Why Rushing a Career Decision in January Often Backfires

January creates a sense of urgency around careers.

The new year arrives and suddenly it feels as though you should be doing something:
making plans, setting goals, deciding what’s next.

If you’ve been feeling unsettled about your work, that pressure can be intense.

I can’t start another year like this.
I need to change something.
I should make a decision now.

It’s understandable.
But it’s also where many people go wrong.

The problem with January urgency

January often pushes people towards action before understanding.

CV updates.
Applications.
Quick decisions to “escape” how they’re feeling.

And while those steps can feel relieving in the moment, they don’t always lead to better outcomes.

Many professionals I work with tell me:

“I made a move because I couldn’t face staying — not because I knew it was right.”

Six months later, the same dissatisfaction often returns, just in a different role.

Not because they failed — but because the real issue was never properly explored.

Feeling stuck doesn’t mean you need to rush

Feeling stuck is uncomfortable.

It creates tension, restlessness, and self-doubt.
So it’s natural to want to resolve it quickly.

But career clarity doesn’t respond well to pressure.

When decisions are made from urgency rather than understanding, people tend to:

• repeat familiar patterns

• move towards what feels safe rather than what fits

• overlook what they genuinely need now

Slowing down at the right moment can actually prevent years of dissatisfaction later.

The questions worth asking first

Before deciding what to do, it helps to understand what’s really driving the urge to change.

For example:

• What exactly feels wrong about my work now?

• Is this about the role, the environment, the pace — or something deeper?

• How have my values, priorities or energy changed over time?

• What do I want more of, not just less of?

These questions aren’t about finding immediate answers.
They’re about creating clarity — the kind that leads to decisions you can trust.

Clarity before commitment

There’s a difference between taking action and moving forward.

Moving forward requires direction.
Direction comes from understanding yourself — not from reacting to January pressure.

If you’re feeling the urge to make a change but don’t yet feel clear, that’s not a problem to fix.
It’s a signal to pause.

A calmer way to approach what’s next

On 13 January, I’m running a free Career Clarity Webinar for professionals who feel stuck or quietly dissatisfied at work and want a more grounded way to think about what’s next.

It’s not about rushing decisions or forcing outcomes.
It’s about creating space to understand what’s really going on — so any next steps are intentional, not reactive.

If January has stirred a sense that something needs to change, but you don’t want to repeat old patterns, you’re very welcome to join.

About Diana
I’m Diana Dawson, Founder of Working Career. For more than 20 years, I’ve worked with professionals who want to navigate change, develop resilience, and create meaningful careers. My Career Change, Career Development, and Interview Coaching programmes blend human insight with modern tools (including AI) to give you clarity, confidence, and momentum.