Teach Middle East Magazine Sep - Dec 2020 Issue 1 Volume 8 | Page 49

Personal development
ARE YOU HAVING A MID-CAREER CRISIS?
T
here is certainly a lot of talk
about how difficult teaching
is, but over the years you
have managed to enjoy your
profession with all its challenges, then
suddenly it happens. You start to feel
like there is just something missing, but
you cannot seem to put your finger on it.
You've hit a mid-career crisis. Suddenly
you start questioning everything about
your chosen profession, you do not
want to stay in your position, but you
also do not want to leave. You do not
want a promotion and you are running
low on creative ideas. Here are a few things you can do to get
through your mid-career crisis.
Luckily, you are not alone. Many other
educators have experienced similar
feelings. They are not burnt out, they
have not suddenly started to hate
children, they are simply stuck and
experiencing what can be described
as a mid- Career crisis. How do you
identify a mid-career crisis and what
can you do about it? Sit down and look back, reflect. What
do you think has caused the slump? Is it
stress at work, or is there some deeper
underlying reason that has led to this
state of affairs? Identifying the factors
causing the slump is a prerequisite to
addressing the problem.
Here are a few signs that suggest you
might be having a mid-career crisis: You can rid yourself of that aimless
feeling by setting small targets for
yourself at work. Those would include
finishing a report within a specific time
frame or closing tasks that will help you
regain your confidence and encourage
you to move on to bigger goals.
You are Apathetic
You have no strong emotion about
anything to do with your work or
profession on an ongoing basis.
You debate options, but you
take no action
If you find yourself debating which
next steps to take to improve your
professional life more, but doing
nothing about them, then it is certainly
time to change your behaviour and
start doing something.
You feel like you are
constantly on autopilot
You often catch yourself feeling like
you’re running on autopilot with no
goal in sight. This can be disheartening.
You have lost your joy and
your purpose
You feel like there is no purpose
to what you are doing, and you no
longer enjoy it. The problem with a
mid-career crisis is that you neither
hate or love what you are doing. That
lack of emotion sucks all the joy out
of your days.
Recharging and rejuvenating
Consider taking some time off. Apply
for leave and go on a relaxing holiday
to clear your mind. Alternatively, take a
few days off to stay at home and spend
time with your loved ones. You’ve
worked hard for several years, and
now deserve some time to yourself.
Sometimes a well-deserved break is all
one needs!
Introspection
Setting targets
Doing something new
It is entirely possible that the tedium
of doing the same thing over and over
again for many years, has now led
to disillusionment with your career.
To break the monotony, add some
challenge to your job. Come up with
a new project you can do with your
students or even other members of
staff.
Being ready to take hard
decisions
If, after trying out everything, you are
still unhappy, don’t be afraid to make
a change. Find something better.
Choose what you want to do wisely,
plan and assess well, and take the
plunge. It is better to take a risk in the
hope of future happiness than being
stagnant in misery.
The best way to pull yourself out of a
mid-career crisis is to find a deeper
meaning in what you do. Seek out
fresh challenges, embrace new skills
and find a mentor who can guide
you. Join a professional learning
community and connect with like-
minded professionals.