Taking Back Your Life Through Changing Careers

Feeling consumed by a career change, and ready to start taking back your life?

When you’re in limbo, it can feel like you’re stuck on a professional hamster wheel. There are many reasons why these feelings might be tugging at your heart and mind.

You may be stuck at a job that doesn’t bring you joy, because you don’t know how to take that first step forward. Or, you might be treading water in the unknown. Are you free from a job that wore you down, but stuck without a real direction forward?

Either way, it doesn’t take long for that type of uncertainty and unhappiness to take its toll. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by what lies ahead, take heart! There are many ways to reach success while you’re in the middle of changing careers.

Today, we’ll show you how to get out of your head and into the game.

The Danger of Overthinking Your Career Change

There are some aspects of career changes that can feel like Catch-22s. This includes the amount of brainpower you should commit to the task!

On one hand, you have to plan this journey out. You have to research your options. Leverage your available resources, and schedule your next steps. All these tasks require you to think.

Yet, did you know that it’s possible to think too much about your career change? When you’re consumed by anything, it’s difficult to get your mind off it. Unfortunately, this includes your professional life.

Whether you’re making steady progress or you’re stalling after a roadblock, it’s easy to get wrapped up in this. After all, this one decision affects every aspect of your life!

When you have a one-track mind, it leaves little room for anything or anyone else.

If you’ve been obsessing over your career change, you might notice that it’s affecting your quality of life. When this happens, it can be difficult to find joy in the hobbies and pastimes you used to love. Your closest friends and family members may also feel shut out.

These feelings of isolation can make the quest for a new career feel that much more lonely and daunting. You deserve to live a full, abundant life, even while you’re smack-dab in the middle of changing careers. When you take a stand and decide to reclaim your own happiness, you’ll find that you’ll be even closer to your goals.

Here are a few tips to help you improve your mental health and stay focused as you work toward Career Success.

Ask For Help When You Need It

If it feels like you’re all alone on your career change journey, it might be because you haven’t reached out to others. There are people who can help you!

In general, there are 2 types of people who you need in your corner right now.

First, there are friends and family members who can offer emotional support. These are the people who are closest to you. They are the ones who will listen to you talk about your experiences without judgment. They should remain supportive and understanding as things around you start to shift.

Then, there are others who can help you professionally. These might be mentors, advisors, or professors who have walked in your shoes before. They might be a professional Career Coach whose job it is to help you navigate this change. These people can impart wisdom or help you make valuable industry connections.

You may connect with former employees who are initiating their own career changes. Peers will have insights that will help you with your own journey.

No matter where you are in this process, you will have connections that can and are willing to step in and help you find Career Success. This isn’t an effort that you should try to attempt on your own. If you’ve already built these relationships, leverage them as you move forward.

Test Drive Your Career

Have you ever asked to test-drive a car that you had your eye on, only to find that it was more than a little disappointing? In the same vein, have you ever been pleasantly surprised after a test drive that you were sure was going to be a bust?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, begin by taking some pressure off of yourself! Taking back your life should feel exciting.

Instead of holding out for that coveted position, use this interim time to test out a few jobs you’ve been eyeing.

This process will look different for everyone. The goal is the same: Learn what you like and what you don’t like about different parts of your industry. That way, when the right opening does come around, you’ll know in your gut whether it’s one you should pursue or not.

There are a few different ways you can gain this perspective. First, you might consider interning at the company you want to work at... or at least one that’s in the same general niche. The work might not be as glamorous as the role you want, but this is a great way to get a feel for the company culture. You can also use it to bulk up your resume!

Allot the Time You Need

It’s easy to feel scattered and uninspired when you’re trying to juggle a career change. Especially at the same time as your other day-to-day tasks.

It can help to block off a set amount of time each day that you can devote to your ongoing Career Success. One of the keys to taking back your life is setting boundaries around things that matter the most. That often means adjusting your schedule.

Redirect your focus and reclaim a sense of calm amid the chaos. Do what you can to work toward your career change without sacrificing what makes you you.

Do yourself this one precious favor. Give yourself time for real balance. Resist the urge to burn the midnight oil or stretch yourself too thin. You might think you’ll break barriers by doing so, but you’ll really just break yourself down.

You need to be well-rested and mentally clear as you take these next important steps. You can’t get there on coffee alone, no matter how many pots you drink. Take a look at your calendar and plan ways to distribute — or delegate — tasks. Lean on your family and professional contacts to make it work and lighten the load. You got this!

Plan Your Own Success

Another potential stressor that can threaten your peace of mind? You might enter into people-pleasing mode without even realizing it. You might wonder why you’re still working around everyone else’s calendar... while your own gets filled to the brim with unrealistic expectations.

It’s time to stop living for others and start living for yourself. You don’t have to wait on hold for an hour to talk to that one contact who might know someone with a job lead. It might seem like it’s your one shot at Career Success, but we can assure you, it’s not.

Plan the future that makes you happy and build your own version of a dream career. It might not look like your colleague’s or your neighbor’s and that’s the best part about it!

Too often, people plan their futures with others in mind. Then, they reach that finish line and they’re still unhappy.

That's because it was never their real dream in the first place.

Ask yourself: If no one else had any say in this, and the decision was yours alone, what would you do? Use that answer to guide your next career move. Let it drive you as you start taking back your life and chart a course through completely new territory.

Taking Back Your Life During a Career Change, One Step at a Time

Deciding to change careers is a risky, all-encompassing move. It can also be one of the most fulfilling and freeing decisions you ever make for yourself.

If you’re in the throes of the process, it’s important to use all your available resources to your advantage. Lean on your community. Give yourself time and space to breathe. Try out new opportunities before jumping headfirst into them.

As you do these things and start taking back your life, your vision of Career Success will become clearer. You’ll also be better equipped to go after it and turn it into a reality.

At Uvaro, we want to help you go further on that journey. We have courses, workshops, and other resources designed to connect you with others. Grow your skills, and open new doors! Download our Career Success Catalog today to learn more and get started.