Whether it’s because you wanted to focus on your family or just because you had other priorities for a while, there’s nothing wrong with taking time away from work for a period of your life. However, there are plenty of times in many of our lives when we decide that the best thing to do is to try and get back into the world of work. However, doing that can be pretty scary for a lot of people and it’s not the sort of decision that many of us would take lightly. After all, there are a whole lot of factors to consider. With that in mind, here are some things to think about when choosing to go back to work.
More education
You may find that you don’t want to go back to work at the same level and you’d rather be doing something different or more advanced with your time. If that’s the case then the best decision for you might be to pursue higher levels of education. If you’ve worked in education then something like a masters in school counselling might be ideal, or if you’ve been working office based roles then things like managerial qualifications could well help you to reach that next level. Think about the path you want to take and do as much research as you can into the kind of stepping stones you need to use to get there.
A drastic shift
Of course, it might not a matter of wanting to progress forward in your career. Instead, you might want to change it entirely. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this. After all, people change and there’s no reason why you should have to stick with the same career for your entire life if you hate it. However, one of the best things that you can do if you’re going to make a serious career change is to weigh up all of your options as clearly and carefully as possible. After all, this isn’t the kind of decision you should make lightly.
A work/life compromise
When you’re younger, it’s easy to see no problem with dedicating pretty much all of your time to work outside of the evenings but as you get older, and especially once you have a family, you really do come to treasure the time you have away from work. If that’s the case then why not think about going part-time instead of throwing yourself right back into the world of work. That way, you’re going to be able to enjoy being back at work, but you’re not going to be giving up all of the things you love about your life at home with your family. A work/life balance isn’t always easy to achieve but with a little work it is possible.
The most important thing to remember is that whatever you choose is right as long as you’re making the right decision for you and your family. Some people will want to dive straight back into work, others will choose to focus solely on their kids. There is no right or wrong answer there, it’s just a matter of different people choosing to do different things with their lives.
Disclosure: This is a featured post.