Is everything going “okay?”
Is “okay” good enough?
Every now and then it is healthy to take a “time out” and reflect upon our career situation. Is it time for a change? Here are some questions to ask yourself to help answer that question – based on a recent Harvard Business Review article.
1. Reflect over the past three months.
*How are you doing? Objectively, how have you been performing? Are you bringing your “A” game every day or mailing it in?
*How have you been feeling? Energized? Bored? Stressed?
*What has occupied your thinking? How have you been using your mental time and energy?
2. Reassess your priorities.
*Make an updated list of your life goals. What are your priorities?
*What are the most important values you want to follow at this point in your career?
*How do your values and priorities show up at work?
3. Recalibrate your future.
*Maybe this reflection has shown you that you are good to go, right where you are with no changes. Great – carry on.
*Or perhaps you see changes that you can make in your current job situation that will allow you to pursue your values and priorities more effectively. If so, start at the margins and move forward.
*Maybe this is an “Aha” moment for you and it is time for a change. Talk with trusted colleagues and consider retaining a career coach to help you move forward. The best time to find a job is when you currently have one. So take your time and explore the possibilities.
As Ferris Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast.” It is healthy to take some reflection time every now and then to assess our situation. If you decide you are good where you are, great. But if it is time to make some changes, you can do so intentionally and effectively.
*Ideas for this blog taken from: Milner, J. “Is Your Career Heading in the Right Direction?” Harvard Business Review online, October 17, 2024.
