Has being on holiday made you want to change your job?
When I was studying Human Resource Managment some years ago I recall the lecturer on the recruitment module telling us that there is a surge in people looking for new jobs in January each year – new year /new start – and when they come back from their summer holiday. If that is still the case then recruitment agencies and online sites should be getting prepared.
According to the Telegraph today new research from the Institute of Leadership and Management shows that 4 in 10 people return from their holidays more stressed than when they went away. Even those who do like their jobs would be hard pressed to ignore the impact of taking a break away from their desk if this is true!
There is something about the “summer holiday” that focuses the mind. The planning and talking about it and preparing for it and hoping it will be fabulous all comes as part of the deal ( otherwise why bother). But this often leads to extra work pressures to have things up to date before you to. And then – as the research shows – wondering what horrors might be waiting for you in your inbox when you get back. In an ideal world someone will be “covering” for you but in reality there is a limit to what a colleague can do either because they don’t have the time – or they don’t have the skills/knowledge.
So while you are relaxing on the beach or taking things at a gentle pace it is not surprising that comparing this with your normal day to day life might throw up the negatives that you don’t have time to think about back home. And little wonder that when people get back to their desk after taking time for themselves to find that they are busier than ever that they reach for the job ads.
This is actually the time to take a step back for a moment. You have had an opportunity to take yourself out of your usual situation and have had time to think. We undervalue taking time for thinking and reflection – which can really help in keeping things in perspective.
If it really feels like you cannot go on in your current job why not find someone to talk through how you are feeling . You may have a friend who is great at asking questions and – crucially – listening to the answers rather than stepping in to try to “sort” things for you. If not why not get in touch and I can explain how coaching could help.
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I think you’ve hit the nail on the head Jackie with the fact that holidays provide that time to think and be reflective.
The number of relationships which breakup during or after a holiday period is also well known – the enforced spending time together and other factors often playing their part.
How to make holidays into a time of pleasure rather than pain might be a useful workshop
I was just reading something about ‘top of mind thinking’ that probably relates to this. When you feel you have a break from deadlines different things drift to the top specially at a time when you have the freedom to contemplate. I think coaching is a great suggestion for folks who aren’t sure they want to keep moving in the same old direction. An outside, impartial ear can really help you evaluate a situation.
Of course, for me I sometimes think it’s not the vacation that gets me thinking about moving on, but the returning that is so often so unpleasant. Nothing like a nice in-box stack to ruin the day.
Now there’s an idea! Thanks for the comment, Jackie
Yes indeed Fred – I remember the “night before going back to work after a holiday” dread.
Obviously I would say this – it being my business and all – but coaching questions can be very powerful in helping people when they” can’t see the wood for the trees”. There are some people out there of course who do this intuitively without branding themselves as a coach and we are blessed when we have someone like that in our lives!
How very true Jackie. Taking holidays is a wonderful thing to do. Maybe one reason is that getting out of the busy busy syndrome allows us to get in touch with our subconscious minds where our values and beliefs reside. If we are not doing things in harmony with our values and beliefs then it is time to move on.
Oh I totally agree John…but as you and I both know many people either don’t have a clear idea of what their values and beliefs are or are too afraid to make the change. Thanks for the comment.
you should always be careful with recruitment agencies because some of them are just scammers -:;
That’s an interesting comment. I have to say that I have never encountered an agency that was anything less than professional but I am guessing you have had a different experience!