PAPERmaking! g FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY Volume 6, Number 2, 2020
7. If you’re uncertain about choices, embrace discover y . One sign that professionals are experiencing a midlife crisis is when they feel uncertainty around their chosen profession, lifestyle or relationships and a willingness to toss it all in the bin on the path to “figuring it out.” My top tip for navigatin g through this phase is to not try to escape the identity crisis. Stay with the discomfort of "burning down to rebuild" and embrace acceptance as the discovery phase unfolds. - Jennifer Helene, Purposeful Ventures, LLC 8. If you’re exhausted or lethargic, focus on creating a healthier future. People going through a midlife crisis may show up as exhausted or lethargic. Often, sleep patterns are disrupted, and the mental energy needed during this major shift leaves little in the reserves for work, especially if it is repetitive or unchallenging. Avoid alcohol and other depressants and commit to daily exercise to increase serotonin. Seek out work opportunities that can move you into a great future. - Christine Rose, Christine Rose Coaching & Consulting 9. If you feel you’ve hit a wall, ask ‘how’ rather than ‘what’ questions. At some point, seasoned professionals will hit a wall and wonder, “What’s next? What else?” You may ask yourself a host of other "what" questions as you wonder. When feeling a need for clarity and purpose, both professionally and personally, take time to reframe your thinking by changing the type of questions you ask of yourself from "what" to "how." Think of ways to leverage your knowledge, skills and capabilities. - Sheila Carmichael, Transitions D2D, LLC 10. If you’re questioning everything, formulate a positive vision. A midlife crisis starts with questioning the meaning of what you do, what you stand for and, thus, which direction you want to take. This applies to both private and professional life. Therefore, it is important to find a positive vision in common with your team or the company. Formulate it together, deciding what gives purpose and what important contribution you can and would like to make. - Michael Thiemann, Strategy- Lab™ ǦǣȀȀǦǦǤǦǤǦȀȀǫȀαʹͻͻ͵Ͳͺ ȀʹͲʹͲȀͲͻȀʹͻȀͳͲǦǦǦǦǦǦ Ǧ
Article 14 – Professional Midlife Crisis
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