How to Make a Career Pivot When You’re Already Busy (and Overwhelmed)

You can shift your career at your own pace — here’s how.

Practical tips to start your career change - designed to fit your schedule.

The Reality of Wanting More While Already Juggling Too Much

You have a lot going on.

A full-time job where you feel you can't be yourself. Your endless family events, plans, and projects. Processing and resisting what's happening in our country. And now you feel like you need to throw a career shift into this cluster.

Maybe you've already convinced yourself it's impossible. "I don't have time for this." "I'm too old." "I'm too young." "I don't have the energy to start over." These limiting beliefs whisper loudly when you're already stretched thin, balancing your everyday schedule with the emotional weight of knowing something needs to change.

But here's the truth: you don't need to quit your job tomorrow, go back to school full-time, or add a second full-time job to your life to make a meaningful career pivot. What if you could make this transition without burning out—on your own terms, at your own pace?

That's exactly what we're exploring today, including a self-study track designed for busy women who need flexibility without sacrificing support.

Why Career Pivots Feel Impossible When You're Busy

Let's be honest about the career transition challenges you're facing. It's not just about finding a new job—it's about finding the mental space to even think about what you want while managing everything else on your plate.

The biggest career change struggles aren't always practical. Sure, updating your resume and networking take time. But the real barriers? Mental exhaustion after a draining workday. Competing responsibilities that leave you with maybe thirty minutes of free time before bed. The guilt of prioritizing yourself when others need you. The fear that you'll invest all this energy and still end up stuck.

These aren't excuses. They're legitimate obstacles that make career transitions feel like climbing a mountain when you're already carrying a heavy backpack. The good news? You don't have to climb it all at once.

Mindset Shifts That Make Room for Change

Before we talk tactics, let's address the career change mindset that makes everything else possible.

Progress matters more than perfection. You don't need a perfectly polished LinkedIn profile before you start exploring. You don't need to have it all figured out before you take the first step. Small, consistent steps—even imperfect ones—can lead to big change.

Don't believe all your thoughts. Some of them are responsible for keeping you stuck, lost, and daydreaming about escaping to Italy. "I don't have time for this" and "I'm too old, young, or [insert any damn adjective]" are two common limiting beliefs that hold people back from making a shift. When you hear these thoughts in your head, try calming them with something neutral: "I'm just exploring" or "I'm curious about what I actually want."

Let me share a quick example. One of my clients, a marketing manager in her late thirties, kept telling herself she was "too established" to switch industries. She had a mortgage, a reputation, a comfortable salary. But she was miserable. Instead of making a drastic leap, she gave herself permission to just explore for three months—fifteen minutes a day of journaling about what energized her and what drained her. That simple shift in mindset (from "I need to figure this out NOW" to "I'm just getting curious") opened the door to a career path she'd never considered before. Six months later, she made a lateral move into a nonprofit role that aligned with her values—without starting from scratch.

Practical tip for busy women: Carve out just 15 minutes a day for reflection. Ask yourself: What parts of my work do I actually enjoy? What tasks make time fly? What do I dread? This isn't about finding the "perfect" answer—it's about building self-awareness, which is the foundation of any successful career change.

Tactical Ways to Pivot During Your Busy Schedule

Now let's talk about the career pivot tips that actually work when your schedule is already full.

Prioritize micro-actions over massive overhauls. You don't need hours of free time to make progress on a flexible career transition. Instead, focus on small, manageable actions that move the needle:

• Journal for 10 minutes about what you want in your next role (not what you think you should want, what you actually want)

• Schedule one virtual coffee chat per month with someone in a field you're curious about

• Update your LinkedIn headline to reflect the direction you're exploring, not just where you've been

• Research one company or role that intrigues you during your lunch break

These micro-actions might feel insignificant in the moment, but they compound over time. You're building momentum without adding a second full-time job to your life.

