How to Deal with Hating Your Job

Опубликовал Admin
13-06-2017, 18:20
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With the seemingly ever-shifting rounds of a bad economy, the possibility of another recession seems inevitable in the near future. Many companies have engaged in shedding jobs at a larger pace than ever before. It’s no surprise to hear a lot of people being stuck in their jobs, complaining of restricted choices holding them back. With the world out there like it is, it's important to stay pragmatic and take a long term approach to address the situation. In such circumstances, the prudent strategy is to learn how to overcome what’s at the verge of getting on your very nerves. If you feel like you're at your wit's end, start with Step 1 below to cope.

Coping with Your Situation

  1. Craft a list of things you dislike about your job. Begin by developing a list of things that you dislike about your job. Don’t leave anything out. Start keeping a daily journal and write down how you feel about different aspects of your job, your colleagues, your immediate supervisor and the environment in general. Doing so will reveal the most dreadful points that may need immediate action.
    • This list can help you realize that it may not be the job itself – it could be just one or two aspects of it. It can also provide you ammo for when these hot button topics arise at work. You'll have thought the issue out and can add in your two cents to improve the situation.
  2. List down what you like about your job. There is a possibility that your job has many positive things about it, but your clouded mind is not enabling you to see them as clearly as possible. Look at your job from the perspective of someone else who is not at all familiar with your work environment. This will give you an opportunity to think from a neutral perspective and be able to spot the positive side of your job. What isn't so bad?
    • For example, your colleagues might be very supportive; however, the nature of your job is so monotonous that you have started to dislike your work, leading to a chain reaction of dislikes which ultimately turned to hating your job on the whole. It's easy to forget that your colleagues are great and you would enjoy the time spent with them if it weren't for work.
  3. Analyze the current situation. In order to cope with these circumstances, you'll need to pinpoint just why you're feeling so frustrated. Observing your own situation in relation to what is happening across your organization will help you figure out why you're feeling this way. Are your coworkers feeling similarly? Is the company, too, on its last legs? Is there drama happening in your department? Seeing these things may help you understand why you feel the way you do and to know that it's not just you.
    • It may also help you see potential options out of this rut. Do you have grounds to ask for a raise? A different schedule? These are things that may make your work a bit more tolerable.
  4. Examine the situation of your colleagues. Look at what is going on in the work life of your colleagues across the organization. If they are in a similar situation, be at ease since you are not alone in your struggle. Talk to others and learn about the coping mechanisms they have devised. Their situation may offer you the realization that there are things you can do. In fact, you may realize that you can take concrete steps to improve your own situation.
    • That being said, don't compare yourself to your colleagues. Don't worry about how much money they make, if the boss loves them, or if they have the position you want. That'll just make your frustration worse! Stick to finding those that also have to deal with hating their job for encouragement and support.
  5. Develop a list of your skills. Taking a hard look at your skills will unfold critical points you need to work upon. While figuring out what you like and dislike about your job in combination with advice from your colleagues, come up with a comprehensive list of skills you need to develop – in other words, areas of your professional life or personal development factors you want to improve. This will help you feel like you're going somewhere and not stagnant in your work.
    • For example, you might have seen that you usually take too much work on yourself, which implies that you should learn delegation skills. This will lessen your workload and you will have a new skill that you have developed. Likewise can be done for other noteworthy aspects you come across during your analysis.
  6. Find a mentor. To get through this ordeal, it'll be incredibly beneficial to talk with someone who's been right where you are and who has gotten through it. This person will not only give you sound advice to trigger your action plan but will be there to consistently support and appreciate you in the progress you will be making. That person will also act as your confidant in case you need to share personal details or weaknesses.
    • You can't generally ask someone to be your mentor. Instead, look at your superiors and who you already have an established connection with. Without specifically talking about them being your mentor, seek them out for advice and feedback. The mentor-mentee relationship will grow naturally from there.
  7. Keep a "lessons learned" inventory. If you develop a habit of keeping a lessons learned inventory, you will be able to improve many things about your professional life which will aid in your future work. You'll have a concrete list you can refer back to to show you the growth you've made and just how valuable of an employee you really are. When a new job rolls around, you'll have all these strong points of yours at the ready.
    • Unfortunately, lessons are easy to learn and easy to forget. Making a list will help you keep these lessons in the forefront of your mind and not let what you learned fall by the wayside.

