zero energy and zest.
5) You are no longer learning
Maybe you have been coasting for a while and that’s been ok so far, however lack of challenge and learning new things is particularly unhelpful for ADHD brains who thrive off interest and novelty. If you’re honest you are starting to feel (dare we say it)…bored.
6) You’ve been thinking about it but are planning for the right time
You are open to making a change - however it comes with a caveat. Now is not the right time because of finances / family / time etc. If you are honest you know there will never be a right time to do it and whilst you may feel that you are being responsible staying in this cycle can result in avoidance and is not dealing with whatever it is that is truly getting in the way (note: I appreciate that finances can be a real challenge, however there are ways to do this without blowing your life up - something I work through with my clients!)
7) You are worried about what other people will think (especially if you currently ‘look’ successful)
On paper you are doing brilliantly and others tell you so, your ego is happy with the way things are and you repeatedly tell yourself that you are where you should be. However inside you don’t enjoy it, and what you are doing does not align with your own values. Yet you continue to climb the ladder (reluctantly) and are afraid to be honest about what it is you truly want.
8) Your environment makes you feel like your ADHD is working against you
Unfortunately many work environments do not make many ADHD and other neurodivergent employees feel supported and psychologically safe. Often even the smallest tweaks can help employees enjoy work so much more, supportive structures, helpful accommodations, clearer communication and a team dynamic that supports neurodivergence with compassion and understanding. Often when these things are not in place it can feel like you are the problem (you’re not by the way) which in turn contributes to you feeling you never reach your potential.
There are many more of course, changing career can feel like an impossible thank less task, and you wonder how you are ever going to see yourself making progress on the other side. Even more so when you are the one that is keeping a family afloat financially, resulting in you feeling stuck with no options. It is possible though and there are many examples to prove this is the case - myself included!
A good way to think about it is making a career change does not start with handing in your notice. It starts with a process, getting curious, giving yourself permission to dream and understanding what is out there.
It begins when you decide your current situation needs your attention.