I'm 37, I have 29 years still to work; after that, I have 19 years left to live.
So the stats say; that's why I choose a job and lifestyle I enjoy.
In the past five years, I've met lots of people – especially fellow millennials – who are moderately or even deeply dissatisfied with their work and way of life.
The most common reasons: too many hours, too much stress, not enough challenge, not enough flexibility, chose the wrong career path, don’t like where they live.
This has a detrimental effect on other areas of their life: physical and mental health, romantic relationships, parenthood, friendships, hobbies and interests.
Most of the people who’ve shared this with me are fortunate enough to have the means to change career path, or relocate, yet few have taken that bold leap.
When I went freelance and moved to Antigua in 2019, I had no dependents or financial ties to worry about. Many of my peers have kids and own homes, which makes a change of career or location harder – but not impossible.
On the one hand, 29 years is plenty of time to change. What’s the rush?
On the other hand, it’s not going to get easier to change as you get older.
You’re increasingly going to have to deal with the disruption of life events: marriage, mortgage, births, children’s exams, deaths in the family, ailing pets, health issues; and ageism, which absurdly seems to affect people as young as 50.
What you can be fairly sure of is: if you stick in a job you don’t enjoy and change nothing, you’re unlikely to become more satisfied. Imagine the cumulative impact 29 more years of low level stress and anxiety will have on your mental health alone...
I get it, it’s hard to rationalise the fact life feels both long and short. That’s why people so often defer enjoyment to retirement, then on their deathbed regret they didn’t enjoy themselves more when they were younger and fitter.
My dad had a traditional career as a chartered surveyor before making a bold entrepreneurial pivot acquiring Protector Lamp, a business founded to keep coal miners safe, which now transports the Olympic Flame. It wasn’t easy, but he ultimately achieved the lifestyle he wanted for him and his family.
I remember him advising me when I was a teenager. Clearly I took it to heart, given I’ve already made two big career transitions: from British Army officer, to employee 15 at tech startup Deliveroo, to running my own business from a Caribbean island.
You can plan and defer all you want, but all you control is your actions now. If your job's getting you down, why tolerate it and struggle on for two or three more decades?
You owe it to yourself to make a change for the better. Don't just quit tomorrow, that would be rash, but here's a few things you could start right now:
Reflect on your purpose – check out my reading list for inspiration
Research alternative jobs/careers – check out my job opportunities and job boards
Craft a compelling personal brand, to attract and create work opportunities
Expand your network, both professionally and personally, online and in-person
Seek career and life advice (remembering loved ones don’t always know best!)
Job dissatisfaction is a major cause of poor mental health, and one you have more control over than most. If work’s getting you down, make a change.
Members: join us in the chat to share your experience and ask advice from your peers.
