How you feel about your career choice is a major concern. Whether you go to a workplace or work from home, you spend a large chunk of your life working. If you are not happy with your job — for any reason — there’s a good chance you’re also not super happy about your life. Such a scenario can directly lead to mental health problems like anxiety, anger issues, substance abuse, and yes, depression.
So, not what? Well, the first step is to identify what’s happening. From there, the good news is that you can create change and you can feel better.
How Can You Tell If You Didn’t Make the Right Career Choice?
Some signs to look for:
- Stress: This is often how it starts. It can get to the point where the mere thought of work is enough to shift your mood in a negative way.
- Effort and Interest: You feel like a misfit. Your co-workers are motivated but you feel bored and you find yourself giving the bare minimum of effort. You distance yourself socially from colleagues and even the promise of a promotion is not exciting.
- Resentment: You scroll social media and feel jealous of those with happy careers. Your job makes you angry or perhaps just numb as you perceive your talents as being unappreciated.
3 Ways To Feel Better
- Be Proactive But Don’t Quit Yet
Even when things feel hopeless, there are probably options you can’t see yet. But those options won’t magically appear unless you put in the effort. Talk to management and trusted co-workers about possible changes in the workplace. You may be surprised by how much a small change can make a difference. Things to consider:
- Creating a more flexible schedule
- Physically switching offices
- Switching to work with other teams on the job
- Having a calm space for work breaks
- Setting firm boundaries on things like reading work emails during non-work hours
Also, if things have reached the point where work stress has led to a depression diagnosis, you have every right to request special accommodations while you recover. Stay proactive and prioritize your needs.
- Improve Your Non-Work Life
While you put in the work to improve your work situation, you can make certain that your life has balance. Don’t let negative job vibes influence other aspects of your day. Some ideas:
- Join a gym
- Take some classes
- Make social plans on a regular basis
- Cultivate a new hobby
- Get creative — painting, writing, music, etc.
If you resent your career choice and/or workplace, don’t give away power to this situation. You can still live a rich life outside of work as you ponder your next move.
- Take Focused Steps to Change Careers
Let’s face it, there’s a reasonably good chance that you have indeed chosen a career that is not compatible with you. Well, there is no rule stating that you can try something else. It will require commitment but can look into new pathways while still working at the original job. You may benefit from the support of a career coach or therapist (see below) but many others have done this. The mere realization that you are not stuck can be a powerful mood booster!
Therapy Can Absolutely Help
Managing depression is not a solo act. Managing depression and a major career shift is definitely not a solo act. Enlisting the help of a mental health professional is a proven path to making positive changes in your life. If anything in this post resonated with you, we should talk — soon.
Let’s connect for a free and confidential consultation for depression therapy or career counseling. It can be the first step in a whole new adventure in your life.
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