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The idea of walking away from your job may sound appealing, but do you really know what you want to do instead?
About 47 million Americans quit last year in what is being called “the Great Resignation” or the “Great Reshuffle.” Some left for new jobs or completely new careers; others started a business.
If you want to follow in their footsteps, the key is to make sure that you don’t go from one unhappy situation to another. Therefore, the first thing you have to do is reflect on what you want, said wellness expert Deepak Chopra, founder of The Chopra Foundation and a member of the CNBC Invest in You Financial Wellness Council.
“I’ve always maintained that reflection and mindfulness gives you all solutions,” he said.
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“Ask yourself, ‘Who am I? What do I want? What is my deepest desire? What is my purpose? What are my skills? What am I grateful for?” he added.
“If you sit in stillness for those questions, the right answers will come to you. But the right opportunities will also come to you.”
What most job-seekers are looking for these days is work-life balance, with 63% calling it a top priority when picking a new job, according to LinkedIn’s 2022 Global Talent Trends report. In comparison, 60% cited compensation and benefits.
It’s no surprise, given that 54% of people feel mentally exhausted and drained after every workday, according to a survey by HR tech company Workhuman. Additionally, 44% of respondents said they had trouble staying focused on the job. The poll, conducted by Workhuman IQ, polled 2,268 full-time workers in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland from Nov. 12 to 14.
“A lot of people are fed up. They’re frustrated, depressed, they’re stressed, they’re getting inflammation,” said Chopra, who just released his 92nd book, “Abundance: The Inner Path to Wealth.”
“They’re actually getting sick from the stress.”
In addition to some self-reflection before undertaking a job hunt, also think about what it is you are looking for in a job and an employer, he said.
Skill sets and shared visions
Chopra advises asking yourself questions such as:
- Does the job fit my skills?
- Will my unique talents be respected?
- Will there be a shared vision?
“When there is a shared vision, there’s people complimenting each other’s strengths,” he said. “They’re emotionally bonded and they’re joyful.”
You can do some digging to find out which companies treat their employees fairly and which ones take care of their workers with benefits like paid time off, insurance and retirement plans.
Interview other employees in the business to see how they feel about the company, he said. You can also check out company websites, and career sites such as Glassdoor and LinkedIn. Nonprofit website Just Capital, co-founded by Chopra, also ranks public companies on issues that Americans say matter most to them.
“A little bit of research is worth doing,” he said.
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Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.