Learning to Survive Longterm

  1. Don’t compare your situation with others. There could be a chance that many employees of your organization are having a smooth professional journey and are quite satisfied with their jobs. If you come across such individuals, don’t compare your situation with theirs. You have your own reasons why you hate your job, relative to your current circumstances. You are a unique person and will have to have your own way of dealing with hating your job. Comparison will kill all your attempts to healthily deal with the situation.
    • Think of it this way: maybe you just have higher expectations of your job; these coworkers of yours are content being a little miserable. Whether or not they like their job has nothing to do with the job itself; it's just how they look at it. Maybe they even used to hate their job, but now they've found peace with it. If you're close to them, ask them how they got past these obstacles.
  2. Be a master of your field. You will be going in the right direction, regardless of how you feel about your job, if you operate with the ultimate goal of being the master of your field. Growing your skills even in the face of this adversity will help you see the benefits of your current situation and will open doors in the future.
    • Aim to learn something new about your field of work every single day. Focus on the areas that you might have not worked upon due to the sheer negative attitude towards your job. Letting your field of interest suffer due to your attitude about your job is not a wise plan at all, especially when it comes to the future.
  3. Take a professional side job or project. If the predominant reasons you hate your job are because of your not-so-exciting work and low compensation, it's likely a good idea to take up a side job or project outside of your working hours. You'll surround yourself with work that is meaningful to you, in addition to supporting your income stream. When you're at work, you'll have other things to drive you, lessening your frustration and worry.
    • This has added benefits of interacting with new people, developing new skills, and exploring a different working environment to grab hold of additional opportunities to learn and develop. You'll better your mindset and yourself at the same time.
  4. Learn how to deal with your boss. If you feel you are being cornered or turned down for opportunities in comparison to others in your department or organization, then there is likely an issue going on with your boss. Learn to understand the working style of your boss and seek positive criticism. Proactively discuss your concerns with him or her and follow their guidance. Since your boss is the person you report to and will be responsible for your performance assessment you need to work in line with his or her expectations. When your boss is pleased with you, everything goes much, much more smoothly.
    • Meeting your boss's expectations about the job and the way he or she expects their expectations to be met may make work easier. When work's easier, you'll feel less stressed and like you're able to perform better. While you may not agree with their preferences or understand, you'll still reap the benefits from trying to work within their vision of your job.
  5. Negotiate adjustments. While at your job, you can explore the kettle of possibilities by negotiating adjustments on various fronts. One could be to ask for flexible working hours if your company policy allows it. This will put your mind at ease and you will be in a capacity to play at a different level. They may see that you're flexible and can still get the work done, making both you and your employer happy.
    • In rare cases, provided that you have a side job in hand, ask for a pay cut to earn more free time and spend it on tasks meaningful to you. For instance, spend a certain amount of hours on your personal and professional development through attending workshops or seminars, or consider volunteering for an activity or project unrelated to work.
  6. Network more. The more you interact with people in your professional fraternity, the greater your chances of getting in the forefront of being recommended for opportunities. You may come across a better opportunity through your contacts when you might have not even been thinking about it!
    • So much of hiring nowadays is through recommendations and in-sourcing. If you're the go-to-guy or gal who knows everyone and everything, your time at this job may be extra temporary. Keep your eye out for potential connections that could help you later on in your future.
  7. Keep looking for a new job. Don’t just straightaway begin your job hunt, but prepare well so that your time is utilized in the right direction. Target companies you wish to apply for and be on the lookout for new openings. Reserve a time slot every day to sit down and only apply for jobs. Doing this while you have another job will help keep this process from becoming stressful.
    • Keep your career sweet spot in mind. You want to maintain your own values with what the organization aims to achieve at the broader level. This promises a long term stay and will help you feel excited about your work every single day.
    • Present yourself as a brand, highlighting what you are able to accomplish. This should be communicated via your resume and your online profile regardless of the platform they appear on.

