So the coronavirus has completely flipped over the table in our society, and understandably it has many of us questioning our current career choices. Companies are closing and going bankrupt, friends and family members are losing their jobs, the stock market is struggling, and there is little indication that our lives will actually return to "normal" once the virus is under control. But is a career change really the right answer at this point?
Before you make the decision to just leave your old career behind in favor of a new one, below are some questions you will want to consider:
1.Do you actually WANT to change your career?
Yes, COVID-19 has made everything seem terrible, and several industries are suffering as a result, but remember career changes are not like light switches. It can take some time (and potentially additional investment) to successfully make that transition, and therefore it shouldn't be a knee-jerk reaction without careful thought and self-reflection. So before leaping, ask yourself if this is what you truly want. When this is all over, and the world has returned to some level of normalcy, you will still want to work where you feel fulfilled.
2.What skills are required for the new field?
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Not every career change requires an entirely new set of skills and expertise, so ask yourself what transferable skills do you already possess that you can use in your transition. Do your research to understand what specific skills and experience employers are looking for, and assess whether you have any gaps. This will help you determine if additional education or training is required to ensure you are competitive with other candidates in the market.
3.Is the new field viable and GROWING?
If you're going to go through the effort of changing your entire career path, you will want to assess the maturity of the field you're going into, and if there is true potential for advancement and a long-term career. Even if you don't plan on staying FOREVER, you still want to ensure that you can have the experiences you want and there are opportunities for growth and development.
4.What is it like to work in this new field?
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Given this is uncharted territory, you don't want to jump in head-first without knowing what you're getting yourself into. If you know people already in the field, this is a great time to tap into your network and do some recon so that you can get the lowdown on what the work is really like. Get some insight into how they got their start, what challenges they've faced, and if the work subject matter aligns with your interests. If you DON'T know anyone in the field, begin building a network. Leverage LinkedIn, professional associations, and alumni groups for your alma mater. Perhaps you may not know someone directly in the field, but your friend or colleague does. Ask for an introduction so you can start building that relationship on your own.
5.Is there good earning potential?
Not all fields are created equal when it comes to coins. Therefore it's important to evaluate whether or not the new field and position will offer you a desirable salary/total compensation package. Thankfully, it's 2020, and there is a ton of salary information available for FREE on the internet. You can try out sites such as Salary.com, Glassdoor, PayScale, and the federal government-sponsored Bureau of Labor Statistics.
6.Will this career change require you to relocate or uproot your life?
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Depending on what your career change is, you may find that certain cities (potentially outside your own) will offer a better and broader pool of opportunities for you to choose from. But while that may sound fantastic, you cannot discount the impact that relocation may have on your life. So before you make this change, you may want to ask yourself a few questions: Is relocation something you are able and/or willing to undertake right now? How will such a change affect your family? What quality of life (outside of work) will the new city offer you? The good news is, due to COVID-19, more companies are offering remote options, but keep in mind that it will be dependent on the nature of the position and its requirements.
If you are ready to change careers, now really is the perfect time. With so many industries changing and shifting, there are plenty of new opportunities to explore. However, as with any big change in your life, you should take the time to make sure it's RIGHT for you.
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RELATED
Again, the answer never changes because, if there is one thing that Shellie Reneé Warren is gonna get, it’s 6-8 (sometimes nine) hours of sleep. However, since my chronotype (check out “Ever Wonder What Personality Traits Make Someone A 'Morning Person'?”) means that I like/prefer to write in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes I will sleep for the night for five hours and take a nap in the day. And y’all, that is just fine with me because I am well aware of the fact that napping does everything from give me more energy, heighten my alertness and even make me more creative to decrease stress levels, strengthen immunity, and reduce my chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
My problem is I will oftentimes go “overboard” with my daytime zzz’s. What I mean by that is, in order to get the most out of a nap, they say thatyou shouldn’t sleep for longer than 25 minutes or so; otherwise, you could wake up feeling sluggish (I don’t but…). Also, it can make resting, soundly, at night a bit of a struggle.
So, what are you saying, Shellie? We should get quickies in? Yeah. And it’s funny that the word “quickie” would come up because just like a sex quickie can do wonders for you (and it can — check out “12 Super Solid Reasons To Have A Quickie Every Single Day”), it’s a full-circle moment when I say that something that can improve the quality of your sex life is to have a power nap (a nap that lasts between 10-30 minutes).
