Career Comedown: What to do when work isn’t working for you

by Stefanie Sword-Williams

A personable guide on what to do when work isn't working for you.

You’ve spent years climbing the career ladder, snagging promotions and basking in the glow of well-deserved pay rises. On paper ( LinkedIn), everything seems great – enviable even. However, you can’t quite help but feel … underwhelmed? The go-getter energy that once propelled you out of bed has been replaced with burnout and now, beneath it all, you’re left ‘Is this really it?’

If this sounds familiar, then you may be experiencing ‘career comedown’. Thankfully, Stefanie Sword-Williams, award-winning founder and author of F*ck Being Humble, is here to help. Drawing upon Stefanie’s years of experience as a career expert, and hundreds of hours of interviews and research, this personable and relatable handbook offers a trove of practical advice on what to do when work isn’t working for you.

Exploring three distinct pathways – sticking with your current job but moulding it to suit you, twisting down a different path and reinventing yourself professionally, or tapping out from work being your identity altogether – Career Comedown is an engaging and essential guide to prioritising your needs in your working life.

So if you've ever asked yourself…

Am in the right career?Am going to feel stuck forever?How can I find better work life balance?How can I stop letting work take over?Can I reinvent myself and still be successful?
…then this book is the one for you.

Feel empowered to reflect on your values, take charge of your career journey and redefine success on your own terms.

252 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2026

Reviews

[Bella Cary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing! Not just for anyone that is stuck in their career but it’s packed with research and insights to help anyone get the most of their current situation and provides such interesting reflection points too, whether you thought you needed it or not. Why I think is extremely clever is that at the very end is has summary action points for each of the three chapters by time period so it helps people who are stuck get to action in a very clear and concise way.

[Alex Neilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first things I did when I was in the UK recently was track down a copy of Stef's new book (which at the time, wasn't yet available for purchase in Australia). I've been fortunate to see her speak on a number of occasions, and have always loved her energy and the messages that she shares. This book didn't disappoint. I've read a fair few career books over the years- most tend to be quite dry and overly corporate, Career Comedown is anything but. It's honest, relatable and super practical- perfect for anyone who's not loving their career right now (which let's be honest- is most of us these days!) I've recommended this book to so many people already (and will continue to do so)- do yourself a favour!

[Sharn Lalkiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book - it made me rethink my whole business. And the bit that stuck with me was the bit about whatever you choose, there will be stuff you don't like or don't want to do...and that exercise alone made me realise how much I love my little business 😊 regardless of the chasing invoice payments and dealing with HMRC.

[Mik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked how the book was packed with prompts for reflection to help you understand what you’re going through career-wise and help you find what you really want out of your life. It’s a book I’ll probably keep by my side as I keep reflecting.

[Andreia Marques · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a fantastic book for those navigating a hard road professionally. It has helped me understand a lot of my behaviors and my relationship with my work. It’s a great self reflection tool.

[Bex W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant book! Highly recommend!