Transitioning to a new career in the middle of a pandemic is both exciting and nerve-racking. It may be that you lost your old job and you have the chance to start over, or the lockdown allowed you to find your true passion. Regardless of your reason, you realize that pursuing a different profession isn’t always smooth sailing. The good news is that you can take steps to ensure that you’ll be off to a good start.
You may be a lawyer-turned-baker, a graphic-artist-turned-teacher, or an office secretary-turned-business owner. Whatever specific boat you find yourself in, there are fundamental measures you can apply to your journey to minimize risks and open opportunities for success.
Create a Transition Period
Perhaps your gut instinct tells you to dive into your new profession at once. Buy all the necessary equipment, polish your portfolio, and set the momentum going as soon as possible before your doubts stop you. After all, isn’t analysis paralysis the worst enemy of people making significant leaps in their lives?
However, the one thing worse than analysis paralysis is neglecting to pause altogether to analyze your situation and create a strategy. Most people forget that they must also give their minds, bodies, and emotions time to acclimatize to this new venture. Give yourself a set time period–preferably two weeks to a month–to get yourself fully prepared.
This means equipping yourself with the right knowledge, tools, and connections to succeed in your industry. You might discover courses and workshops you can take that will look good on your resume, and in the process of educating yourself, you might meet people who can open doors for you.
If, during this time, you feel that this might not be your niche, try another career path. A transition period is necessary to make sure of where you’re headed, and you can make the right mental and emotional investments before you begin.
Your Environment Matters
A new career warrants a new working environment. For some, this might mean redecorating their house and turning a guest room into an office. For others, this might necessitate looking into house and land packages to mark a new beginning. Depending on your personality, preferences, and career direction, setting the right environment could either be a big project or a small one. What’s important is that it helps you stay productive, motivated, and hopeful for your new beginning.
Once you’re settled into your new Melbourne home or redecorated home, focus on getting your environment right. Never underestimate the power of a wisely designed home office because it can make a difference to your mood and stress levels. Choose a room with big windows so that you can use natural light during the daytime and boost your optimism.
Ensure that you have every necessary equipment you’ll need based on the kind of work you’re doing. Above all, make it a habit to de-clutter. It doesn’t matter if you’re a minimalist or a maximalist because clutter can ruin both aesthetics and give you unnecessary stress in your work.
Be as Realistic as Possible
Setting realistic goals and timelines is where a lot of people tend to go wrong. It’s possible to become so enthusiastic and overly optimistic that you fail to see your own limitations. This is especially true during the pandemic when economies fluctuate, and the evolving coronavirus situation still worsens. You’ll want to take into account not only your personal strengths and weaknesses but the external factors that could impact your progress.
Realistic goals are achievable goals. They’re balanced estimates of what you want to achieve combined with your capacity to achieve them. Setting the right ones accomplishes two things for you. First, you prevent discouragement by ensuring that you can tick off your list and even surpass them. Second, you challenge yourself just enough to do more and be more without aiming for perfection.
Transitioning to a profession you’ve never done before in an industry that’s new to you will take time and plenty of caution. Realistic goals and expectations will guide your pace and progress.
Take Care of Your Other Sources
You’ll rarely make as much money in your new career as you did with your old one. If your transition means leaving behind your day job completely, make sure that you have other income sources. The worst thing that can happen is for you to risk your financial security in a profession that won’t pay off when you need it to. Maintaining other income sources through investments and side-jobs will guarantee that you can fund your exploits without compromising the quality of your lifestyle.
Only time will tell whether you made the right move or not at the end of the day. What’s for sure is that some find the perfect career for them early in life, while others encounter theirs only when they’re older. Go with a job that gives you a sense of fulfillment, and whether it makes you rich (remember your other sources) or not, what matters is that it’s something you love doing.
