HAPPY FRIDAY: The Research Behind Career Freedom–Why it's Important.

 You grew up thinking careers were linear. Step one: get a degree. Step two: land a job. Step three: climb the ladder. But you've seen enough examples of people not following this path to know it's bullshit. And often, these people are happier than the corporate warriors climbing the ladder. You want more from your career: one that grows with you, that evolves, that gives you more freedom and fulfilment. In this happiness episode, you're going to find out the research behind career freedom and how to actually achieve it.

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Topics:

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Escape the 9-5 

Career Coach 

Career Advice 

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Next Step Careers Limited

Auckland Wellington Christchurch New Zealand

Episode Transcript

Shure MV7 (00:00):
You grew up thinking careers were linear.
Step one, get a degree.
Step two, land a job.
Step three, climb the ladder.
But you've seen enough examplesof people not following this
path to know it's bullshit.
And often, these people arehappier than the corporate

(00:22):
warriors climbing the ladder.
You want more from your career.
One that grows with you.
That evolves.
That gives you morefreedom and fulfillment.
How do you achieve this?
this happiness episode, you're goingto find out the research behind career
freedom and how to actually achieve it.

(00:47):
You're a workingprofessional stuck in 5 job.
You're following a scriptthat doesn't quite fit.
a script that results in someone elsedetermining when you should work.
Someone else determining yourjob description, someone else
determining your paycheck.
You want more control over yourcareer, more variety, more autonomy.

(01:13):
But breaking away from thetraditional career path feels risky.
I'm career coach Dr.
Steve Oehle, host andcreator of Escape the 9 to 5.
I help other working professionals likeyou take the next steps in their career
and design a career that works for them.
Happy Friday!

(01:34):
For decades, we've been taughtto aim for job security.
One job, one path, one long term plan.
But research suggests That thisway of thinking is outdated.
And for many people, it'snot the key to happiness.

(01:54):
In today's world, more professionalsare building portfolio careers.
A career made up of multiple incomestreams, different projects, or
varied roles across industries.
And the research is clear.
Having autonomy and flexibility inyour work can significantly boost

(02:16):
happiness and overall well being.
A study by the University of Oxford foundthat workers with greater autonomy over
their work reported higher levels of jobsatisfaction, motivation, and happiness.
Why?
Because autonomy gives people asense of control over their lives.

(02:38):
When you build a portfolio career,whether through freelancing, part time
work, consulting, or creative projects,you naturally gain more control.
You're no longer stuck doingthe same tasks, day in and
day out, for one employer.
You decide what work excites you,what skills you want to develop,

(03:02):
and how you structure your day.
But autonomy is not the only factor.
Another key reason why portfoliocareers boost happiness is variety.
Harvard Business Review reported thatpeople who engage in multiple types
of work, even within the same field,Experience more career resilience

(03:25):
and higher levels of fulfilment.
When you diversify your work,you reduce boredom, stimulate
creativity and avoid burnout.
Think about it.
When you were a kid, your days werefilled with different activities.
You weren't confined to just one thing.

(03:46):
You played sports.
Painted.
built things and explored.
But somewhere along the way,we were told we had to pick
one thing and do it forever.
But we don't.
if you look at human history,we were hunters and gatherers.

(04:07):
We did a variety of roles in our village.
It's only since the advent ofagriculture that we started to shift
towards defined job descriptions.
And capitalism rewards specialisation.
While I am a fan of developing masteryof one key skill, removing all other

(04:29):
work from your job description.
A A squiggly career, one thatevolves, shifts and grows with
your interests, gives you morefreedom to follow your energy.
Imagine a career where you wake up eachday and decide what excites you the most.
Maybe one part of your week isdedicated to your core strength.

(04:54):
Another to writing, another to consulting.
You work on projects that align withyour passions, rather than grinding away
at a job that no longer excites you.
The best part?
Research shows that people who have thefreedom of a portfolio career report
higher levels of work life balance andlonger term career satisfaction than

(05:20):
those in rigid single track careers.
So why are so many people still clingingto the idea of a traditional career path?
Fear.
Fear of instability.
Fear of stepping away fromseemingly secure employment.
Fear of the unknown.

(05:41):
But here's the truth.
Traditional jobs are not assecure as they once were.
Industries are changingrapidly, layoffs are common.
And the days of staying with onecompany for 30 years are long gone.
And these days, it's veryeasy to get contract work.

(06:03):
The people who thrive in today'swork landscape are those who
embrace adaptability, buildmultiple income streams, and take
control of their own careers.
So the question is, are you ready tostop climbing the ladder and start
designing a career that works for you?

(06:24):
I'm career coach Dr.
Steve O'Reilly, your host, and thanksfor being part of our movement.
Have a good Friday.
**SHORT AUDIO WITH VOCALS**