Love it or Leave it. What to do When You Hate Your Job

Posted on 01/25 by Erin Helms

We’ve all been there: You’re at your wit’s end and are ready to stand up and walk out of your job. You just can’t take it anymore! Despite the immediate satisfaction you think might come from making a scene and storming out, take a deep breath. Your bills can’t be paid with spite and self-satisfaction, unfortunately. It’s better to try and improve your situation while looking for a new opportunity instead of leaving yourself unemployed and stressed about money. Here are a few things to remember to help make a bad situation better until something new comes along (and how to help yourself find that new job faster).

Be Honest With Yourself

What about your job do you hate? What’s causing the stress? Write it out. Get very specific and clear about the pressure points behind your current feelings and frustrations and be honest about it all. The more precise you are about what’s making you unhappy and willing to leave, the better prepared you’ll be to find another job without those factors. Once you’ve vented about your current bad situation, shift your focus to making it better. Dwelling will not help, it might make things worse and increase your bad feelings even more.

Try to Find The Positive

Now that we’ve focused on the negative and brought into sharp focus what you don’t like, turn to the positive. Find a few things you DO like about your job. Maybe you can’t stand your manager, but you have a great friend who you didn’t know before this job. The commute may be terrible, but the coffee in the breakroom is free and delicious. Maybe you can’t stand the way a coworker chews their lunch, but you have a whole hour for a break and you like walking in the park across the street to clear your head. Whatever it is, try to identify things you enjoy about your current job, or things that make the bad things a little easier to tolerate.

Set Small Personal Goals

Yes, work can be repetitive, and mundane, and if you’re a creative person or someone who likes variety, that can feel like drudgery. Why not try to make work more fun by challenging yourself? If there’s a task you have to do every day, try to time yourself each day and complete it a little faster as the week goes on. Maybe there’s a big project you’ve been dreading because you know it’s going to swallow up all your time; set yourself a goal for completing it and give yourself a reward when it’s done. These little incentives can make a big difference in breaking up the monotony of your day! (Goals can also include things like looking for jobs after work, updating your resume, etc, to help keep you focused on your larger objective.)

Always Take Your Breaks

It wasn’t so long ago that people were regularly going outside every few hours for a smoke break. That was a perfectly acceptable part of a workday and didn’t draw much attention because it was just a regular part of the routine. Smoking might be a terrible habit, but taking breaks is a great one! You deserve a few moments throughout the day to step away from your work, get some water, maybe some fresh air, and give your brain a chance to relax and think about something else. Taking breaks helps us refocus and maintain concentration and it’s a great way to help keep yourself on task. Plus, staying hydrated and taking time to eat are really important for your overall health.

Try To Improve Your Working Enviroment

While you’re still in this job, do what you can to make your immediate surroundings a little more positive and supportive. Maybe that means bringing in photos of your children or nieces and nephews; maybe it’s bringing in little silly desk toys or gadgets you can use as a distraction when the stress starts to get to you. If you don’t have a desk or cubicle to decorate, find something else to boost your mood. Can you listen to music or podcasts while you work? Is there a great coffee place near your company where you can quickly walk over for a little treat as needed? Is there a coworker whose company you enjoy who will take their lunch break with you regularly? It’s important to find something that makes a bad situation even just a little better.

Use Available Resources to Improve Your Situation

Does your company offer training opportunities or the ability to shadow someone else and learn a new skill? Does your company have tuition discounts for ongoing education? Is there an Employee Assistance Program that might provide mental health resources? While you’re in this job, determine what resources are available to you, personally and professionally, and use those to better yourself and your prospects for the future. If you can learn a new skill that aligns with something you’re interested in while you’re at this job, and you might be able to use that skill to find a new job, do it!

You've Tried, But You're Still Ready To Quit

Feeling stuck in a job you hate is a very unpleasant experience that can feel hopeless and helpless the longer it goes on. When you’re ready, call LaborMAX. We can help you find a temporary job to keep you employed and bring home income while you figure out what you really want to do next! LaborMAX is here to help you find a great new job quickly and it all starts with a simple phone call or email. Contact us today!

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