About a year ago, Sam Palmer-Simon worked remotely for a legal services nonprofit in New York City, managing recruitment, selection, and training of new employees. After working for the organization for six years, Palmer-Simon was overwhelmed by the amount of work he had to do and the lack of support his staff had. “I burn out And low wages,” he said. “I had a desire to achieve a certain thing, but I was not given the resources to do it.”
Power within the organization was concentrated in the hands of a few people, and Palmer-Simon felt that there was not much autonomy in decision-making. It was during the job drain in mid-2021 that I earned the moniker. big resignation, And Palmer Simon decided to quit. He thought that quitting his job would help him find “a clearer sense of purpose outside of work.”
But what he found was that the lack of work and structure was demotivating him and unable to move forward. “Should I start a podcast? Read more books? I ended up doing nothing.
Eventually, he discussed his feelings about work with friends and family and immersed himself in career advice, including books like “Work Won’t Love You Back” and career podcasts like Esther Perel’s “How’s Work?” I came to
Nine months later, he started a new job in the same industry, but it quickly felt like his previous job, and a few months after that, he took another job. He said the current one was better, but it was stressful in many ways. But he’s fine with his Palmer-Simon, who no longer sees his job as something that defines him.
“Changing my employment environment didn’t change who I was, what I looked like or what I had in different places,” he said. “It’s something that comes right off, no matter where you work or how much you get paid.”
That “stuff” we carry around is one reason why experts recommend pausing before impulsively leaving work. burnout or frustration —and take a closer look at which parts of your unhappiness are work-related and which aren’t.
JT O’Donnell, career coach and CEO of online career support platform WorkItDaily, said: “I’ve seen a lot of people get to the point where they feel pain and just need to get out. But that’s going out of the pan and into the fire.
Before you do anything drastic, write down as completely as possible a story about why you don’t like your job, and then read it several times. , I know my story now.And I realized I’m not going to stay.I need to make a change.”And then you can decide what changes to make.” You may move to another department or another company entirely. ”
Boundary setting
Burnout is rarely simply work-related, said Marsha Brown, a clinical psychologist who works with employees to help reduce stress. She encourages her clients to look at all the reasons they’re feeling frustrated, both at work and in their personal lives. “It’s not as easy as we think to identify the source of stress. We may feel that the work environment is to blame, but part of the stress may be the lack of opportunities to disconnect from work.” hmm,” she said.
According to Brown, burnout is often related to an inability to properly set professional and personal boundaries, so simply changing jobs won’t solve the problem. often face the same problems: overwork, overwhelm and unhappiness,” she said. “Until they learn to navigate and set boundaries, the struggle will likely continue.”
Create a new routine
Dave, who asked not to reveal his full name for fear of damaging his reputation in the industry, has, over time, been able to better understand the anger and frustration that led him to quit his job in September 2022. rice field. He was the director of engineering. Working remotely from his home in Oregon for a Silicon Valley-based software company, he said his feelings at the time were directed at his work rather than at himself, and were largely misdirected. I am now aware that it was directed at
“When I quit, I always felt like I was being asked for more and my role had become an all-consuming one,” he said, noting that the pandemic ended his job. “I got out of bed, sat in front of my computer, and used Zoom all day. He said. “I now know that many of these problems stem from my inability to develop good habits or stick to routines.”
liberating at first, quit immediately Revealed the underlying problem. Many aspects of his work were social, he explained. It was very isolated at first,” he said. “And when you’re stressed or burnt out, it’s harder to find another job. It’s been a lot harder than I thought.”
After quitting his job, Dave spent several months creating a routine that included regular exercise, time with his family, and time with his hobbies. It’s something I can hang on to.I think if I get it right, I’ll be a better employee and a happier person.” He started a new job in the industry this month.
Michael McCutcheon, a psychologist, adjunct professor at New York University, and co-founder of the career and executive coaching firm Wanderlust Careers, says it’s important to examine your behavior and sensitivities. Without that knowledge, it’s unlikely that any job will make you feel better than the last. “It’s easy to say, ‘This boss is trying to get me’ or ‘I’m being micromanaged,’ but it’s easier to look at your side and ask, ‘How am I contributing to this?’ is much more difficult: what can I change and what is within my control?
“Glass is green” effect
According to Tracy Brower, a sociologist who studies work and life satisfaction and author of The Secrets to Happiness at Work, another consideration is quitting to get away from something, or moving towards something. It means quitting in order to move on. “When you’re running away, it’s hard to find satisfaction in what comes next,” she said. “We’ve seen this ‘grass is green’ effect, where there are so many jobs available and everything seems like an opportunity that people don’t think deeply about what’s important to them. , just pick something new.”
Still, reflecting on your current situation can really help you decide what to look for in your next job, says O’Donnell, who outlines three types of jobs for clients. “There is a job that pays the bills and lets you live your life. A career that gives you satisfaction from your job, but it doesn’t own you. It is a vocation that you are willing to sacrifice other areas of your life for. increase.
stop intentionally
One such planner was Michael, who asked not to use his full name for fear of retaliation from his former employers. He quit his job as his teacher in August 2022. He worked at the same private school outside Los Angeles for nearly 20 years, where he feels underappreciated and underpaid, especially after surviving his COVID shutdown. After careful consideration and fruitless discussions with his boss about a raise, Michael began planning his retirement in March of last year. He decided to explore new educational opportunities for the next academic year, targeting those offering higher salaries.
Michael said the experience of being interviewed again at the new school made him feel worthwhile. “I suddenly saw this huge difference between the old school that took me for granted and this school that really wanted me.”
In September he took up a new teaching position. Although the school has some drawbacks and Michael misses his friends and family from his previous job, he is happy with the change. and said the administration celebrates innovative thinking and education in a way that his previous school did not. . “It has opened up a world of possibilities for me as a teacher.”
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