“That’s it — I’m DONE.”
You’ve said it to yourself hundreds of times. You’ve sworn to quit over and over again — next week, or next month. And then… you’ve cooled off, decided it probably isn’t as bad as you’re making it out to be, and continued on.
Procrastinating on your career transformation is very common, even if you truly, madly, deeply hate your job. (Any Savage Garden fans out there?) So let’s explore what leads to career change procrastination and some tips to help overcome it.
In a hurry? Use the links below to jump to the sections you’re most interested in:
3 Reasons You’re Procrastinating On Your Career Transformation
2. You May Struggle With Self-Doubt Or Fear
3. You Can Picture The Outcome, But Not The Process
3 Questions (And 10 Sub-Questions!) To Examine Your Procrastination
1. Is Career Transformation A High Priority For You?
2. Is Your Procrastination Really Burnout In Disguise?
3. Are You Rewarding And Celebrating Your Career Change Progress?
3 Reasons You’re Procrastinating On Your Career Transformation
Do any of these sound familiar?
1. You Put Yourself Last
Somewhere between rage-quitting and staying in this career forever, there’s a middle ground. A place where you move past “I hate this” and get clear on what exactly you’re struggling with — and what you really want from your career.
But who has the time? Or the energy?
In the corporate world, you always do what others need from you — no questions asked. But when you need something for yourself… well, forget it.
Self-care is a buzzword that has no place in your life. Maybe once a month you slap on a “rejuvenating” face mask while you catch up in Slack or Teams. Relaxing, huh?
2. You May Struggle With Self-Doubt Or Fear
Is it possible that one reason you can’t find energy or time for your career goals is …
… you don’t really think you can do better than this?
To discover, choose, and plan a more intentional path, you first have to acknowledge that you deserve a fulfilling career. One that doesn’t cause daily panic, dread, and burnout.
That acknowledgment might feel harder than rage-quitting. It might BE harder than rage-quitting. But building your self-worth helps you see your wants and needs as true priorities, instead of just another chore.
3. You Can Picture The Outcome, But Not The Process
You wake up relaxed and ready to take the day at your own pace. Each day passes quickly — not because it’s too jam-packed, but because you’re invested in the work. You can unplug on the weekends without worrying about projects or teams falling apart.
At times, you can really picture yourself in a better career. But how do you get from point A — feeling exhausted and trapped — to point B — a satisfying job?
You don’t know. And because you don’t even know where to begin, you give up and go back to survival mode. So that peaceful dream will have to wait.
3 Questions (And 10 Sub-Questions!) To Examine Your Procrastination
Just like everyone’s ideal career is different, each person may need slightly different approaches to tackling procrastination. That’s especially true for neurodivergent minds!
So if the examples below don’t describe your challenges, let me know — I want to hear from you! And this won’t be the last time we talk about procrastination.
1. Is Career Transformation A High Priority For You?
This is more than just whether you want to do it.
It’s about whether you can reasonably deal with it right now.
The only person who owns your timeline and your priorities is you. So if other things in your life right now take precedence over a career pivot, that’s 100% ok.
In that case, you might be procrastinating simply because this isn’t the time for you to take on a new career challenge.
Consider asking yourself:
- What are my top 5 priorities in life right now?
- Examples include family, relationships, friendships, major projects or events (moving, homebuying, renovations, vacations, big parties, weddings), hobbies, exercise, relaxation, personal development… oh, and your career, somewhere in there!
- If my career doesn’t show up in the top 5, do I WANT it to be there?
- If so, what would I be willing to deprioritize to do that? Is that a good choice for me?
- If not, what’s leading me to believe that I “should” be taking action on it?
If you could use some help organizing your priorities, click here to check out The Career Clarity Workbook ($37)!
2. Is Your Career Change Procrastination Really Burnout In Disguise?
The thing about burnout is that you have nothing left to give. It’s the feeling is that if one more task ends up on your plate or one more problem shows up, you’ll be unable to handle it.
Not in a “smile and do it anyway” way, the way you always do. This time, you may react uncharacteristically.
Maybe you’ll “drop the ball” on purpose and hope for some grace.
Maybe you’ll outright refuse or even lash out in response.
Maybe you’ll lie, even just a little bit, to avoid the new thing.
Or maybe you won’t even acknowledge the issue.
If you don’t address burnout, you won’t be able to move through it. And that means you won’t be able to prioritize new things — such as overhauling your career.
If this sounds like you, ask yourself:
- What do I need most right now?
- Try asking yourself more than once. At burnout, your first response might be “I don’t know” or “A vacation” or “A new job.” But keep asking.
- What is within my control?
- Again — at first, you may feel like nothing is. But keep exploring. Grab a journal or start a voice memo and say whatever comes to mind. Finding things within your control helps highlight possibilities.
- What support could help alleviate my stress?
- I always felt like everything was on my shoulders and my responsibility alone to deal with. But burnout is common and you may have more support than you think, both in and outside of work.
- What practices of rest are most restorative for me personally?
- Self-help articles can fall flat here because generic suggestions don’t take your uniqueness into account. You might hate yoga classes and hot tea. So instead of Googling “how to rest,” consider what actually relaxes YOU.
3. Are You Rewarding And Celebrating Your Career Change Progress?
You might already know how it feels to have your hard work go unnoticed by your colleagues or boss. So don’t do that to yourself!
Instead, ask yourself…
- What’s your definition of progress?
- Do you acknowledge the baby steps or stay restless until you hit your goals?
- Discovering you need a change is progress. Reading articles about career transformation is progress. Asking yourself tough questions about what’s getting in your way is progress.
- If you’re waiting to celebrate until the day you put in your notice, you’re missing opportunities to acknowledge how far you’ve come.
- Are you comfortable with celebrating your progress?
- If you think your procrastination could be partly due to low self-worth, it’s probably a factor in your difficulty with celebrating yourself, too.
- BTW, “celebrating” doesn’t have to mean throwing a huge party or going on vacation. But I’d suggest you make it bigger than, say, a warm scone. Yeah, I really tried to pass that off as a celebration once.
The Bottom Line: Career Change Procrastination Is Not Failure
Your procrastination is not a reflection of your character, your worth, or your success. It’s a fact of life.
But examining the cause is a smart way to reclaim your progress.
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