Tough Love

Finding Happiness in a Job You Hate

If you are dissatisfied with your current career or workplace environment, you are not alone. A Gallup poll in 2013 found that 70% of Americans are unhappy with their job. Unless you are a member of the top 1% of income earners, working is a necessary evil. We all have bills to pay, and many of us have people to care for. Adding to the frustration is the fact that most Americans work an average of 46 hours per week. So, how can morale be improved when most of our waking hours are spent doing something we just do not like?

While not a simple solution, the answer is very clear: perspective. There are many things we can look forward to when heading to work daily; sometimes it takes an extra set of eyes to help us see what those reasons are. So before you get excited about the idea of telling your boss where he can shove your job, consider the following reasons to appreciate what you have:

• The Experience: the American career landscape is a very competitive environment. You simply cannot compete without relevant experience. Shed your job, and you are losing a valuable resource for differentiating yourself from a massive pool of other candidates. The longer you can bear your job, the more marketable you become. I have found the magic number is two years. Make it a goal to get two years experience in your field, and changing jobs becomes exponentially easier.
• The People: so many people I speak to that hate their jobs love the people they work with. As I continue on my own career journey, my number one priority has become surrounding myself with the right team of people. I find that strong relationships with others is the most rewarding aspect of my career, and it is very important to cherish any job where I love working with the people on a daily basis even if the job is dull, the company is not ideal, or management is lacking. When you are having trouble, those people you love and care about so much will be there to support you.
• The Benefits: while it is hard to appreciate a job for the extra benefits provided, these benefits should not be taken for granted. Many companies provide subsidized health care, matching contributions to retirement accounts, pensions, subsidized food programs, and other perks that are very important to living a happy and healthy life even if the job simply sucks. Many companies also often provide educational assistance. Taking advantage of those benefits can greatly improve your career over time. So, ask yourself if having these benefits outweighs your dissatisfaction, and adjust your expectations accordingly.
• Change will come: only death and taxes are permanent. Everything else is likely to change over time. What is a terrible place today may be a wonderful place tomorrow. Patience may seem an unbearable burden, but allow an adequate amount of time to pass before making a change. You may be surprised by what your workplace looks like a few weeks, months, or years from today.
• Ego/Pride: human emotions are a powerful driver. Many of us wear our virtues as badges of honor. Some may find these reasons silly, but they are incredibly personal, so why should the opinion of others affect our own determination? They shouldn’t. Take those basic feelings and magnifying them into driving forces of success. Be too stubborn to quit so that you can say ‘I hated it, but I kept at it for x years!’
• It could be much worse: when all else fails, my default response to challenging situations is that things can be much worse. While everyone’s specific circumstances are different, we typically enjoy the benefit of a safe work environment governed by strict employment laws. As a result, we generally are not exposed to the poor working conditions common to other nations. Perspective is a powerful tool.
• Your job does not matter: as long as your job is fulfilling its fundamental purpose of paying your bills, there is no reason to suffer from high stress. We have been brilliantly conditioned to believe that success is a measure of wealth and property accumulation, but the reality is work is solely a means for paying our regular obligations. By maintaining that frame of mind regarding the 8+ hours you spend daily, you can begin to prioritize the things that are paramount to your true happiness: family, friends, pets, faith, and so much more that do not demand your money. These are the things that can bring you true joy!

As you can see, none of these are direct solutions to the problem. However, the intent is to raise awareness at the opportunities and perspectives available to reduce the feeling of hopelessness so that it does not become overwhelming. Read and re-read the list above and see if any of these points are applicable to your own situation. Hopefully, there is some value and your job becomes a place you can tolerate and enjoy versus a place you dread.

Do you have any other ways to relieve frustration with a job you don’t enjoy? I would love to hear them. You can follow me on Twitter at: @freesuccesstips!