Feeling Professionally Stuck? Here’s How To Cope With A Mid-Life Career Crisis
About two years ago, anyone looking at my career would have said I had made it. I was in an administrative position, complete with my own office and parking spot. I was well-respected, the salary was great, and the work was challenging but stimulating. On paper, it was perfect.
The reality was a little different. I was waking up every morning dreading going to work. I felt frustrated and exhausted on an almost daily basis. The Sunday Scaries ruined each weekend. I had “What’s the point of all this?” running on an infinite loop in my mind. In a nutshell, I had lost my spark and was facing a career crisis.
As much as it felt like my situation was unique, mid-life career crises are common. Job satisfaction is “U-shaped” and hits bottom in our late 30s to mid-40s. It turns out I was right on schedule with questioning my career path. Two years later, I’m reinvigorated and filled with a renewed sense of purpose. Here is what I did to help me navigate my career crisis:
1. I explored my feelings.
There are plenty of reasons why you might be feeling unfulfilled at work or like you’re in a career rut. You shouldn’t jump to conclusions but take the time to reflect on how you’re feeling and what’s behind it.
I spent several months sorting through my feelings and examining my career and life. I thought about:
- My work-life balance.
- What was important to me.
- Whether my life and career aligned with my priorities.
- Whether something was missing.
- What was causing these feelings.
By being honest with myself, I realized that my priorities had shifted (thank you pandemic), highlighting a need to rebalance and realign.
2. I took time for myself.
One of my realizations was that I had stopped doing things that relaxed me and made me happy. I was focusing all my time and energy on my job. And even though I had always loved my work, I had become resentful because of how much time it took.
An unhealthy work-life balance increases stress levels, which affects our focus, mood, physical health, and feelings. I had let myself fall out of balance and was feeling the consequences. So I started setting an hour aside each day to do something for myself. I went for walks in the park. Massages became a weekly ritual. I started reading for pleasure again. Chats over coffee or wine with friends became more frequent.
3. I went back to school.
A second realization was that some aspects of my job were frustrating because I didn’t know enough about the topic. The learning curve was too steep for me to manage it well. So I found a one-year program that would speed up the process.
Adding to your professional skillset is always a good idea but it can be especially beneficial when you’re facing a mid-life career crisis. It can reinvigorate you and breathe new life into day-to-day work. I decided on a university program but there are plenty of other options. You can sign up for workshops, conferences, and online courses. If you prefer to learn in a more relaxed way, you can read books on skills that interest you and implement the tips and strategies.
4. I made a career change.
Everything I tried did help but only for a while. I continued to go back to feeling unmotivated like I had lost my passion. I’ve always been a big believer in loving what you do and that wasn’t the case anymore. So I made the VERY difficult decision to leave a 15-year career. Within six months, I was happier than I had been in years.
While this is one of the best professional decisions I ever made, it’s not to be taken lightly. It requires a lot of thought and planning. You need to understand the living reality of what it means and whether it’s the best option. I spent hours thinking about my skillset and researching career paths that excited me and would be a good fit. I also had to mentally prepare myself for the learning curve starting over in a new field would bring. It was a challenging transition but well worth it.
