How To Deal With Depression When You Aren't Happy With Your Career

Whether you work in an office or out on a construction site, it’s not uncommon to feel like you took a wrong turn somewhere and wound up at a dead end. Even worse, we often feel trapped by the same jobs that put food on our tables and a roof over our heads. Given the circumstances, it’s not unusual for people to feel hopeless about their situation.

Depression loves it when people feel like life is making their decisions for them. As a result, an unhappy career sets the stage for depression to take root. It settles in like a slow-moving storm cloud, sapping energy and bringing despair.

In such a situation, it’s important to remember that you still have power. Here are some ways you can deal with depression when you aren’t happy with your career:

Do Some Soul Searching

If you’re unhappy with your career, the best place to start is to understand why. How did you end up where you are now? When was the last time you enjoyed your job—or any job for that matter?

Ask yourself the following questions:

●      What do you dislike about your career? Is it the company, the people, or the work itself?

●      Are there particular tasks or responsibilities that you dread?

●      Is there anything that could make you enjoy your career again?

●      What career would you want, if you could have your pick? Why would you choose that one?

Remember, your goal is to understand your unhappiness, not drown in it.

Focus on Solutions

Once you understand where your issues are, it’s time to start putting together a game plan for how to approach resolving some of those issues on your own terms. That means focusing on what you can do to improve your situation.

●      Do you have any coworkers or supervisors you can safely discuss your issues with?

●      How can you communicate & address your unhappiness in a productive fashion?

●      What steps can you take in your personal life to improve your mental health outside of work?

●      If you were to change careers, what steps would you need to take?

Break complex tasks up into smaller ones. Celebrate any wins you might have on the road to a solution.

Create Work-Life Balance

Your situation at work might not be something you can improve right away. Maybe you’re feeling like you can’t make a change right now or risk shaking things up for financial reasons. In that case, it’s time to put the spotlight back on your life outside your career. This means making a prolonged effort to prioritize your own self-care.

●      Set Strict Limits on Working Hours

●      Carve Out Time for Personal Hobbies

●      Get Out into the Sunlight

●      Cut Back on Television & Phones at Bedtime

●      Limit Your Exposure to Social Media

All of these are steps you can do to love yourself regardless of where you’re at it in life. Taking care of yourself is a good way to remind yourself just how much power and agency you have in life. You’re more than your career.

Growth & Development

When you’re feeling stuck, exploring new skills is a good way to get back on track. Consider looking into online classes or hobby groups as a way of furthering your skills. It may help you gain confidence to donate time & knowledge to a non-profit or charity.

Look for Support

It might be time for you to think outside the box when it comes to moving your career forward. Do you know anyone else in your field who can give you advice? Perhaps you know someone who dove into a new career late in life. Start reaching out to people—you might be surprised how willing they are to help.

As a licensed therapist, I am skilled at helping people navigate life transitions such as changing careers. Reach out to me when you are ready to start this new chapter.