Happen To Your Career - Meaningful Work, Career Change, Career Design, & Job Search Career Change After Burnout: Trapped in a Job You're Great At—but Don't Want Anymore?
Jan 26, 2026
Jessica Ward, a healthcare leader who left a draining senior role to build part-time client work and a small business. She talks about waking up in dread, the slow creep of responsibility, and why being excellent at a job does not make it right. She explains using values, boundaries, coaching, and small experiments to redesign work that fits life. Practical transition steps and surprising pivots keep the story real.
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Daily Dread Before The Change
- Jessica woke up each day needing a pep talk to survive work and often cried before going in.
- After leaving the leadership role she now feels refreshed and no longer dreads returning from time off.
Slow Creep Of Responsibility
- Jessica experienced a gradual increase in leadership responsibilities that slowly eroded her wellbeing.
- Growth and added duties can stealthily transform a role from energizing to draining without a single tipping point.
Resignation That Became A Turning Point
- Jessica attempted changes and even handed in her resignation before negotiating alternatives with her boss.
- The tipping point came from recurrent after-hours calls and the emotional cost of always being 'the one' to fix problems.