Mindfulness as a Career Journey Tool: Building Resilience and sticking to your plan

I remember clearly the first time I heard the term “Mindfulness.” I was an Ass. Prof and I had recently been laid off from my second job as a recruiter. It was 2009, in the middle of the financial crisis, so it was not very unexpected. However, the company chose me as one of the employees to leave, and I remember I found it highly unfair as I had a higher educational degree and was working harder than the rest of the team. At least, that was my opinion on the matter at the time. Reflecting on my current position, I now understand that the company made the right decision. 

Why was it the right decision? Firstly, I didn’t understand my position and role in the company. I was an odd bird and focused too much on my own needs and goals, forgetting that I was one brick in a bigger puzzle. Thus, I forgot to build relationships with my managers and teams, which is, in the end, more important when being selected to stay or to be promoted to the next position. I was trained to be the hardest-working person, showing my willingness by doing more than being a nice colleague to work with. I had no training in what we today call emotional intelligence. 

My dismissal turned out to be a stock of luck as it led me to develop soft skills and focus on self-care, helping me recover from a near burnout. It was during a coaching course that I first heard about mindfulness, and I also remember thinking it wasn't for me! I found it to be too vague and spiritual for my taste. But one day, my life took a new direction, and now Mindfulness is an essential part of my weekly routine; in fact, mindfulness is the reason why I can work as hard as I do, the reason why I have the spirit to continue to believe in my company when times have been tough.

In this article, I aim to inspire those who feel:

Easily bored in a new job(you might be in the risk zone for developing a job-hopping behavior) or who are high-performing yet overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted (they risk becoming more task-focused and forgetting the importance of people, networking, and social activities).

You might be at risk of developing a job-hopping behavior

If you feel this applies to you, then it’s time to take a step back and reflect on what causes you to run to the next job. Mindfulness is, in this case, a very strong tool, but individuals must be aware that they need to change their behavior or want to change their behavior. If not, these individuals most likely feel more comfortable applying to new jobs as it creates a feeling of at least doing something about the situation they are in. 

Reasons you might want to change jobs again could be:

⭐ When they feel their current role does not provide sufficient challenges or opportunities for professional growth.

⭐ They quickly become bored or feel that their skills or titles are underutilized, leading them to seek new positions that promise greater engagement and advancement.

A job is so much more than technical experience; it’s about understanding your position in a company's wider ecosystem. To be successful in a company, you must develop your emotional intelligence, EQ, and ability to adapt and AQ. Both elements are coachable and can be trained throughout your career and life. Become the person people in your team will recommend or refer when it’s time for an internal promotion. Be the person people like and want to work with; you’ll never have to look for a job again. The jobs will come to you.

You might be a High-performing professional tending to feel overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted. 

This part of the chapter could be written for me. Yes! I am a high-performance professional, so I am very aware of the feelings I likely will have about six months into a new job. Nowadays, I have learned to recognize the feelings and the warning signs, not only in myself but also in my environment. 

If you consider yourself to be a high-performing professional, these are the following risks you will be taking in a new job position:

⭐ You forget to establish strong connections with colleagues and stakeholders.

⭐ You focus on tasks and performance metrics while ignoring the company culture and dynamics of the new organization.

⭐ You set overly ambitious goals or expect rapid advancement without fully understanding the new environment.

Being a high-performing individual is not easy. I know! Increasing my own awareness of who I am and what drives me has supported me in my career and life decisions. It is for this reason that I am running my own company. I know too well that it is a challenge as I have no one telling me – Tina, it is time to take a break and ask for help or - Just do nothing. Let time work for you, thus building trust in what I have done and in my team.

Being a high-performing professional could lead to isolation, feelings of lack of support, and missed opportunities for collaboration and career advancement. Your behavior could also result in misalignment with the company’s values and potential job conflicts. This, together, commonly leads to frustration, burnout, and potential disappointment if progress is slower than you expect. 

It’s time to change your behavior, and it’s time for you to understand the value of emotional intelligence. A job is so much more than being the fastest, the best, and the hardest worker. Here are some tips for high-performers who need to slow down a bit:

⭐ Set achievable short-term goals in line with the team and manager. Communicate and learn.

⭐ Prioritize meeting new team members, understanding their roles, and building a supportive network within the company structure.

⭐ Take time to observe and learn about the company’s culture, values, and unwritten rules. All companies have unwritten rules, and these rules will define your success.

In fact, looking at my old self, I never thought I would write an article about career and mindfulness. It was too far away from the person I once was. Therefore, this article is for you who might think the way I once did. 

Mindfulness is a powerful tool for empowering your professional career journeys with more clarity, purpose, and inner peace. It will help you to build a strong foundation of feeling in control and help you build resilience, thus trusting your abilities, and your journey might take a bit longer than you initially planned. 

Incorporating mindfulness will help you slow down your inner engine and make time for your spirit to grow and evolve. This will make you more approachable and open-minded to new perspectives and ideas. In this state, you’re not only coachable but also adaptable and innovative—a great colleague to have every organization is looking for!

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If you like this article, I would love to hear from you. Visit us at www.passage2pro.com or drop me an email at tina@passage2pro.com

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