There was likely a time when you were excited about your career choice. You thought you were making the right decision and setting a successful path toward your future.
But, if you’ve been in your current career for a while and you’re starting to regret your decision, know you’re not alone. It’s not always easy to ensure you’ve picked the “right” career, whether you’re immediately out of high school or college. It’s a big decision to make and can sometimes create a lot of unnecessary pressure.
Sometimes, changing careers is the best option. That’s especially true if you’re dealing with a toxic work environment. Other times, however, changing your mindset about your career and life, in general, can make a big difference in helping you feel less depressed.
Changing your mindset doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming. Let’s cover a few tips that can help you deal with — and potentially overcome — depression about your career choice.
How You Can Tell Your Depression Stems From Your Career Choice
Depression is one of the most common mental health issues in the world. It can be caused or triggered by a variety of things. Getting to the underlying cause of your depression is often the first step in learning how to manage it.
So, how can you be sure your career choices is what’s contributing to your feelings of sadness and hopelessness?
Think about how much stress you feel when you’re at work. Do you feel like it’s a struggle to put effort into your job each day? Maybe you even resent having to go into your place of business, and tend to distance yourself from co-workers and colleagues.
Career depression can also cause you to burn out. Those feelings can easily carry over into your personal life, and you can feel depressed more often than not, even when you’re not on the clock.
Do these issues sound familiar? If so, don’t give up just yet.
Focus On Your Free Time
One of the best ways to change your mindset about your career is to establish a healthy work-life balance, and find things in your free time that help to combat depression. Get involved in hobbies you enjoy. Take a class. Do things with friends or family members that you can look forward to.
It’s easy for thoughts about your career to completely take over your mind when you’re dealing with depression from it. By recognizing that your career is only one part of your life, you can shift your mindset and go into work each day with a positive attitude.
Be Proactive
Consider the things about your career that are causing you to feel sad and hopeless. Are your hours too demanding? Are certain co-workers making the job unbearable? Maybe you just need a change of scenery from a small office cubicle.
When you have a better idea of what’s causing the depression, you can work with your employer to take active steps to fix it. That might include a more flexible schedule or a different office.
In today’s world, many employers understand the importance of employee mental health. Don’t be afraid to speak up and express your needs.
Practice Self-Care
Self-care can take many forms. Whether it’s regularly exercising, prioritizing sleep, eating a healthy diet, or doing things to manage your mental health, self-care can improve your mindset, keep you focused on the present, and make it easier to let go of the weight of depression in your daily life.
Things like journaling, mindfulness, and meditation are all wonderful ways to prioritize your mental well-being. You can do these things for just a few minutes each day, and they can make a big difference in how you see yourself in your career.
Reach out to learn more about depression therapy and how we can help support you.