Surviving in a job you hate

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Don’t like your job? Then change!
“But what if I can’t?”

Double yellow lines with the words 'Feeling restricted?' along them

Sometimes it’s just not possible to leave a job when you want to. If you have financial commitments like a mortgage, debts or a family to support, often it seems like there’s no option but to grin and bear it. But there are things you can change!

Get some perspective

Find a time when you’ve got some distance from work – a weekend will do – and get some perspective.

Get a pen and paper and make a list of everything you hate about your job. Be specific – it could be a particular relationship with a colleague, a heavy workload, or a certain task you do that you have no interest in.
Then, make a second list, this time writing down things you like about your job. Be positive and objective. It could be the amount of holidays, your working environment, contact with the outside world, or the diagrams you draw when you present a report. Write each one down.

Plan the changes

Look at the two lists and think about what you can do to change each item.

Some of them could be factors within your control – if you feel that your work life steals time from your home life, promise yourself you will leave work by 6pm at least 3 times a week.
Then look at your list of positives, and see if you can’t increase the time you spend doing these things.

The little things

It could be that life at work could be improved by small changes to your working day.

You could arrange to eat lunch away from the building, or plan your coffee breaks to avoid the colleague that rubs you up the wrong way.
Think about small solutions that could help you survive each day with less frustration and stress.

Feeling trapped?

If part of your frustration comes from feeling like you’re in a dead end job, then take charge of your career.

Find out about development training in your company, or improve your skill set with an evening course. Some companies have educational bursaries for further training.
If you feel uninspired because your skills are not being used, volunteer yourself for tasks and responsibilities that you think you will enjoy and excel in. If your offer is unaccepted, they might still remember the conversation and think of you next time.
Talk to your colleagues about their roles, and keep your finger on internal vacancies- a different role in the same organisation could be within your reach, just ask around.

Talk about it

Can you talk to your employer about this? Most employers recognise that their staff will be more effective if they are happy in their role.

Make sure you know what you want to say beforehand. Decide on the most important points and make a note of potential arguments you need to stay away from.
Be honest about what you find difficult, but try not to place blame or raise issues that you know will only aggravate the situation.
If you talk about a problem, make sure you’ve thought about a possible and realistic solution, and offer it as an idea. For example, if you feel pressured by work-related calls in your free time, maybe you could suggest times when you will be available and set times when you will not be responding to calls or email.

If you’re stuck in a job you can’t stand, these things won’t transform it into the career of your dreams. But they will help you survive life at work, and you might find yourself better equipped for a new job when your chance comes around. Make the most of where you are… you’ve got nothing to lose.

Written by Becky Williams. Posted on 30th May.

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