Lessons from The Great Resignation
Written by Kendall Bergman
What can I say? It is my opinion that The Great Resignation was inevitable and has been years in the making. I think the pandemic we’ve been experiencing for almost 2 years has shed a light on the fact that many of us have been overworked, under-appreciated and generally dissatisfied with our jobs for a while.
All the articles I read on the topic contained a similar thread. The pandemic has had a domino effect for the workforce. Mandated work-from-home, increased demand and workloads (specifically in the technology and healthcare-related industries), isolation, children staying home and doing school online, spouses and families navigating shared work spaces, and the list goes on and on and on. The overall impact has led to feelings of overwhelm and burnout.
People have begun to ask themselves more existential questions. What’s the point? Am I making a difference? Is this what life is all about? The fact is that life is too short to feel stuck in a job that is truly unfulfilling. Not to mention the toxicity that accompanies so many organizations where executive leadership isn’t trusted, the workers don’t feel supported and a lack of clear vision is persistent.
Months into the pandemic I found myself at a crossroads. I was working at a large cancer non-profit and was experiencing a lot of what has been previously described. I was working from home, putting in extended hours, overwhelmed by an ever-growing list of responsibilities, feeling constantly confused by frequently shifting priorities, and generally stuck in a position that was becoming increasingly dissatisfying. I was angry, frustrated and scared.
Thankfully, I was able to leave of my own choice and dream about what might be possible. The Discovery Well was born, and I haven’t looked back.
I know it’s simply not possible for everyone to leave their job and immediately follow their bliss, but I believe there are practical actions you can take as you discern the next best step for you, whether that means you remain in your current position or you move on to something new. I invite you to think about a few things:
Determine whether you are thriving or surviving. If you are thriving and experiencing fulfillment in certain areas of your life, count yourself fortunate. If you mostly feel overwhelmed as though you are merely surviving, there is room for you to consider a slight shift.
Take the time to mindfully, even prayerfully, discern what a slight shift might look like. If you must stay in your current job, there are still actions you can take to improve your outlook and overall sense of well-being.
Update your resume.
Work on your LinkedIn profile.
Consider polishing up your soft skills. Participate in a workshop; take a course; join a networking organization, etc.
Identify your personal values and ensure that your decisions are aligned with them. Integrity is built from here.
Grow in your self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
Practice treating others the way you want to be treated.
Take responsibility and own your current circumstance.
Change is possible and even a slight shift in reality or perspective can be sustainably transformative.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. I am happy to have a conversation with you to discover if coaching might be the right next step for you. Feel free to schedule a free consultation here: https://kendallbergman.as.me/introcall. Or email kendall@thediscoverywell.com.