Wanna know how the two things correlate? Honestly, it’s no secret that sleep and sex work together to optimize both (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”). Today, though, we’re going to tap into how a nap, specifically, can have you partaking in some of the best sex that you’ve experienced in a minute. I’ll explain.
Naps Reduce Stress
GiphyIf you’re feeling super stressed out right now, you are not alone. There is plenty of data out here that says that most of us are stressed for at least a couple of reasons at a time — and that can impact your sexual health on a few levels. For one thing, it can bring about feelings of depression and/or anxiety. Stress can also throw your hormone levels off (including your cycle) which can weaken your libido. Stress can make you want to put distance between you and your partner (yes, literally).
Stress can also make it challenging to get aroused or to have an orgasm. And just what can help to decrease stress? Taking a nap. Since sleep has a way of helping you to “get off of the clock” and relax a bit, that can lower your stress levels and “reset” your body so that you are calmer — and that, in turn, can do wonders for your sex drive and ultimately your sex life.
Naps Improve Your Mood
GiphyThere is one person in my life, and fairly 80 percent of the time, she’s in a super good mood. Oh, but let that girl go without sleep, and…who is this woman? LOL. There’s research behind why this happens. When a person is sleep-deprived, it messes with their brain chemicals, and that can amplify emotions like anger, restlessness and sadness. In fact, one study revealed that people who had their sleep disrupted throughout the night, they ended up having their positive outlook on life reduced by about 30 percent.
And geeze, who wants to have sex when they’re not feeling very good? Anyway, since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps to regulate your moods, your sleep patterns, and your libido and sleep is what helps to keep it in balance — by taking a nap, not only can it help you to feel better, it can also increase your desire for sex (it can also build up your endurance which is also…sexually beneficial).
Naps Increase Your Focus and Concentration
GiphySomething that some of my clients bring up is how, when it comes to having sex, sometimes the flesh is willing while the spirit is weak because, although the desire for intimacy is there, so much is going on that they aren’t able to get still enough to focus on experiencing copulation with their partner. This also tracks because, when you don’t have enough rest, your brain finds itself not working in harmony and that can make it hard to do everything from approaching life with a sense of flexibility to making necessary decisions.
Certain data also reveal that a lack of rest can cause you to have a really poor attention span and not process things in context (the more you know). So, if you really want to get some yet it’s hard for you to focus long enough to make it happen, ask your bae to lie down with you and take a nap. Between the sleep and the snuggling (check out “Fall's Coming: 8 Wonderful Health Benefits Of Cuddling”) — you may wake up with your mind and body totally on the same page. #wink
Naps Can Make You Feel Better About Your Body
GiphyEven if, overall, you feel really good about your body, I think that we all have moments when we feel less attractive than others — and who wants to have sex when they don’t really feel…very sexy? Well, something else that sleep, in general, can do is increase your confidence in your body.
For one thing, if you want to lose a few pounds, sleep can actually make that happen by helping your body metabolize the glucose (sugar) that’s in it so that you can better manage your appetite. Other studies go on to share that since sleep deprivation can impact one’s mental health and emotional stability in a negative way, of course, getting enough rest would increase body positivity.
Shoot, science even goes so far as to say that insomnia can cause people to have an elevated level of dissatisfaction when it comes to their body image. Don’t take their word for it, though. Look in the mirror before a nap. Then look in a mirror after waking up from me. Do you feel better? I’d be surprised if you don’t.
Makes Your Brain Bigger…Which Could Make Your Orgasms Better
GiphyI saved the best for last by design. Now if you’re wondering how in the world a nap can improve (and possibly increase) your orgasms — oh, there is a method to the madness…trust. For starters, the saying that your biggest sex organ is your brain? That isn’t a myth. Long story less long, the brain is what houses your central nervous system and that is what controls how men and women sexually function (yes, literally).
And since the brain also releases feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin during sex and brain activity significantly increases in women during sexual activity (especially right before she orgasms) — well, would it trip you out to know that when you take a nap, your brain actually expands? A bigger brain (that’s healthy) can potentially intensify your sexual experiences (and your climaxes) — and who doesn’t want that to go down?
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Like I said earlier, I never have to be convinced to get a nap in. However, if your sex life has been a bit stagnant lately, you’ve been feeling a little sluggish and you’re not sure what to do — I’m hoping that a nap can get you right.
There’s enough science to prove that it can. All you need to do is give it a shot.
Now where’s your pillow and sleep mask, chile?
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