Changing Your Attitude

  1. Engage in other things you actually like. Being frustrated with your job calls for getting involved in what interests you. When you do things you really like, you feel good and are more likely to stay relaxed in stressful situations.
    • This may include a long list of your hobbies, like singing, reading, painting, playing guitar, gardening, etc., or even just making more time to go to the movies or spend quality time with friends.
    • Consider taking time off from work and go on a vacation where the stress of work will not bother you – as long as you don't carry any work baggage in your mind.
  2. Improve your fitness. Being healthy will not only add years to your life but will also make you more productive. When you exercise daily and get a healthy diet, the mind starts working at a faster pace. This brings more clarity and precision to all aspects of your life.
    • Consider indulging in meditation that will relax you even more and will help you think as clearly as possible. When your mind is clear, negative thoughts can be more easily sidelined and your thinking pattern will be more positive, making you a productive person in all spheres of your life, including work.
      • If meditation doesn't appeal to you, consider yoga, learning some deep breathing exercises, or simply finding a relaxing spot each day to spend 15 minutes clearing your mind for a moment to yourself.
  3. Strike a work-life balance. If you really hate your job, there is a likelihood that every single inch of your workday is contributing to adding extensive amounts of stress to your life. You won't be able to get rid of this stress until you start thinking about striking a work-life balance. Steer your mind to organize your workday so that you are done with things during your normal working hours and don’t have to stay late at work.
    • If you spare time for other activities and people in your life, hating your job will stay at the back of your mind. Work will be something you just have to deal with from 9-5, that you can forget about on evenings and weekends.
  4. Tap into your creative side. People who hate their jobs usually have obvious reasons: they are bored, the work doesn’t seem interesting or they are unable to tap into their full potential with the work they're doing. However, think about the positive side of this situation: being bored at your job opens a window of opportunity for you to tap into your creative side. More reflection time allows your best ideas to take deep roots and solidify.
    • See if you can tap into your creative side at work. You can take up a project that really excites you or come up with an initiative of your own and take the lead. Your own brainchild will definitely let you feel like you're on a creative streak, energizing your work.
  5. Develop a positive mindset. Since it's unlikely you're going to switch jobs in the near future, the best idea is to learn to stay positive about it. Don’t delve into negative thinking because it will act as a poison to sabotage your time at work. Instead of being irritated at each and every thing pertaining to your work environment, try to see the good things around you. For starters, you have a job. Things could be much worse!
    • Concentrate on the better parts of the day, like when you get to spend time with your colleagues, when you engage in healthy conversations about new ideas, or even this opportunity to force yourself to be a self motivator. When you start thinking positive, you will realize that things are not as bad as you think.
  6. Understand bad situations are a learning experience. The hatred and hopelessness associated with your work life is likely making you ignore the potential lessons learned from this situation. Rather than being really hard on yourself, try to analyze the situation and see if there are any learning points you can gather. This will turn your experience, albeit negative, into a more enriching one down the road.
    • For example, if you're not fond of your coworkers, this is a time where you can learn to get along with different types of people, and maybe even make friends. A poorly paying job will teach you to budget and make you more appreciative when the money does roll in. Though it's hard to see the silver lining, try to remember that these experiences offer value in the future.

Tips

  • As a last resort, if you feel the situation is getting worse and worse, simply quit the job and release yourself of the daily emotional trauma. Once out of that, you can devise a practical roadmap of your way forward. However, only do so if your finances are in order.
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