Mindful Career Crafting: The Unspoken Impact of Your Job on Your Thoughts

When evaluating our current jobs or embarking on the search for our next career move, we often zero in on the tangible factors typically outlined in job descriptions like skills, responsibilities, remit and level. Yet, there's a crucial factor that tends to be overlooked: the profound impact these tangible factors are likely to have on our thoughts.

Work isn't just a 9-5 commitment; it infiltrates our minds, occupying a significant portion of our thinking time. Whether it's pondering over work problems, interactions with colleagues, or strategizing for upcoming projects, our brains rarely switch off completely. A recent job description hit me with this reality by emphasizing that ““This isn’t just another job! Every morning you will think about how to solve product problems using the latest AI.”

As we evaluate our current roles and navigate the maze of career choices, it's crucial to consider what thoughts we are signing up for. Our thinking time is a finite commodity, and the nature of our daily deliberations shape our reality. Unlike AI, which processes inputs and generates outputs without intermediaries, our thoughts and activities are intricately tied to our feelings. Therefore, our mental engagement at work directly influences our well-being.

What occupies our minds possesses the transformative power to instil joy, motivation, and drive personal development. While skills and responsibilities remain critical considerations, let's not underestimate the importance of asking, "What will I be thinking and feeling on an ongoing basis?" alongside "What will I be doing?" Integrating this into our evaluation process brings us a step closer to making choices aligned with our purpose and values, steering clear of environments that have the potential to be mentally taxing.

By consciously choosing a career that aligns with our desired mental landscape, we not only enhance our professional fulfilment but also nurture personal growth. So, the next time you’re evaluating career options, throw in the question, "What thoughts am I signing up for?". Your job should be more than a skills match—it should light up your thoughts and stir up your passion.