Why you should do nothing before changing your career

The phase of doing nothing before changing careers is crucially important

You’ve been keeping busy, working hard at your job. Always running. And after some time you realise you don’t feel content or fulfilled in your career. In fact you may be feeling quite drained, empty and frankly miserable.

So you decide to change things and promptly start looking for alternatives. Looking through various job postings, updating your CV, submitting applications. But somewhere deep down there is a voice “am I really doing the right thing? Do I want to get another job, similar to the one I have already?”

Do you see the problem here?

Getting to know your inner drivers and motivators is key to a successful career change – after all, you don’t want to end up in yet another job that makes you unhappy.

Looking inwards becomes a priority to any outward actions

So if you find yourself itching to move to better job, but aren’t quite sure what to do – try this.

1. Slow down and give yourself space

There is often the temptation to act immediately, leave your old job and burn bridges. However, unless you have a clear plan on what you want to do and how you’re going to get there, you’ll add even more stress.

Not having an income source will compound your stress and cloud your decision making process. So give yourself space. Don’t make any strong changes during this period. Become aware of what’s happening in your life.

What is it that you don’t like in your current career? What do you feel isn’t working for you, and why?

2. What would I like to do?

Ask yourself this question. And if that is a difficult one to tackle, try this – “What am I not allowing myself to express in the world? What would I like to express?”

A career that’s built in harmony with YOU is about allowing yourself to express freely what you have and sharing it with the world. Problems identifying a professional path start when you are blocked from listening to your desires and following them.

What comes naturally to you? What have you always enjoyed doing but perhaps never thought of as a career?

Give yourself space for the answers to come to you. Take some time to experiment on the side – follow your gut and do what you’re drawn to. Don’t think “is this the right or a wrong thing to do? Will this become my new career?” Simply allow yourself to be and do what feels enjoyable.

3. How would I like to work?

The “how” is very important and the question often missed from the equation. If you’ve been working in a corporate job and you feel burnt out from working for someone – is this the right thing for you? Or are there other ways to work, more conducive with your personality?

4. Get intentional

Once you’ve done some soul searching, get focussed and set your intentions.

Our mind has an amazing ability to find what our subconscious is focused on. You will start to see opportunities matching your desires, job posts that resonate and people who’ll be ideal to connect with. Follow your intuition, network, apply for jobs and enquire about opportunities.

Getting to know your desires and what your next steps should be means giving yourself time to listen to yourself. And that means doing absolutely nothing.