How to beat the 'back to work' blues
Have you been away yet this year? Or planning a summer break but dreading the 'back to work' blues?
I’m just back from 10 days away with my family, and whilst I do miss the lovely weather, beautiful scenery and quality time with my loved ones, I am also excited to get back to the work I love. Which got me thinking about how things used to be…
I really do remember that sinking feeling of returning to the office after a glorious week or two of sea, sand and sunset cocktails, and just wanting to cry 😭
It was like putting on a mask back on, where I had to leave the ‘real’ me at home and go back to the old ’work’ me again. But that was normality back then, I thought that was just what you had to do. You got to have your couple of weeks of freedom and fun each year, and then you had to put that to one side and get back in the rat race, because that’s what everyone does.
My daughter with the most excited ‘lolly’ face I’ve ever seen 🍦
Now looking back, I can see exactly why I felt so misaligned between 'real' me and 'work' me. Taking time off had allowed me to explore and live out some of the values which were most important to me, such as freedom, adventure, connection and family. But at the time I had no idea what my values really were and why it was SO important that I find a new career which was more closely aligned with them. It’s one of the key things you need to do in order to enjoy your work more.
So if you’re feeling unhappy at work and missing those heady days of holiday freedom, then take 10 minutes to really think about what you miss most from that time:
Was it the chance to spend more quality time with your loved ones?
Was it that you got to do a new and exciting activity each day?
Or did you love the fact that you could set your own hours and do what you wanted without being answerable to your boss?
List them out and think about what values they might represent. Spending more time with friends might show that you have a strong value for community. Being able to go sightseeing and learn about a new culture might reflect values of learning and inspiration.
As you dig a bit deeper into which aspects you miss and what values they represent, you can also think about how to bring more of them into your day to day life now. How could you introduce, for example, a bit more adventure, creativity or fun into your daily life and work?
Remember, you don't have to keep waiting to live your most authentic life. You can get started today.
Speak soon,
Juliette
Time for a career spring clean? 🌱
Spring is here and a time for new beginnings. So has this got you thinking about dusting off your CV and taking on a new project, going for that promotion, or even considering doing something entirely new?
If so, then a career coach is in the perfect position to help you make those decisions (well I would say that wouldn’t I?). But how do you know if hiring a 1:1 coach is the right option for you? And if so, how do you go about finding the perfect one when there are so many coaches out there?
Well I’ve written this little two part guide to help you figure it all out. In part one, I’ll share my tips for deciding if 1:1 coaching is right for you and in part two, how to choose the right career coach. So here we go...
Part 1: Do I need 1:1 coaching? Ask yourself the following questions:
1. Do you prefer an experience that is tailored to you and your specific needs?
Perhaps in the past you’ve done a course or read a book and you loved some of the material but not all of it was relevant to you. Or perhaps you’ve been in a group or a class situation where you learned some general information on the topic but felt like you didn’t get quite enough attention from the tutor or the coach about your particular issues. If you recognise either of these situations, then it could be a sign that working 1:1 with someone is what you really need, because the whole experience is then tailored to your needs and you won’t waste any more time. It can be a great option if you want to see results FAST!
2. Would you benefit from some extra accountability?
Do you need someone who is going to guide you through that a process of change? This doesn’t mean that they do the work for you of course, but do you want someone who can encourage you, support you and also gently challenge you when you need it? When you work with a 1:1 coach, you book regular sessions to check in with them and often you can also email them in between if you have any extra questions or need some encouragement. This additional accountability can make a huge difference towards achieving your goals.
3. Do you want a clear and personalised action plan?
This is the sort of plan which shows you exactly what your personal version of success looks like and the steps you need to take to get there. With 1:1 coaching, you usually come away from each session with specific action steps or reflection points, so that you know exactly what you need to go and do or think about next. Are you the kind of person this would appeal to?
Ok so I hope those questions helped to clarify your thoughts, and in part 2 of this ‘Spring clean your career’ mini guide with some additional tips for helping you choose the right career coach.
Why I created my online career change course
The next round of The Career Change Formula is coming up soon, and I wanted to share with you why I created this online programme.
Six years ago I started my career coaching business. I went part time in my old job at first, seeing clients on the days I had free. I started to get a sense of the clients I loved to work with and who loved to work with me.
They were mostly mid-career women, some with kids and some without, who were incredibly hard working, and had a lot to offer their organisations and the industries they worked in.
They also really wanted to make a difference and find work that they cared deeply about, as well as creating a better work life balance for themselves and their loved ones.
However, they were often plagued by self-doubt and lack of confidence. They weren't making time to go after their dreams, their potential wasn't being recognised at work and they weren't finding ways to express and share their ideas.
And this was hard to see as a Coach. And as a woman. Because there were many clients, and indeed friends of mine, who were in a similar situation.
And I recognised it in myself too. The self-doubt at times, the negative inner voices, and the holding back from going after deeply held goals and dreams.
So I decided to really niche in to working with women who want to find meaningful work they love.
I ended up broadening the scope of what I worked on with clients, so that we considered their lives and careers as a whole.
My 1:1 programme took them along series of steps which look deeply at who the client is, what their values and strengths are and what gives them a sense of purpose. They also work on how to build their self-confidence and lean on their most 'powerful self'.
And I lengthened the amount of time we spent working together, because a career change and self-discovery journey takes time and reflection, and isn't something that can be 'fixed' in a handful of sessions.
A few years in, I was getting more and more feedback from women saying that they would love to work with me 1:1 but really struggled with finding the time and juggling everything else in their busy lives.
So I started to wonder if I could create a self-study online version of my programme especially for them, which offered more flexibility and still gave them the coaching support from me which is so crucial to staying on track and working through any obstacles along the way.
And so The Career Coaching Formula was born! A 12 week online course which you can study at your own pace fitting it around your job, kids or general busy life. And crucially it includes access to a closed Facebook support group for people on the course, where you can ask me questions and also network with other participants on a similar career change journey.
Over the next two weeks I'll be talking more in-depth about what's included and how it all works, so stay tuned! xx