Leverage your existing routines. You don't need to create new time—you need to maximize the time you already have:

• Listen to career development podcasts during your commute or while doing household chores

• Block 30 minutes during lunch twice a week for career-focused activities (updating your resume, reaching out to contacts, or taking an online course)

• Use Sunday evenings to plan your career action steps for the week ahead—just like you'd plan your meals or workouts

The key is integration, not addition. Weave your career exploration into the life you're already living.

Build accountability through structure and community. One of the most powerful career pivot tips? Don't do this alone. When you have structure and community, you're far more likely to follow through—even when you're tired, overwhelmed, or doubting yourself.

This could look like partnering with a friend who's also exploring a career change and checking in weekly. Or joining a group of people working through the same process so you have built-in accountability and encouragement. When you're surrounded by others who understand the journey, those limiting beliefs lose their power.

Introducing Career Change on Your Terms: Online Course

If you're ready for more guidance without sacrificing your busy schedule, I have something that might be perfect for you.

For some women, 1:1 coaching is the right move - but others want something they can start today, at their own pace, without adding another weekly appointment to their calendar. That's exactly why I created Career Change on Your Terms: Online Course, so you can access the same proven framework, on your own schedule, while still having community and accountability built in.

Here's what you get with this self-paced career course:

✅ My proven career pathing process broken into digestible learning modules you can work through on your own time
✅ Practical tools and exercises to help you clarify what you want, identify your transferable skills, and create a strategic action plan
✅ Weekly virtual support calls with a group of inspiring and compassionate humans who are also working through the career shift process (hello, new hype crew!)
✅ Lifetime access to all course materials so you can revisit them whenever you need
✅ A framework designed for busy women - no burnout required

This isn't about adding more to your plate. It's about giving you the right tools so your career exploration feels manageable, not overwhelming. It's a self-study online course that meets you where you are.

Success is Possible, Even When You're Busy

Making a career shift while managing everything else in your life is not easy. There will be days when you doubt yourself, when you're too tired to think about your future, when it feels like nothing is happening fast enough.

But here's what I know to be true: small, consistent steps over 3-6 months can get you to a thoughtful career change that checks all of your boxes. You don't need to make a 180-degree turn in a month. Quick and drastic changes often lead to career regrets. What you need is a sustainable approach that honors your real life - your responsibilities, your energy levels, your need for support.

A career shift does not need to be a second full-time job. It's something you can fit into your already full life when you have the right tools and you're not the one getting in your own way.

You've got this. And you don't have to do it alone.

Here for you and your slow and steady shift.

How Your Parents Still Shape Your Career Decisions (And What to Do About It)

A pattern I see with every client, regardless of age: their parents come up in our sessions. Every. Single. Time.

Whether my clients are 25 or 55, their family's influence on career choices runs deep. Here are the three most common patterns I observe:

The "Safety First" Legacy

Some clients are still making peace with families who prioritized stability above all else. They were pushed toward "safe" careers that never aligned with their natural strengths or genuine interests. The result? A lingering sense that they're living someone else's vision of success.

The "Passion Pressure" Paradox

Others grew up watching parents who were absolutely lit up by their work—sharing passionate stories at the dinner table night after night. These clients carry an invisible burden: When will I find MY passion? Why is it taking so long? The comparison becomes paralyzing.

The Financial Rollercoaster Effect

Then there are those who lived through the uncertainty of a parent's entrepreneurial journey or inconsistent income. They learned early how to contract their needs during lean times. This childhood instability often lives in the body, driving fear-based career decisions decades later.

This last pattern hits close to home for me.

My father built a thriving plus-size dress company when I was young—he was truly ahead of his time. But when I was 9, everything shifted. The business collapsed, and he had to dissolve the company entirely.

It was the first time I saw my father cry.

That business meant everything to him, especially since his own father had mentored him in that world before passing away just as Dad was finding his first taste of success. Suddenly, he faced a complete career reinvention with two young kids and a lifestyle we could no longer afford.

He pulled us out of debt by transitioning to life insurance sales—the perfect blend of his natural sales ability, need for autonomy, and desire for stability within a larger organization's infrastructure.

But here's how it affected my career:

For years, I dreamed of entrepreneurship but couldn't imagine facing that level of instability. I chose steady paychecks over pursuing my vision, trading my dreams for what felt like safety.

