Think back to Sunday just gone

Think back to Sunday just gone.

Did you have a feeling of irritability, unease, feeling anxious, restlessness, and feelings of dread for the impending Monday”?

Think “Scarcity Loops”.?

According to Michael Easter - author of "Scarcity Brain" and an expert in behavioural change, scarcity loops are a feeling we can’t get enough.?

Scarcity Loops are applied to models of behaviour and addiction and, IMO, can be applied to our careers.?

In career coaching contexts, I often come across people who are hooked on thinking about their career most of the time and are stuck in a cycle of despair.

The scarcity model is broken into three parts: opportunity, unpredictability, and repeatability.?

1. Opportunity - the opportunity to go to work and earn money to pay bills and fund our lifestyle choices.?
2. Unpredictability - What will my boss say this week? Will I be made redundant soon? Will I get the promotion? Will I get a pay rise??Will the future of work be robots?
3. Repeatability - for many work is repeatable at the macro and micro levels. ?

Where there is unpredictability, there will always be a feeling within us that we must do more: work harder, go to more company events, impress the boss and so on. This is the amber flag for burnout.?

One of the other aspects I think needs addressing is this idea that Ai and Robotics will take over and there'll be no jobs. This is not true. Jobs will be displaced because of tech and new jobs will be created. Your career development plan should now include AI literacy.

So, how to reduce the feelings of "Needing to do enough" and overcome scarcity loops?

1. Practice gratitude. When we practice gratitude, we focus on the things we are grateful for and recognise that we have enough?
2. Consider therapy/careers coaching. This can help you to get objectivity and an outside perspective.?
3. Seek support from loved ones. Going home from a place where you might feel isolated is the worse place imaginable. Speak to your loved ones about how you feel. Just expressing your feelings alone will help.?
4. Manage your finances. A scarcity mindset does not promote good decision-making skills. Get yourself a buffer so that you know if you need to quit your job and focus on applying for a new job you have some time. You’ll roughly need 2-6 months as a cash flow runway to protect yourself.
5. Stay physically active. This is the first thing to do. Moving your body can help combat feelings of anxiety. If you’ve not exercised in a while then start with a 1 minute evening walk around the local park or get a personal trainer to coach you.?
6. Meditate. Quieting the mind can help you get some distance between your thoughts and feelings. Watch a guided meditation video to get started. You don’t need to be perfect at meditation to start.?
7. Make an achievements list and keep it visible. I have a document to hand that I update to remind myself of my achievements. It helps me to stay confident and to see my progress.
8. Reframe your thinking and gain control. Gamblers lose perspective, especially when they are at a loss e.g. it’s only ￡50, I’ll win it back, I’ll be lucky today I saw a black cat etc. To reframe your thinking you should keep a journal recognising the relationship between your behaviour and your feelings For example, today I committed to a last-minute company event to impress my boss but deep down I wanted and needed an early night. I felt guilty for letting my boss down and yet I feel I’ve let myself down because I needed an early night. Now I’m tired and I was irritable with my partner.?

When you see the above in black and white and on paper you gain some space between you and your feelings. You’ll also get a sense of objectivity without paying a therapist/coach. You’ll soon notice that the next time your boss pulls you in for a last-minute request you’ll be more assertive and say no or negotiate with them for some reward for your effort - you’ll do this because you realise the opportunity cost to you. In this instance tiredness.?When you have a document to hand, you'll be able to say something like "I've attended an additional three company events this quarter and it is affecting my personal life, if I do a fourth then I would need a day off or flexitime next week to rest and recharge". Your boss can't argue with that. If they say no, then it's time to leave.

Most people who don’t like their job think they need to quit, find a new job, and expect it to be different. It won’t. The grass isn’t greener until you learn to deal with the above.?

If you need help with your career then speak to a qualified careers practitioner.?