A quarter-life crisis is a period of insecurity and doubt that many people in their mid-20s to early 30s go through regarding their career, relationships and finances.
Around 75 percent of 25-33 year-olds have experienced a quarter-life crisis, often related to feeling at a crossroads in their career. If you feel as though you’re suffering your own crisis, here are some tips to deal with it, according to Nada Enan, senior manager marketing at LinkedIn MENA.
1. Do not compare yourself to others: A surefire way to encourage feelings of disappointment and underachievement is to compare your own career route to that of your peers. Everyone is at a different stage in their journey, so remember that whatever your definition of success is and whatever makes you happy is enough.
2. Take a step back: It is easy to be weighed down with work pressures and family expectations. Take a step back and write down what is making you most nervous, be it saving, unhappiness in your current industry or even your personal relationships. This will allow you to address the problem.
3. Be kind to yourself: Going through the quarter-life crisis is a difficult process and is exacerbated by becoming your own worst critic. Remind yourself that it is a positive experience that will hopefully enable you to make a change and progress, eventually making you happier in the long-run.
4. Talk to others: Talking to others about certain issues helps rationalise the problem and solve it. You should also opt for an unbiased point of view from someone who has the experience in your industry.