We have all been there, working a job that seems like a dead end. Sitting at your desk and thinking that if you have to listen to your co-worker laugh one more time you are going to shove a number two pencil right through your eyeball. It is so common, in fact, that whole movies have been made about just this situation.
But this is real life, not Hollywood, and the only happy endings are the ones we make ourselves. And, while it is easy to think of using a line like “take this job and shove it”, in this economy, things aren't as simple as just up and quitting your job when you don't have another one already in the bag. But sometimes, you feel as if you have no choice but to leave. So, how can you make the decision?
Before you decide to throw in the towel, it is important to find out if there are ways you can fix the problems and turn you job into something that is more fulfilling. So here are some ways to tell if your job is in need of some changes:
- You have to force yourself to go to work – When you wake up on work days and feel miserable, forcing yourself to get ready. This often causes you to think of reasons and excuses for being late or calling in, making your performance suffer. If this sounds familiar, maybe you could look for other positions in the company, or other responsibilities you could take on that would give you a challenge or make you more excited about your job.
- You stop putting energy into your job – If this is really how you feel, try to find out why you dislike it so much. By figuring out why, you can raise the chances of finding a job that doesn't make you miserable or see how you can change your job to make the situation better.
- You spend your breaks and off-work time complaining about your job – This is a bad habit to get into. If you find yourself doing this, make a big effort to force yourself to stop. Negativity breeds more negativity. So, even if things get better, you won't feel better because you are in the habit of complaining about it. Force yourself to talk about the positive things about your job. When you start focusing on looking for the good things, it may help you feel better about the work you do.
- Your boss hates you – This one is a tough one, but it happens to people all the time. When you feel that your boss hates you and is always looking for reasons to make your job harder, it is difficult to know what to do. In this situation, your only options are to look for a way to transfer to another department or quit.
- You're making the same money as when you started, several years ago – It might be time for you to write out your accomplishments and ask for a raise. However, if you have been unhappy for a long time, it is certain that your work morale and performance have been affected. So, before you ask for the raise, you might want to try to be more positive and take on more work for a little while. Then you will be in a better position to make a case for how valuable you are to the company.
When you feel stuck in a job, it can really kill your enthusiasm and your motivation. Not only that, but it can cause a tremendous amount of stress on your home life too. So, it is important to find ways to make your job more challenging or start looking for a better job. But, if you can manage to stick it out until you have the new job, it will make your life a whole lot easier.
Are you looking for a job in Healthcare? Be sure to visit Healthcarejobsite.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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