Happy New Year everyone! It’s a new year, a new term and a fresh start. The long slog of Autumn is behind you and you’re ready to hit the ground running.
Or are you?
Sure, for some us the Autumn term is always the worst and we breathe a sigh of relief just knowing that it’s over. But for others, the thought of going back to work and picking up where we left off is enough to have us hiding under our desks, wishing that we had just a few more days of lie-ins and Netflix shows to binge on.
So, how do you know if this is just the normal ‘January blues’ or whether the New Year has magnified all the negative thoughts, feelings and anxieties that you have about your job for the other 11 months of the year?
To help you figure out how you really feel about your job and whether you should consider a change, I’ve put together the below guide to help you pinpoint exactly how you feel, why you feel that way and what you can do about it.
Your Job
First of all, think about how your job makes you feel. It doesn’t matter if you work for the best school in the world if you don’t actually enjoy what you do.
When someone asks you about your job, how do you answer? What language do you use when you talk about what you do with your friends, your family or your partner? Thinking about how you describe your job to other people is a good way to get an insight into how you really feel deep down.
When you think about the actual nitty-gritty of your to-do list, how much of what you do, do you actually enjoy? Sure, some of the specifics may not be glamorous or exciting but does the sense of accomplishment you get from a job well done make it all worthwhile?
We all know that the job of SBL comes with many challenges, work/life balance being a critical one. I maintain that this is not a science – it’s different for everyone and we all have different tolerances and mechanisms to keep things as balanced as we can. But if you feel like you’re constantly out of balance or you’re heading for burn out, then that’s something you can’t ignore. If this is something you’re struggling with, consider where these pressures and expectations are coming from and whether there’s anything you can do to shift things to a more positive and healthy place.
Where You Work
Now spend some time thinking about where your work. You might still be in love with your job but you’re just not working for the right organisation and it’s time for a change.
Earlier, I said how you speak about your job to others can give you an idea as to how you really feel. Now think about how you speak to others about your school. Are you proud to tell people where you work? Would you recommend that someone apply for a job there?
Now think about your line manager and your colleagues. Do you have good relationships with them? Are interactions positive, supportive and respectful? You don’t have to be BFFs with everyone but considering how much of your life you spend at work, it’s important that overall, your relationships are healthy and are not having a negative impact on you.
What about the opportunities you have at work? Does your organisation recognise the skills you have and the great work that you do? If you don’t feel supported, recognised or invested in, then this is bound to affect how you not only view your role but also your organisation.
What Should You Do?
If any of the above has hit a nerve, then consider these questions:
- How long have I been feeling negatively about my job?
- Where does the bad feeling come from?
- Is this a temporary situation and is change on the horizon?
- Does where I work impact on how I feel about my role and whether I feel I can do it well?
- Does my relationship with my line manager or colleagues negatively affect me in my role and is there anything I can do about that?
- Do I control my work schedule or is it controlling me?
- What changes can I make to my role or the way that I work to make things better for myself?
- What aspirations do I have for the future and do I feel supported to achieve them?
- Do I need support to improve my situation and if so, where can I find it?
- Is this really the job and/or organisation for me and if not, is it time to make a change?
You might have read this article and decided that you’re absolutely in the right job and working at the right school. If so, congratulations! Know that these ‘January blues’ will pass and that you’re on the right path.
But if you’ve read this and you’ve found yourself muttering to yourself in exasperation, then there’s really only one thing for it. Use your reflections and newfound clarity to create a plan. It could be a change plan, an exit plan or a career plan. It doesn’t matter if it’s finely detailed or broad brushstrokes and it doesn’t matter if it’s a six-week plan or a six-month plan. Just know that by taking action you will not only move forward, you will empower yourself to achieve the job satisfaction you deserve.
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Written for: Education Executive Magazine (@edexec)
