The Mid-Level Employee Freak Out: Is this what I'm doing for the rest of my life? How to not totally freak.

Posted by admin on Oct. 1, 2021  /  Subscribe 0

As a mid-level employee, I’ve found this to be the hardest stage of my career. I’m “managing up” while still doing work I did as an intern. I guess we will always be Account Executives. There comes a point in your career when you think “this is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.” This realization can be invigorating or terrifying. More than ever before I’m seeing my peers quit their stable jobs, start new endeavors – both within the industry and totally outside of it – and have full on panic attacks.

It makes me wonder if other generations hit these same milestones. Did they totally freak out about doing the same job for the next 30+ years? My dad is 70 and has worked his entire life - I've never seen him freak out. But I know my peers are in pure turmoil right now, so I'm going to propose a few suggestions to curb the freak out.

1. Stop complaining.Complaining will make you miserable. So stop doing it. I’ve recently shifted my mindset when I’ve run into a project I’m not excited about. If it’s something I’m unfamiliar with, I think “this is a learning opportunity.” If it’s a project below my pay-grade, I think “this is going to be easy, I know how to do this.” Complaining immediately puts you in a negative headspace. Shifting the narrative allows you to have a brighter outlook and immediately alleviates the stress that complaining induces.
2. Put things into perspective.People always say public relations is a stressful job – I disagree. The job isn’t stressful. The people who do the job are. As a PR person myself, I can say this with conviction – we are overthinkers, worriers and people pleasers. This turns us into big balls of stress and by the time you’ve been working for 10 years you’re either completely checked out or on the verge of a mental breakdown. I have definitely been there, and I don’t want to go back. We do good, important work. But if someone gets upset with you for not answering an email in 30 minutes, that is not a reflection of your worth. That’s a reflection of another person’s anxieties. We need to start identifying what is worth worrying about – and it can’t be everything. It has to be the big things that are going to make an impact on the world around us, on our clients and on the bottom line.
3. And that brings me to my next point…Your work does not define your worth.Do you know how many times I have cried in the bathroom over a typo or small mistake? It’s been a lot. The work we do should be something we are proud of, but it shouldn’t make or break how we feel about ourselves as people. For a long time, all I had was my job. Then one day my brother told me I was boring and needed some hobbies. And he was so right! Doing things outside of work helps redefine your worth and gives you something to look forward to at the end of the day. I’ve worked many places where people have said “you’re irreplaceable,” but that is just not true – every time I leave, they always replace me. I say this with love, you absolutely are replaceable. Even if you are the best. So do not let your work define who you are. Be more than your job and I guarantee you will be happier.
4. Turn your computer off.Did I lose you here? This is a huge taboo, I know. But computers need to be turned off. Whenever someone is having serious computer problems, I know it’s because they have not turned their computer off in years. Just like you need time to turn off and recharge, so does your computer. So when your work day ends – which it should end every day – save your documents, close your tabs and turn off the computer. I believe in you, you can do it.

Have you recently freaked out about your job? Had a total meltdown? Maybe you have some tips for staying sane as a mid-level employee. Please share your thoughts with me – I’d love to hear them.

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