Why We Plan Our Holidays but Not Our Careers (And Why That Needs to Change)

If you gathered a hundred people in a room and asked how many have planned their holiday for this year, pretty much everyone would put their hand up. Maybe not absolutely everybody, but most people would have thought about it. A holiday is something we look forward to, something we plan carefully so that we can make the most of it.

But what happens if you ask the same group how many have planned their career for this year? It’s hard to say how many hands would go up, but chances are it would be far fewer. Most people go to work, do their job, and when the day ends, they go home. The last thing they want to think about is work. Yet, work is this huge, important thing — our career, something we spend a third of our lives doing.

Think about that. A third of our lives. It’s five days a week, forty seven weeks of the year, whatever the hours might be, from half eight till half five or similar, until we retire at sixty five, sixty six, sixty seven. Career and job come second only to health because they affect everything else. They are linked to our financial security, our mental well-being, and you could even argue, our physical health.

Yet, for something so crucial, we often fail to plan. We’re happy to pay for coaches and mentors in other areas of our life. But when it comes to our career — this major part of our existence — why don’t we seek out a career coach? It doesn’t need to cost thousands of pounds a month. Just having someone to hold your hand, act as a sounding board, and make sure you’re not drifting can make all the difference.

Without a plan, it’s easy to find yourself stuck in roles that you tolerate at best or hate at worst. That was the case for twelve years before this business was set up. Nobody helped to map out options, talk through career autobiographies, do a skills gap analysis, or build a proper plan with tools like a SWOT analysis. But people who get to where they want to go usually have a plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we plan holidays but not careers?
Because holidays feel like a break, something exciting. Careers can feel like day-to-day routine, and people often avoid thinking about them outside work hours.

What’s the risk of not planning your career?
You may drift into roles that don’t suit you, miss opportunities, or damage your financial security and well-being.

How much time should I spend planning my career?
It doesn’t need to take a lot of time, but regular check-ins with yourself or a career coach can make a big difference.

Do I really need a career coach?
A career coach helps you map out your path, explore options, and make decisions that stop you from drifting through your working life.

What tools can help with career planning?
Career autobiographies, skills gap analysis, career planning exercises, and SWOT analysis are all useful starting points.