Eventually, I found ways to move through that fear—building self-belief, getting granular with my financial data, and creating multiple income streams.

Do I still have moments when income dips and I wonder if it's all falling apart? Absolutely.

That's when I remind myself: I'm letting old family stories drive current decisions.

I breathe through it, seek support, and make adjustments—because running a business requires creativity, and I love the life I get to live.

Questions for Your Own Reflection:

• What was your family's story about work?

• Which memories still live in your body and influence your career decisions?

• What would you pursue if you could be free of their opinions?

• Where do you wish they had provided more guidance instead of leaving you to figure it out alone?

Start here: Notice your rigidly held career beliefs that lack current evidence. These often trace back to family stories that shaped your worldview.

Explore these patterns with compassion. Remember, they came from people trying to keep you safe.

Now that you ARE safe—what's next?

What’s your career vision?

A few weeks ago I was wrapping up the 2025 cohort of my Career Command Four-Month Shift program. It's hard to believe it's already that time of year!

We were discussing feedback on the program and ways I could continue to improve it. Being someone who likes to jump into action quickly, I threw out to the group, "What if I make the program shorter?"

And I heard a unanimous, "NOOOOO!"

The time and space to pause and reflect, to investigate and discuss, to imagine and explore – this was what they needed most. Many of them said they wanted even more of it.

Now, I know not everyone can take months to reflect and experiment. If you're in a toxic workplace that's harming your mental health, or you're unemployed and need income immediately, you'll need to focus on tactical job search strategies right away. Even then, some career visioning will help guide your search – but the timeline is different.

Yet for those of you who are…

• In roles you mostly like but you’re getting that nudge for a change.

• In an industry that is shifting, but you’re not sure when you should make the move.

• On a career break and want to return to paid work at your own pace.

I’m excited to say, I have something new for you. 

Did I mention I like to get into action quickly? May my action support your time to pause and dream. 

Introducing…

Career Clarity Sessions

This virtual group program brings together 6-8 women ready to gain career clarity and assess their readiness for change.

We will meet for 60-minute sessions on Tuesdays at 12pm ET: July 8, 15, 22, and 29

You will walk away from the 4 week program with a clear understanding of:

• What's currently working for you and what’s not in your career

• Your level of readiness and a timeframe to make a shift

• The thoughts holding you back from making the change and tools to navigate them

• A vision for a content, full and balanced-ish life

• A plan to connect with your people so they can help you step into that life

In addition to the live group sessions, I’ve also created  30 days of journal prompts to deepen your discovery of your career desires and what’s holding you back from going after them. 

The cost of the program is $575 or two payments of $300. This is an excellent value and one of the lowest priced options available to work with me right now. 

Ready to start imagining your next chapter?

Career Change Tools for Life

Some of my favorite emails I receive are from former clients who share:

“I was reviewing my notes from the work we did three years ago and  I smiled realizing again that my role now is everything I said I wanted (but wasn’t sure I could have) back then.”

Or

“I got a new role that’s a great fit (yes, through networking!) and I used all of the tools you taught me in my last search for this latest change. They remain so important to me!”

That’s the goal. You internalize the tools. I work myself out of a job. 

Some may say that’s not the best business strategy, but I haven’t found that to be true. 

This way, I get to help more people. 

And the people I help, build self-trust and faith in their own ability to move confidently into any career shift. They have a step-by-step process in their back pocket–and practice experimenting in the midst of uncertainty. 

Oftentimes this agency in their careers translates to advocating for themselves in romantic partnerships, to setting different boundaries in friendships, to making time for a creative project–just because it’s energizing and not because it has side-hustle potential. 

Be warned–the side effect of defining your terms and unapologetically negotiating for them in your career, is that you will believe you are worthy of those terms in all areas of your life. 

I don’t promise those results on our initial call, but I’m so grateful when I get the updates on the ripple effect, months or years after we’ve completed our work. 

Here for you when you’re ready to find your agency in your career–and in your life