The time has come for a career change. And that’s really stressful! On the one hand, you may be comfortable in the position you have now. Even if you don’t like your job 100%, it’s familiar.
Or, you have been out of the workforce for a while, and have decided to re-enter a different field than when you started. Whichever way life has taken you, changing careers isn’t always easy. But it doesn’t have to be extremely stressful.
Here are some tips to help you with changing careers.
Take a Deep Breath!
First, take a deep breath, or a few for that matter! When changing careers, it’s easy to let anxiety take over. Especially if you are worried about the transition. Breathing deeply helps you to stay calm and redirect your focus for a few moments. That helps you to get unlocked from getting hyper-focused on career stress. Here are some ideas for how to use deep breathing:
Go somewhere that is quiet and with few distractions.
Sit down in a place that is comfortable but allows your upper body to be upright.
Take in deep, slow breaths through your nose.
Allow the breathes to exhale deeply through your mouth.
Continue doing this for several minutes as you intentionally breathe in and out.
Know What You Want and Don’t Want
When it comes to stress and anxiety it’s helpful to write things down. This helps you to process what you are thinking and feeling. Also, you are physically releasing those thoughts by putting pen to paper. Reflect on what it is you want in your career.
What are the things that you value at work? On the other hand, it doesn’t hurt to identify what you don’t want either. Try to list as many positive things as you can, but watch out with going overboard on the negative side. All too often it’s easy to focus on the negative and ignore the positive.
Identify What You Need for a Career Change
Next, identify what it is you need for a career change. For example:
Additional training, education, or certification.
Time to complete this training.
Practical experience in the field.
Developing a portfolio of work.
Additional resources that you think you might need, including support from friends and family.
If you envision your career change taking some time, perhaps it’s possible to get the process going while still in your current career field. That way the transition from one career to the next will go more smoothly.
Ways to Cope with Career Change Stress
Still struggling with career change stress? Here are some additional tips:
Stick to maintaining a healthy lifestyle through your career change. This includes exercising, eating a healthy diet, getting enough rest, and avoiding overindulging in alcohol.
Create a timeline for your career change. Celebrate when you achieve certain milestones or benchmarks.
Reach out to people already in the field to get a better idea of what it’s like. Sometimes the fear of the unknown in a new job creates stress.
Professional Support When Making a Career Change
Finally, it helps to have professional support when making a career change and coping with stress. Therapy can be useful for brainstorming ideas, creating a roadmap towards a new career path, or simply expressing what you are feeling inside. Even if you don’t have the “right” words, your therapist will understand and work with you through this process.
Change is never easy, even when it’s something positive. Career changes can present for themselves their own types of stress and anxiety. But there are things you can do to cope with career change stress. Try the tips above and don’t hesitate to ask for help through career counseling. Contact me today for a free consultation.