Now is NOT the time to pause your dreams. It is time to hit the GO button.
The last year (plus) can most certainly be considered a ‘re-evaluate your life’ period.
It’s in the air, everywhere.
This movement toward self reflection may shed light on why 4.3 million workers quit their jobs in the month of August alone!
Did you know that?
This is the highest level since 2000, and the sixth straight month of sky-high quitting rates.
Meanwhile, the 7.7 million people who remain unemployed aren’t, for the most part, jumping at the 10.4 million job openings.
It’s been coined the “Great Resignation” and it’s been brewing for a while. Where it goes from here is anyone’s guess, because the experts don’t know either.
There are many factors contributing to such a huge, sudden shift, most of which I’ll leave for others to study and delineate.
However, common sense suggests that a lot of people are simply overwhelmed and overworked, burdened by the extra load because companies can’t hire enough people. They’re saying I’m tired of being pushed so hard and tossed around. Life’s too short.
What is Your Ground Report?
It could also be that that many households have paired down and are looking to adapt, at least temporarily, to single incomes where possible. Many parents are thinking about homeschooling the kids and the advantages of one parent being at home during the week.
Day-care centers are short of workers and turning away families. That and the dramatically increasing cost of childcare when you can find it, is making it much more complicated to work outside the home.
The most noticeable drop in employment has been with women in the age groups 25-54, but, actually even more-so among women 55 and older.
If you ask me, it’s about an intention to hold out for something that promises to be more purposeful and flexible. It has always been about that, but I think this time, they mean it.
Some people just retired early even though they are young, vital, and know they have much more left to contribute.
What to do, what to do?
Creative Solutions
Quality of life is a powerful motivator.
The desire to enhance the quality of life for my family is what pushed me years ago to look until I found something outside the 9-5 that would pay enough, be flexible, and enjoyable enough, to make it a career.
I believe that many of the 4.3 million “quits” are people in search of the same things and are holding fast to the idea that it is not too much to ask to live in peace and enjoy what you do. It’s not that people don’t want to work, it is that they want to reduce stress and do something that is meaningful and ultimately leads somewhere.
If the right solution in your mind is to open a side business, enabling you to achieve your financial goals and live life more on your terms, then right now is the time to become engaged, do your research, and get started.
There is something going on out there with people on the move and making changes. This is clearly a time of decisive action.
I chose to work weekends running a Children’s Princess Parties/Etiquette business which allowed me to be at home with the kids during the week, watch over their schooling, be there to cheer on their extracurricular activities, enjoy an independent career, and earn a handsome living, thank you very much.
It was 20 plus years ago, and times change, but isn’t that what you too are looking for today?
Now is the perfect time to check out your options and take notice of opportunities that are there for the taking.
You only live once.
