How to Leave the Career Rat Race

It doesn't matter how old you are or how long you've been in the career rat race. There comes a time when you want or need to get out. A change in careers may be the answer. With some careful planning and lots of self-examination, make sure you aren't exchanging one rat race for another.

Instructions

1. Think about a plan for the plan. This is the self-examination phase where you think about what bothers you, how you feel about a change in careers and the kind of timeline you want.

2. Look at the money, a painful fact of life but necessary. Determine how much you need to live, if you need to move and whether you have a nest egg to tide you over during the change in careers.

3. Reflect. Ask yourself what you really want to do. Come up with some alternatives.

4. Make the plan. Include a change in location, if necessary, courses or schooling, financial arrangements, the date for leaving the rat race and how to make a graceful exit. A logical sequence of events is desirable.

5. Ask around and do research. Going into business for yourself may be easier for a change in career than finding a new job in a field for which you have no qualifications, though that carries its own set of pitfalls too.

6. Continue to work hard. Many who have left the rat race say they work longer hours than before the change of careers, but they enjoy every minute rather than just getting through the day.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't be afraid to dream. You may not be able to coach Division I basketball, but you can take on a high school team after getting the right qualifications.

• Make a list of every skill and personal trait.

• There are hundreds of advice websites on career changes, many of which charge a fee for what can be called common sense. Consult news articles and free websites first.

• Make sure the partner in your life understands what you are doing and why. Start talking about it early. Your wife may be happy in her rat race and not want to move, so your plan has to involve your current geographic location or a compromise.

• Get prescriptions filled and the car tuned up before pulling the plug if you'll be without income for a while.

• Refrain from burning any bridges. Leave gracefully. You never know when your new life might meet your old.

• Don't let a lack of money stop you from making a decision about leaving the rat race. There are ways to work around this. Everyone has different ideas about money, but it's worthwhile asking yourself how much you really need. Leaving the rat race often involves a simpler lifestyle, so don't forget this costs less. Maybe you really can afford it after all.

• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Watch out for promises of increasing income while working a few hours a week. Always read the fine print.

• It may take several tries to get out of the rat race. Don't give up.

Resources

• Career Coaching Central can help you decide what you want to do.
• Decision Making Confidence helps you work through a plan.