Changing your job situation can involve engaging in career exploration and developing a plan to shift to another job. When you change jobs, you risk losing wages, benefits, seniority and degree of knowledge of the job. It is worth exploring what are the costs and benefits of shifting jobs immediately versus developing a longer term plan to get you where you want to be.
Too often people think their stress will disappear if they change to another job, only to find when they start a new one, that they still feel stressed. This suggests that what needs to improve is the ability to cope with work stress. By changing your thoughts, feelings and reactions at work, you may be able to better handle work stressors.
By using skills such as the ones below, you can change parts of the job that are challenging:
- Setting personal boundaries
- Communication
- Assertiveness
- Negotiation
- Time management
Create a more fulfilling work life:
- Identify what is most important to you.
- Put your energy toward things that matter.
- Don’t expect to be all things to all people.
- Find the right balance for you between work, personal time, personal relationships and “down” time.
- Develop and maintain your support systems within and outside of work.
- Ensure you eat healthy foods, get enough sleep and make time for physical activity.
