Have you ever watched a hamster running on its wheel?
From the outside, it looks like motion, progress. All that energy. But from the inside, it must feel like endless circling with no way out.
That’s what it can feel like when you live on autopilot. Work and life are busy. You’ve got your routines to keep moving. But you’re going through the motions. And it’s hard to step off and pause.
The same is true when your career ideas only live inside your head. They spin round and round, going in circles, but nothing changes.
This is one of the biggest challenges public sector leaders face: stepping away from the day-to-day to think about what they really want.
So let me ask you:
- Do you make space to think out loud about YOUR ideas?
- Do you have a safe space to talk about them?
With someone who doesn’t deflate your ideas, but instead adds air to them? Someone who asks:
What do you need to make this happen?
In this episode, I’ll share 3 practical ways to step out.
Do Your Career Change Ideas Spin Around In Circles Too?
You’ve had this inkling you’d love to try out something different in your career. Something exciting, but also a little scary.
It circles in your mind over and over. But you never seem to find the headspace to explore it further.
And when you do share a little, people shoot it down. They point out ALL the flaws. Warn about the risks. Or make you feel naïve or out-of-touch with reality.
Then your own inner critic chimes in, and it feels even harder to imagine anything different.
Public sector leaders tell me: “My biggest challenge is to step away and make space”
- Space to think things through.
- Space to test ideas.
- Space to imagine what’s possible.
They know they are ready for a change. Some even have some initial ideas.
But they haven’t shared them with anyone yet.
Because:
- Colleagues may not keep it confidential.
- Their family may worry and say: “Why risk losing what you’ve got?”.
- Friends may only point out reasons to stay put. After all: “Why would you choose something different?”
So those ideas stay hidden.
Are you experiencing this too?
Your thoughts spin endlessly in your mind, without clarity or direction. When life is already full, it feels easier to push them aside than to carve out time to do something about them.
But let me ask you this: isn’t life too short to do work that makes you feel like a hamster?
Your Ideas Matter. They Deserve Space. And Oxygen.
This is why I named my business Space To Shift Your Career. Because having space is often the hardest part. Creating that headspace and carving out time for reflection to ask:
- What matters most to me now?
- Where do I actually want to put my energy?
The good news is: The first step doesn’t have to be a giant leap. It’s ONE shift that breaks the loop. That gets you out of the hamster wheel for a moment.
Try To Create A Micro-habit
ONE thing you do regularly for 10-15min. On your commute, while doing a chore, or running an errand.
Here are…
3 Practical Ways To Step Out of the Public Sector Hamster Wheel
- LISTEN to a podcast about changing careers. Like this one, with its bite-sized episodes. Or if you have more time, my earlier podcast called Shifted: Career. Mind. Life. where my guests share their personal career change story.
- READ a book about someone who’s changed their career or made an impact you admire. If reading is tricky to integrate into your busy life, listen to an audiobook.
- TALK with people who have shifted careers and are open about what it was really like.
Note: If you don’t know anyone, you can start by reaching out to the guests on my previous podcast ‘Shifted: Career. Mind. Life’. They are all on LinkedIn and they love sharing their experience. They want to help change the narrative and stigma around career changes by shining the light on how normal they actually are.
The moment you do one of these things, you’ll notice something powerful: you’re not alone. Others have felt stuck. And they have found their way forward.
And THAT first step creates momentum. What I like to call ‘the snowball effect’.
Traditional career advice might push you to polish your CV or jump to job ads. But that’s NOT where bold ideas grow.
They grow in space. In reflection. In genuine conversations that allow dreaming, exploring, testing. Without pressure. And without judgement.
If you never make space, chances are you’ll stay in the hamster wheel.
I invite you to make a start: take one step out. And open up to new possibilities.
If you’d like structured support to explore an alternative future for yourself – one that’s aligned with who you are now – take a look at my…
5-Month Find Your Career Space Programme
Together, we’ll work through 4 phases to help you move forward:
Phase 1: Count the Cost of the Status Quo
We’ll look at the toll it’s taking to remain and what’s keeping you from taking a smart leap. You’ll uncover your deepest fears and think out loud about any and all dream scenarios. You take agency and decide to intentionally design your next phase.
Phase 2: Shift from Paralyzed to Energized
We’ll identify who you are now and how you want to evolve your contribution to the world. You’ll discover specifics about the environment you prefer to operate in. You’ll know your deal breaker and must-haves for a more satisfying work experience.
Phase 3: Envision Possible Futures & Get Active
We’ll name your transferable strengths, skills, talents and relevant experience. You’ll rewrite your story, reclaim your voice and reimagine your livelihood and purpose. You’ll open up to those you trust about your plans to make a significant shift.
Phase 4: Design Your next Bold Career Move
We’ll assess the best resources, influential people and connections for your path. You’ll navigate uncertainty by testing options and trying out interim solutions. You’ll trust yourself and the process guided by a smart strategy and transition steps.
Find out more details on the Work with Yvonne page of my website. Right now, I have ONE opening.
Fill out the short questionnaire at the bottom of that page to share a bit about yourself. Then I’ll be in touch to book a free 60-minute Introductory Call, so we can get to know each other and see if it’s a good fit.
In this episode, I shared 3 ideas on how you can create a micro-habit to step out of the hamster wheel.
The 5-month programme takes it to the next level. It’s meant to support you to make those micro-habits stick.
The point isn’t to jump into a huge decision tomorrow. It’s to create a space where you can start to imagine and play with possibilities.
A space where your ideas aren’t deflated but lifted.
A space where you can imagine: What if?
Your ideas matter. Don’t keep them locked away or trapped in endless loops.
Come into a safe environment to explore them out loud. So you can start to see what’s truly possible.
Until next time: make space, rediscover YOU, and then take action.