 End of year performance reviews...it's a process that many employees dread. In a lot of companies, setting goals and assessing progress on those goals occurs as a "check-box exercise".
While it's true that there may be very little guidance to help you set meaningful goals, the real missed opportunity is in not taking ownership of managing your career. One of my most memorable coaches was famous for saying "Be the CEO of YOU". I'd never considered this concept before AND I never forgot it. What if you look at your life as you would a business? You are the CEO of your life and you get to decide how you want to develop it, run it and the impact you want it to have. You get to be in the C-suite and this responsibility includes directing your career. How often do you check-in and reflect on your career? Are you actively engaged in managing it and charting your course or are you simply living and working on the default setting? I encourage you to be proactive (rather than reactive) as it relates to your career. What are your reasons for doing the work that you do? Whether you're employed or self-employed, are your core values a match for the values of the company that you work for? If you had to choose all over again, would you choose the work that you're doing? It is definitely worth the time and energy to pause and reflect on your career. Where are you now? Where do you want to be in the next 1-10 years? Are you moving in that general direction or have you wandered off track? Keep in mind that what you wanted at the start of your career may not be what you want at this stage of your life. Your career can be a vehicle for growth. Professional development is more than just continuing education credits. It should support the goals you've set for yourself and allow you to stay engaged and excited about your work. But, the temptation is to stay comfortable. With growth comes change and that usually means some level of discomfort is required. Stretching and growing when faced with welcome and unwelcome challenges can lead to developing new skills and reimagining your career. If you've set your career development to autopilot, it's time to get behind the wheel and decide where it is you want to go. Don't worry if your immediate answer is I don't know. I suggest starting with a blank piece of paper and a pen and jot down what's important to you about work. What natural strengths and talents do you have that you can leverage within your career? What elements of your current work bring you joy? What consistent positive feedback do you get from others that may provide some insight into the value you contribute to the workplace? For example, I've noticed that the words "approachable" and "calm" are often used by my peers and customers to describe me. This was true in both my former and current organizations. I now claim my ability to help others feel a sense of calm as one of my superpowers. Once you have a better sense of what you want, write down 1-3 goals that you want to pursue that will move you in the direction of your ultimate career goals. Then, create a ritual where you conduct a quarterly review to evaluate your progress. Bonus points for scheduling a monthly check-in to celebrate mini-milestones you've hit along the way. I think this is a topic that isn't talked about enough, especially for professional women. If this is an area that you'd like to learn more about (future articles with practical tips, strategies and resources), let me know in the comments below or send me a note at [email protected].
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 Busy seasons. I don't know where I first heard this term, but I understood what it meant. Those periods of life you find yourself in where you're really busy at work...at home...and everywhere in between.
Although at times it began to feel unmanageable, you knew that it was temporary. It was just a busy season. Fast forward and it seems that most people I talk to are living busy lives perpetually, not just for a season. Constant busyness has become the norm and is often worn as a badge of honor. At other times it feels like this is just the way it is and we have absolutely no control over it. But in the midst of all that life has to offer, there are times when it is necessary to step out of the chaos and busyness and take a break. I call this the power of pressing pause. I want to share 3 signs with you that may mean it's time to press the pause button. 1. When you're in overwhelm I always think of Alice in Wonderland falling down the rabbit hole. That's what it feels when I'm in overwhelm. That I somehow landed there without really knowing what happened. It may show up as missed deadlines, a sense that there's too much on your plate or an avoidance of people or messages. Essentially it feels like there is way too much to handle and you don't know where (or how) to start. The first step is recognizing where you are. The next step is hitting the pause button to take the time to download all of the thoughts swirling around in your head and get them down onto paper. You can then decide what you choose to get done now, what can wait and what can be permanently deleted. 2. When you're faced with an important decision Struggling with a big decision can be anxiety-provoking. You put so much pressure on yourself to make the right decision. So much so that you may put off making the decision for days, weeks, months or indefinitely. The problem is when you avoid making a decision, it will sometimes be made for you (in essence you're deciding to allow someone else to make it for you). And on the flip side, if you rush to make a decision, you may be dissatisfied with not just the outcome, but your reasons for making it in the first place. Pressing pause when you are faced with a big decision can create the space needed to reflect and get clearer on the options available. Making a decision from a place of clarity and confidence is always better than making one out of confusion and desperation. 3. When you're grieving Change, no matter how welcome or unwelcome, can bring stress along for the ride. It can signal loss...of the way things were...of opportunities that never come to be...and of expectations that are not met. Whether it's the unexpected news of the health challenges of a loved one, the injustices in the world reported by the media or a sense of loss of work that was once fulfilling, dealing with loss feels hard. The grieving process brings with it many emotions that shift and change from moment to moment. In these situations it is valuable to press pause to make room for the emotions to ebb and flow. To open up to them rather than resist them, fight with them or ignore them. To breathe into them and be with them for as long as they need to be here. To ask for help when you're struggling. To find that small still place of refuge that lies within you and to hear the soft inner voice of wisdom. In each of the situations above, pressing pause also allows for discernment. Time and space to figure out what you have control over and what you don't. Breathing room to ask yourself what you need most in this moment and to listen for the answers. A reprieve to choose how you can honor and meet your own needs (prioritizing self-care, asking for help). The length of your pause is not as important as the courageous act of acknowledging that you need one and taking action to press the button. There is so much power in the pause. And when used strategically, it can serve to support you on your journey. So what is your sign that tells you it's time to press pause? Share it with me in the comments below.  We're halfway through March which means the first quarter of the year will be over in just over 2 weeks.
Remember those goals that you set at the start of the year...how is it going? Are you making progress? If you just thought to yourself "What goals?", it's not too late to revisit them and get back on track. Here are a few tips to help you hit the reset button: Start with clarity
Explore options without editing
Make them visible
Break them down
Find accountability and support
So, take advantage of this reminder to bring focus back to your goals. And if you didn't set any at the beginning of the year, this is your opportunity to set a few meaningful goals to help you chart your course this year. What strategies do you use to stay on track and make meaningful progress towards your goals? |
Life Beyond Clinical Practice with Dr. Michelle Bailey
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Hi, I'm Dr. Michelle Bailey.
I help physicians who are unhappy or unsatisfied with their current career find a nonclinical career that they love. Retiring early from clinical practice after almost 20 years as a board-certified pediatrician I successfully made the leap and transitioned to a nonclinical career. I'm thriving in my new career and am on a mission to help other physicians do the same with the support, guidance, and community that I wish I had when I was struggling with this decision. You're invited to connect with me in my private Facebook community for physicians to learn about all things related to your nonclinical career transition. Join here. |
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