Its mid week, you are tired of your work and all you can do is wish that the weekend would come a little bit earlier.
We’ve all been there; if everyone loved their job, they probably wouldn’t call it work. The lucky ones are those guys who have figured out how to get paid for doing what they love, while the rest of us simply gat paid so that we can make ends meet.
These 7 tips are designed to help you cope regardless of why you hate your job. Wether it’s that terrible boss, nasty coworkers or incompetent subordinates.
1. Rant, rave and holler
Shouting it out can help you calm down and relax, but just don’t do it at the office. Ranting to your spouse is also not advisable since with time it could mess up your relationship. Your friends are out, they have problems of their own and you can’t complain to your coworkers since they might actually be part of the problem.
Here’s what you should do, post your gripes on a site like Anonymousemployee.com. You’ll feel better after you have gotten it off your chest. Plus if there’s one universal rule, it’s that someone else always has it worse, so, the other guy’s horror stories might make you feel better about you situation.
2. Remind yourself that this isn’t permanent
It’s easy to think that things won’t ever change, but that’s just not true. It’s a proven fact that the number of careers a worker can expect to have in a lifetime is no less than five. Changing your job every two years has become a common practice, so you shouldn’t think that a few years here and a few years there is a warning sign on your C.V.
3. Make time for yourself
This is good advice for both those who hate or love their jobs. Choosing an activity that you enjoy, anything from waking up early to working out or reading a novel, and applying it to your morning routine. This would help change your perspective on waking up. Rather than getting up for work, you’ll be getting up to do those activities you love.
4. Add something fun to the mix of work
It’s no secret that nobody works all the time at the office, not even that boss of yours. Try and give yourself a little break from your workday. Check out the day’s news paper, listen to some music on your computer, take some 15 minutes off to chat online, step out for lunch and use the time to decompress from the rigors of the office. Play the occasional games on your computer. The trick is to spice up your office hours with something fun that you enjoy doing.
5. Keep your sense of humour
We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine. Many scientists believe that humour can enhance one’s ability to cope with a number of situations by giving you perspective and helping you see that the problem is manageable. Try and add humour to your daily routine whenever possible. Listen to Maina and Kinga’ngi on Classic105 on your way to work, watch some funny youtube clips when you get to the office.
Keeping a sense of humor will help you keep the ball rolling forward every day.
6. Focus on life outside the office
You probably spend at least eight hours a day at work, and eight hours asleep, that leaves you with eight hours all to yourself. When you let a crappy day at the office take over your life, you are letting the company steal your time without paying for it.
Release your tension by hanging out with the guys after work; go watch a movie, cook yourself something nice, cooking is known to have some therapeutic effect of helping you relax.
Ultimately, the goal here is to ensure that you leave your work at work.
7. Be a better worker
You may not be happy at work, but you don’t have to waste your time. Motivate yourself to work harder, this will give you some sense of accomplishment and would help you be happier after you have accomplished something. This could also enhance your working skills especially when you are applying for another job. Also don’t slack off, how you perform at your current job can determine if you get the next one. Use that as motivation to keep your performance up. A positive attitude will go a long way in getting you out of a bad situation.
A bad job can seem like the end of the world. The key to survive is to have a vision beyond the troubles of today. You don’t need to figure out a way to love a job you hate, and you don’t need to fix all the problems at work. All you need to do is to cope long enough to find a new job.