Celebrate freedom in your career
Did you go to bed last night or wake up this morning dreading the thought of going back to work?
If so, you’re not alone.
According to a recent survey, more than 75% of working Americans report higher levels of stress and anxiety at the end of the weekend as they anticipate the workweek ahead.
Weekends, and certainly the 4th of July, represent freedom. A time to do whatever you want with few work demands.
And then, as the end of the weekend nears, a feeling of dread may start to take over as you anticipate a week full of overwhelm, demanding bosses or clients, looming deadlines and endless to-do lists.
While living in the land of the free, Americans seem to be shackled by work-related stress and anxiety.
Perhaps it has less to do with the Sunday night blues and more to do with overall career satisfaction.
Gallup reports that only 30% of Americans are satisfied in their careers, while a whopping 52% feel “blah” and 18% hate their jobs. Yikes!
I don’t share this to make you even more depressed on your first day back to work from the long holiday weekend.Instead, I’m sharing these statistics in the hopes that if you fall into the “blah” or “hate” categories, you will take this time to embrace and celebrate your rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
We live in a country where we can pursue our ambitions and dreams no matter our backgrounds. Opportunity abounds and most of us are raised to believe that we can achieve anything we want as long as we work hard.
Our desires to be successful and gain material wealth, however, will only get us so far. Our focus on working hard, without considering what makes us happy and satisfied, can lead to burnout and discontent.
No job or career is perfect. There will always be times when you dread the week ahead. But so many have chosen to accept “blah” as a fact of life. Surely this can’t be the American dream.
If you’re suffering from burnout, anxiety and depression related to your career, it’s time to pinpoint the cause and do something about it. What is it that you dread? What would you change if you could? What do you really enjoy and wish you could do more of?
It can be really uncomfortable to look at your “stuff” and be honest about what you love and hate about your career. It can be even scarier to start making changes in an effort to increase your satisfaction.
That’s why so many stay in jobs they hate or end up making a job change just to find themselves in a new environment but dealing with the same old situations.
Having the courage to speak up for what you need and want and staying committed to pursuing a life and career that is deeply satisfying to you is a true act of independence.
Leave a comment below and let me know what freedom in your career means to you.
Here’s to your pursuit of success and happiness!
With love,
Heather