Everyone dreams of their ideal profession growing up – or at least has some clue of what they don’t want to do.
But as time scoots on, goals and ambitions change. Life can get in the way of your dream job; your dream job can fail to live up to your expectations.
And while it’s all well and good to advise you to put your happiness first and quit a job you hate, this simply isn’t an option for many of us. Bills need paying, toilet paper needs buying, kids need feeding. We need to work.
This article gives some tips on keeping your head together in a job you hate.
Why are you dissatisfied?
Although many people are unhappy about their work, a lot of us shy away from actually creating change. Think about why you find your work so soul-suckingly painful and take logical steps toward improving these factors.
If you are experiencing conflict with others in your workplace, seek the help of a mediator; if you feel totally overwhelmed, delegate responsibilities among your co-workers; if you find the work dry and boring, ask to be transferred to a new department or create a challenge to jazz up your day.
Often, there will be simple but effective ways for you to better your situation – improving the job you hate is all about pursuing improvement.
Connect with your co-workers
In certain situations, your co-workers may be the cause of your unhappiness at work – but often, they are decent people in a similar position to yourself. So if the job you hate makes you want to staple post-its to your forehead as an excuse to go home, maybe it’s time to direct your focus away from the job and onto the people you are surrounded by instead.
Make it your mission to befriend the newby, arrange a social meet-up outside of work, set up an office activity or simply have a chat in the lunchroom when you have a bite to eat rather than remaining at your desk. If you are working with people you enjoy, the work itself won’t seem so bad.
Personalise your work
Many unhappy workers feel as though the job they are in is completely incompatible with their identity – you may be an outside person stuck in a desk job, or an artist at heart who is an accountant by day.
In order to break the monotony and dissatisfaction that this sort of work creates, integrate aspects of what you really value into your workplace. This mean anything from decorating your desk with pictures of loved ones and quirky stationery to throwing some puns into your next presentation. Tailor your work to suit you as an individual.
Keep complaints to a minimum
Yes, you’re in a job you hate. Yes, you need to vent these feelings of frustration. However, be sure not to fall into the trap of complaining too much. Although letting go of your frustrations may feel cathartic, dwelling on your dislike for work may actually breed further dissatisfaction in the long run.
For instance, if you spend your entire evening after work telling your partner about how much you hate your job, you will feel like you haven’t left the frustration of work behind at all when you return to the job the next day. Similarly, sharing your unhappiness with a co-worker could lead them to forge a similar mentality, and form an atmosphere of negativity in the workplace itself.
Use your sense of humour
We have all heard the adage that laughter is the best medicine – and in the case of a job you hate, it’s not far from the truth! Seeing the lighter side of a situation will not only boost your endorphins and give you a smile, but also make it easier for you to separate yourself from an issue.
Instead of being frustrated by your typo, have a giggle when you accidentally add an “i” to the word “pens”, or laugh it off when you knock over the mop bucket. You will find your day becomes infinitely more bearable when you replace frustration with laughter.
Give other parts of your life attention
When your job is bringing you down, it is important to actively focus on what is good in your life. Spend more quality time with your family, find a new hobby and really make sure that when you get to the end of your day, you flick work out of your mind.
