How do you feel about going back to the way it was before the pandemic?

If you are like a lot of people, you don’t want to go back to that way of life. Sure, you are looking forward to things opening up, or already enjoying your new freedom in certain parts of our country.

But, what does it look like for you going forward?

What do you want from your life?

Has your experience this last year made you see things differently?

And, how does your job fit into the full picture now? Has that changed? Are you not even sure?

I am hearing these questions from a lot of my clients right now. They are not sure about what they want from the future. But, they do know that they don’t want to return to business as usual once the office is open again.

Why? Because business as usual wasn’t fulfilling, it wasn’t balanced, and it wasn’t sustainable…

There has to be a better way, a new way that results in a life filled with love and joy, and not the constant stress and pressure we’ve been under for so many years.

If you are rethinking your own work/life balance and how you want that to look post-pandemic, consider how your view of your work can affect your entire life.​

Are You Clocking In, Moving Up, or Serving a Mission?

How we see our work is an important element of defining our future vision and setting goals. As Yale School of Management professor, Amy Wrzesniewski defines it, we have three ways of relating to work: job, career, or calling.

I have personally been through all three of these types of work: I took a job after leaving my career in marketing when I decided to become a coach and worked as an individual contributor for a year while I retrained in my new profession. And, I now have a calling.

Some ambitious professionals have periods where they are really looking for a job. For example, I have had clients who have small children intentionally take a role that is less stressful and less demanding so they can be more present for these formative years.

A career is marked by advancement and a deeper personal investment in our work. Most of my clients have this relation to work and are looking to move up the ladder or develop their expertise in their field. I help many clients move from a career to a calling orientation to bring more meaning to their days.

When we have a calling the boundaries between work and life blend as we work to fulfill a mission. A calling ignites our passion and connects us to a larger purpose. And, we feel the draw to it even when it’s not fun. A calling can carry us through very difficult times to achieve huge breakthroughs.​

Why Do I Feel Like I Want to Do Something Different?

A lot of my clients are wondering what’s next. They suddenly feel restless and aren’t sure if they should listen to these feelings and make a change or if they should let it pass.

After major events like a pandemic, recession, or the 9–11 attacks it’s natural to want to make a greater impact on society as a whole. Hardships connect us more with others as we join together to help out. We see the need for our service as we raise our gaze to the wider community.

Yet, during regular times, it’s easy to get caught up in our daily lives and let time pass without thinking of the bigger picture, without thinking of what kind of impact you want to make. During times of upheaval, we can make changes more readily because some of our inertia has already been overcome.

So, yes, this is a great time to take stock of your work life and consider what you want in the future.

​​How Can You Move from Career to Calling?

Some people can find a deeper meaning in their current work by defining the vision and mission of what they do and aligning their work to their values.

A calling can be found in any field at any level. Someone can feel a calling as a housekeeper when they connect to the purpose and meaning of their service; the joy they are giving with every fluffed pillow.

A client of mine found her calling through our work together when she realized that what she really wants is to be in politics. She plans to keep moving up in her current field to develop leadership skills and connections and be ready financially for that move.

She mapped out a 10-year plan so that she was able to align her current work to give her the skills she will need to make the move from business to the political world when the time is right. She is getting involved now on a volunteer basis to stay connected to her vision and better understand the landscape to make sure this is the right long-term move.

​
​What Does a Calling Look Like, Exactly?

The difference between a career and a calling is one of momentum. Generally, you push a career forward. Your advancement is a result of the effort that you have made to go in a direction.

However, if you have a calling, you might feel a pull towards it like from a magnet. It can be hard to ignore a calling since it’s likely to be with you all the time. This is why the lines between work and life can blur with a calling. The focus of a calling will be on contribution, not on gain.

Fulfilling a calling can be wonderful, joyful, and rewarding. It can feel like it isn’t work at all. But, it can also be a journey through ups and downs, twists and turns. No one says it will be easy but the right people and opportunities have a way of appearing at the right time. It will feel like luck is following you.

You will know when you have found your calling because you will feel like you have been training for it your whole life.

I encourage you to take some time to sit and think about what you want for your future. Journal, mind map it, put it on sticky notes; whatever works for you.

How does your work fit into the rest of your life? What balance do you want to have between your work and the other things that are important to you?

Do you want a job, a career, or a calling?

If that is different from where you are today, map out how you will get there. If what you really want is a job because you want to write a novel and devote more time to that, great!

If you want a career because you want to move up the ladder and make more money in your best earning years, go for it!

If you want to heed a calling because you are drawn to do more, to give more and you want to fulfill all of your potential, give it your all — the world needs you!

Whatever level is right for you, it will bring better balance, more happiness, and a more fulfilling life all-around to adjust your view of your work to best suit your current situation and goals.

And, if you need some help getting clear on which way to go or how to go in any of these directions, let’s chat.