Raewyn Court: Keep working on having a real holiday

Image / CreativaImages

Opinion

But for those who aren’t happy in their jobs, the break could be a good time to work out why

"Where did the year go?" we sigh. Surely this is a good time to pause for breath and reflect back on what we have or haven't achieved in another working year, and to set goals for the coming year?

Yes and no, says Janet Tuck, careers specialist at the Career Clinic. "Reflection on our careers is important at any time because it helps us understand better where we need to focus our energy and attention moving forwards, and it helps us to be more effective in defining 'who we are' or our 'brand' in the job marketplace."

But while end-of-year reflection can be useful because the year is still fresh in our minds, we're often very tired and still busy finishing up work. Tuck says this means our recollections may not be as clear and insightful as we'd like. And though we might be tempted to think of the coming summer holidays as a good opportunity to set new goals for 2016 and work out strategies to improve on performance, Tuck believes this is counterproductive.

"We're often at the end of our mental and physical limits in terms of being able to do our best thinking and work out what we actually need to do in order to be more effective," she says. "Work is increasingly taking over our lives and encroaching into family and rest time for many. Most of us underestimate the impact this is having on our health and general wellbeing."

Tuck says the very best thing we can do on holiday is to have a holiday.

"We need to give our brains as well as our bodies a well-deserved rest by allowing ourselves to wind down, relax and become refreshed. This also means taking a break from technology that links us to our working lives. This is how we actually refuel and re-energise our thinking."

However, for those unhappy at work, Tuck says holidays provide perspective and help us gain an understanding of why things are not working out.

Signs to be aware of include:

* Your skills are under-utilised
* Your organisation is not interested in your career development and goals
* You don't feel challenged by your work
* Your ideas and contributions are not valued
* You've been where you are for a long time
* Your values don't align with the organisation's values
* You are being overlooked for promotions and development opportunities.

Tuck suggests that once you feel well rested, you should allow yourself time to really reflect on your current situation before leaping to action points. "Perhaps grab some paper and simply write answers over several days to two simple questions about your current job: What is working? What is not working? Avoid jumping in to answer the 'Why?' question until you are confident that you understand the 'What?'."

If this brings the realisation that your work situation is untenable and leaves you no option but to change jobs in the New Year, Tuck advises giving careful thought to what needs to change and how you will achieve it. "You need a good understanding of what is important to you moving forwards, what your transferable skills are, and where you want to move to."

And if your top goal for next year is career advancement, you'll need to be proactive.
"Consider taking on projects that require a stretch in terms of your skills, and try to schedule in training and study as these can be very positive for career development and growth," says Tuck. "Talk to your manager about development opportunities and new initiatives that you might be able to get involved in.

"Take a good look at where the growth is happening in your organisation, and see if you can spend time in that area."

For those feeling overwhelmed by the work/life juggle, goals for next year will need to focus on improving the ratio of work to family and leisure time in order to avoid burnout. Tuck says the first hurdle is actually accepting that balance is important to ongoing health and wellbeing.