Looking after your career health doesn’t always come in the form of big, life-changing moves, but there are a ton of small, intentional things you can do to stop stagnation in your career. If you’re worried about your career coming to a halt, then here are five things you can (and should) do to try to improve your career health.
How Competitive is the Mental Health Industry in Australia
The medical industry seems constantly in need of medical professionals, whether general practitioners, mental health professionals, or nurses. There are a few reasons why the healthcare market always seems to be in need. By nature, the work is long, training is detailed, and many professionals have to do far more than simply qualify with a Master’s to start working.
They are required to hold various certifications to enter their careers. This is only one of the reasons for the shortage of medical professionals. The demand for healthcare also presents its own challenges. For example, there’s a shortage of psychiatrists in the rural areas of Australia.
Then there’s the motivation behind healthcare’s competitiveness. Professionals in the healthcare industry are motivated by both financial and non-financial factors. For some, money is the goal; for others, helping people is. Either way, this means that there’s a large number of graduates trying to make it in a health career.
How Burnout Affects Mental Health Professionals
Another effect of there being too few mental health professionals is that those in the industry are overloaded. To put this into perspective, in 2024, around 1269 of the trainees from RANZCP reported that shortages in the workforce, with many of them showing signs of burnout; 73% of them to be exact. What’s even scarier is that around 14% of these mental health professionals even considered leaving the industry within the next three years.
How to Improve your Career Health
It’s clear that professionals in the health industry face many challenges, whether it’s their intensive work, competition, certification requirements, or simply the shortage of other health professionals in the region or field. In light of all that, you can still flourish in your career by following these five steps:
1. Remember Your Long-Term Career Goals
It’s easy to talk about the challenges health professionals face, but before we get too carried away with the negative, it’s important to remember why you started the career in the first place and where you want to end up in the future. Having direction can keep you focused and help you push through the difficult times.
A helpful way to do this is to map out your career journey, including what you did to where you are now, and the steps you need to take to develop your career further. When you’re feeling discouraged, look at your career, appreciate the grind you did before, and look ahead at what’s still to come.
2. Don’t Stop Networking
Humans are wired for connection. Most of the time, advancing in your career is about who you know and not just what you know. This doesn’t mean you need a packed social calendar. Connections can be as simple as having dinner with family, catching up with a friend for a coffee, or checking in on someone who hasn’t been themselves lately.
Even small interactions, like chatting with a colleague at lunch or calling a relative, can lift your mood. Technology makes staying in touch easier, especially if people live far away. Just try not to let messages replace real conversations entirely. Hearing a voice or seeing someone face-to-face can make a big difference.
3. Stay Active
You don’t need to run marathons or live at the gym to feel the mental health benefits of movement. Staying active is about finding ways to move your body that you actually enjoy. A walk around the block, stretching at home, gardening, swimming, or playing a social sport all count.
Movement helps release chemicals in the brain that can improve mood, reduce stress, and boost confidence. The key is consistency, not intensity. Choose activities that fit your lifestyle and feel manageable, rather than something that feels like another chore.
4. Keep Learning
Learning new things can give you a sense of purpose and achievement, even if it’s unrelated to work or career goals. This could be trying a new recipe, picking up a hobby you’ve always been curious about, learning a language, or tackling a small DIY project.
Learning doesn’t have to mean exams or formal study. It’s about engaging your mind and giving yourself something to work towards. Trying something new can also help break routine and bring a fresh sense of interest into your week.
5. Give Back
Amongst the business of life, it also helps to give back to society in some way or another. When you give back, it creates a sense of connection, like you’re part of something bigger, which you are. Giving back doesn’t need to be a big commitment.
It might be helping a neighbour, checking in on a friend, volunteering occasionally, or simply taking the time to listen when someone needs support. Small acts of kindness often lead to positive feelings that last longer than you’d expect.
6. Take Moments To Be Present and Mindful
Life moves fast, and it’s easy to spend most of your time worrying about what’s next or replaying what’s already happened. Being present helps you refocus on what’s happening right now. Mindfulness doesn’t have to mean sitting in silence for long periods.
It can be as simple as paying attention to your breathing, noticing how your body feels, or really taking in your surroundings while you’re walking or eating. By slowing down and being present in the moment, many people find that they feel calmer, more grounded, and better equipped to handle everyday challenges.
This is also a handy tip if your day is starting to feel overwhelming. We all have those days. Taking a moment to pause allows you to put things into perspective and see them for what they truly are. It’s one of the best ways to calm yourself down.
7. Stay Up-to-Date with Your Industry
As you look to the future of your career, it’s essential to stay up to date with the latest information in your industry. For example, AI has had a huge impact on the medical sector, improving how data is recorded and sourced, making it easier for professionals to access patient data and enabling early warning systems and automations that could be life-saving.
If your goal is to pursue a career in informatics or another related field, understanding current trends, breakthroughs, and advancements in that field will give you a massive head start.
Think of it as setting a foundation for the career you aspire to achieve. Keeping up to date with trends will also help you maintain your passion for your career, ensuring you’re still as invested in it as you were from the beginning.
Studying Mental Wellbeing
For some people, supporting mental well-being becomes more than a personal goal. It becomes a desire to help others or to deepen their understanding of mental health. Undertaking a postgraduate study in mental wellbeing can provide valuable insights into emotional health, resilience, and support strategies. It can be especially useful for those working in, or wanting to work in, education, healthcare, community services, or support roles.
Final Thoughts
A career in mental health can be extremely rewarding, depending on how you position yourself towards it. No one wants to be stuck in a career that feels stagnant, and thankfully, you don’t have to. Consider the steps above, make an effort to network, exercise, and invest in yourself and your career. Trust us, you’ll love the return on your investment.
