If there are two things we have learnt from Covid-19, (other than how important it is to wash your hands well!), it is that (1) our mental health is just as important as our physical health, and (2) that working in unfulfilling careers can leave us feeling purposeless. Lock-down gave people time to think about what was really important to them and that work life balance was possible, without the grind of commuting.
Different areas of life don’t fit in 1 neat box
Often these two areas of our lives, work and mental health, can become very intertwined. Work can be stressful and put a strain on our mental capacity, which if left to fester without additional support, can even affect our physical wellbeing too.
The mental health charity Mind estimates that in any given week in England, 8 in 100 people experience mixed anxiety and depression and 6 in 100 people experience generalised anxiety. Additionally, they contend that if you frequently experience stress from work, you can be at risk of developing mental health problems, exacerbating existing ones or causing yourself physical burnout. The Pandemic, on the positive side, got mental health out in the open, with less stigma about it – it became mainstream.
It should be noted however, that there is a difference between occasionally feeling pressure at work, either to perform well or because the workload increases at different points in the year, and consistent, avoidable stress for various reasons which can cause burnout.
The importance of personal values + your career being on purpose
One of the reasons people can feel stress and pressure at work is because they are working in unfulfilling careers that do not align with their values. It is very common for many of us to just “fall” into the careers we are working in without knowing what is actually important to us. This can leave us feeling unfulfilled, frustrated and dejected.
Burn out is growing
At Energise, it is not uncommon for us to work with clients who have become so physically burnt out that they have been signed off work for stress. They are de-energised. It is only this moment of realisation and time away from their role that prompts them to begin looking for a different career. If their body could speak, it would be saying “Get me out of this job/team/company that isn’t right for me!!!” What the mind supresses the body expresses.
We help elicit our clients’ values and passions and share other career options that can lead to better health and happiness.
Energise client career fulfilment research
Over the next coming weeks, we will be conducting interviews with previous Energise clients to gain insight into the causes of unfulfillment, stress and burnout at work, as well as hearing the positive steps clients have taken to re-energise themselves and find their passions again. We hope that with this series surrounding mental health, wellbeing and fulfillment in careers, if you recognise yourself in these responses, it could be a wake-up call to find your career breakthrough.
If you are worried or stressed about your career, and want to discover if there is something more suited to your values, then get in touch with us today. Whilst it can be hard to show weakness, it can be even harder to stay in a mentally and physically demanding job that does not align with what is most important to you.
As a career coach, our passion is helping you to find yours, so we would love to have a chat with you today. Get in touch for a no-obligation free 20 minute chat: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/contact-us/
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Read what Energise clients say about career coaching: https://www.inspiringportfoliocareers.com/testimonials/
This blog was written by Energise intern Ellie Khanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-khanna/