“Work to become, not to acquire.”
– Elbert Hubbard
In my first year of graduate school, one of the mandatory courses in the counselling psychology program was career counselling. I remember rolling my eyes when I first heard it was a required course.
The reason for my attitude was that I wasn’t interested (at that time) in career counselling, nor did I understand the rationale for why this was a mandatory course in our program.
Within the first hour of the first lecture, though, I quickly changed my opinion. And by the end of the first class, it became clear why this course was necessary for anyone entering the counselling field.
Here’s one way to appreciate the relationship between mental health and one’s career.
There are 168 hours in a week. Sleeping anywhere from six to eight hours per night leaves you with something between 110 – 130 hours, give or take a few hours.
If you have a 40-hour work week, plus a few hours here and there for your commute time, then it’s accurate to say that about one-third of your week is spent on your work.
Now, can you imagine if you hate one-third of your week? If you dread getting up in the morning because of a job that makes you feel stressed and unhappy, can you imagine what experiencing these emotions for almost 50 hours per week might do to your mental health?
What would your mental health be like after 20 years?
Realizing the impact that work can have on your mental health (and your physical health, for that matter) is why addressing the occupation spoke of your Promise Wheel is part of living a balanced life.
Theories to Help You Approach Your Career a Little Differently
Since the early 1900s, various ideas and theories have guided people in choosing a career. Here are a few that I have found useful when the topic comes up in a therapy session.
1. Choose a career based on your personality.
While many factors can influence what you choose to do for work, John Holland believed that your personality was the most important factor. Holland thought that to achieve career satisfaction, you must choose a career that suits your personality.
2. Make a career out of what you’re good at instead of what you’re passionate about.
There’s something to be said about choosing a job based on your passions. But what if you’re not skilled at what you’re passionate about? Or, what if your passion can leave you financially insecure? Choosing a career based on passion can be risky, and it’s important to find a balance between these two factors.
3. Differentiate between what motivates you vs. what makes you satisfied.
Fredrick Herzberg and his colleagues believed different factors influence whether you are satisfied with your job (referred to as motivators) and another set of factors that influence whether you are dissatisfied with your job (referred to as hygiene factor). In other words, even if you are motivated to do your job, you may still be unsatisfied.
4. Your beliefs about yourself influence your career path.
This idea comes from Albert Bandura, a highly influential psychologist who created social learning theory. Simply put, what you believe about yourself will influence your career choices. For example, if you think you are intelligent and capable of doing hard work, you will choose a different career path than someone who believes the opposite about themselves.
Summary
There are a few more career theories that you can find by clicking here. For the next few weeks, I’ll write about each of these ideas in more detail.
Until then, a couple of questions to reflect on: What influenced you to choose the job or career path you’re currently on? Can you relate to any of these theories?
Hoping this post helps you to reflect on your career journey.
Richard