4 Ways to Find Career Fulfillment by Embracing Downtime

Before you begin reading this newsletter, I would really appreciate it if you could please participate in this VERY short survey to help shape the content for future editions of Marni’s Midlife Marketers. All responses are 100% confidential.? In exchange for only 2-3 minutes of your time, at the end of the survey you will have the opportunity to take advantage of a New Year’s Gift to yourself in early 2024! Click HERE for Survey.

January 1st, 2020

After a week-long holiday break, on January 1st, 2020, I spent the day relaxing on the couch with my family watching New Year’s Day marathon episodes of The Honeymooners and The Odd Couple.? I was mindlessly scrolling through LinkedIn while listening to Oscar and Felix fight with each other in the background and noticed that a marketer in my network liked a post from another marketing/media leader who announced their executive coaching practice launch.? I checked his LinkedIn profile and his marketing/media experience was similar to mine and realized that I could become a coach to help people thrive in a career they love too!??

Embracing Downtime

In the Forbes article, Why Boredom (Or At Least Downtime) Can Be Good For Your Brain—And For Creativity And Productivity , Naz Beheshti notes that “The truth is that downtime and idleness are not empty. Just as sleep is an important and productive time for the brain, it turns out that downtime is vital for our minds and well-being.” Downtime can also be thought of as a “mental cleanse—a way to relieve our minds of the cognitive congestion that builds up over time.”

January 1st, 2020 was the day I discovered coaching.? I might not have stumbled upon this post and become a career and leadership coach if I hadn’t leveraged my holiday downtime to relax and clear my mind to explore new ideas.

Here are four ways to embrace downtime to explore ideas around finding career fulfillment:

• Mindful Reflection: Boredom provides the perfect backdrop for introspection. Take this time to reflect on your career thus far—identify aspects that have sparked your interest, moments when you felt most engaged, and the values that matter most to you.
• Explore Your Passions: Boredom offers an opportunity to delve into activities you might have overlooked. Whether it's a hobby, volunteering, or a personal project, discovering new passions can open doors to unexpected career paths.? During my 2023 holiday break, I’m reading The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker to tap into my passion around group coaching!? Thank you Dominique Mas, PCC from Group Coaching HQ for this very generous holiday gift!
• Skill Enhancement: Use the downtime to upskill and refine your professional toolkit. Online courses, workshops, and certifications can not only keep your mind engaged but also enhance your marketability in the ever-evolving marketing landscape.
• Networking with Purpose: Reach out to industry professionals, attend virtual events, and engage in meaningful conversations. Boredom often arises from routine, and networking introduces fresh perspectives, potential collaborations, and exciting opportunities.? This break I scheduled a few in-person coffee chats and am especially looking forward to seeing Mary Kate Mahoney !

Before reading my top 10 favorite marketing jobs, please take a few minutes to help shape the content for future editions of Marni’s Midlife Marketers. All responses are 100% confidential.? In exchange for only 2-3 minutes of your time, at the end of the survey you will have the opportunity to take advantage of a New Year’s Gift to yourself in early 2024! Click HERE for Survey!

Marni's Top 10 Favorite Marketing Jobs

Please check my LinkedIn profile activity daily for all of the job listings I share on an ongoing basis.

Athleta, Director, Events and Partnerships

Bed Bath & Beyond, Chief Marketing Officer

Brightcove, VP, Global Revenue Operations

Calendly, Head of Internal Communications

Ferrero North America, Trade Marketing Manager - Ferrero Mainstream Chocolate (FMC)

H&R Block, Director, Client Insights

Influential, Director, Growth Marketing

LoopMe, Account Executive - New York

Pfizer, Media Operations and Budget Director

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Senior Manager of Integrated Marketing

About this Newsletter

As mentioned in Forbes , “A midlife crisis is defined as a period of emotional turmoil in middle age, around 40 to 60 years old, characterized by a strong desire for change.”? However, marketers begin their midlife crisis much earlier.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average age of a US marketing/advertising manager is 39.0, compared to 46.7 for all managerial roles.

While the marketing industry has responded to issues of gender, race, and sexual harassment, there continues to be no movement against ageism.? This issue has been swept under the rug, but it is very real.

When I was laid off from my job in advertising in my 30s, it was a dark and scary time.? I had no idea what was next for me and needed to figure out a way to reinvent myself.? I remember all of the people in my network who went out of their way to help me and those who let my emails go into “cyberspace”.? That experience made me realize how important it is to “pay it forward” to help other “midlife marketers” figure out what’s next in their career journey.? Life is too short to stay in a job that doesn’t align with your core values and connect to something greater than yourself.

This bi-weekly newsletter for “midlife marketers” (from new managers to senior leaders) has easy-to-read tips and actionable advice on ways to design your own career path, take your career to the next level and how to master the art of networking.? This newsletter will leverage my insights to help you navigate your career journey. Each issue will also include a curated list of job opportunities shared from my network of 5,800+ marketers.

• Find your ideal career: Discover ways to find your dream career that aligns with your values, strengths and passions.? Learn how to manage career transitions and leverage your transferable skills to design the life you want.
• The art of networking: Learn how to build and maintain authentic relationships over time to find hidden job opportunities.
• Hot career topics: including designing a portfolio career, setting boundaries, dealing with ageism, imposter syndrome, self-care during transition, and more!
• Curated list of my favorite marketing job opportunities

About Marni Gordon

Marni is passionate about paying it forward to help marketers who want to thrive in a career they love. Marni is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and a Certified Career and Executive Coach from New York University (NYU) with 25+ years of corporate marketing leadership experience. Marni has an extensive background creating community, networking, training individuals and groups, developing individuals in a variety of high-performance roles, and facilitating discussions to help clients uncover their own insights, action plans and accountability. Marni is a super connector and will help you become one too.