Let’s face it, life is too short to hate your job. We spend so many hours at work (more than anywhere else, as sad as that is!) that disliking your job will absolutely affect your livelihood and happiness.
I feel that so many people don’t realize that the majority of people are not happy at their jobs. Sometimes when the government is reporting on job satisfaction, they’ll say things are going well and I’m not actually sure who they’re surveying because every single other report over the years has said that the majority of Americans don’t like their jobs. Besides reports and books I’ve read, I’ve seen Access Hollywood Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Rachael Ray Show, and many more, do segments on job dissatisfaction. So if you’re one of the people who think, ‘I really don’t like my job, but it seems like everyone else really likes theirs, so I must be the minority,’ I can assure you that’s not the case. Don’t forget that we live in the social media age where everyone is trying to make their life look amazing, so the majority of the time people aren’t sharing the things they struggle with. Everyone wants to look happy and successful. They don’t want to tell you that they feel overworked, underpaid, barely coming up for air and hating their commute.
The one area where this does come out a little more honestly are all the funny and relatable memes about hating a job, or when people talk about having the “Sunday Scaries” or “The Sunday Night Blues.” I was one of those people who sometimes barely even enjoyed my Sunday because of the dread of going to work on Monday. It is the worst. But living that way is not normal. It is possible to find a job you like, or create one through entrepreneurship.
The key is really taking a step back and identifying the specific things you don’t like about your job, and then really looking within yourself and your interests and identifying the things that would make you happier at work. Do you like the company you work for but hate your boss or your specific role? Do you hate the commute and finding something closer to home would be life changing? Do you need to go back to school so you can transition into a different field? Have you always dreamed of starting a business but don’t know where to start?
It all begins with taking an honest, deep look at your current job situation, the strengths and abilities you have and the areas you might need to work on to get you where you want. I’ll be talking about this further in an upcoming blog about job satisfaction.
But in the meantime I just want this post to remind you that if you’re feeling deeply unhappy or dissatisfied with your job, you are not alone and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You CAN make a change. I am one of those people who felt like I was drowning at my job and HATED my 40 hour per month commute and decided enough was enough. I made a plan and I got over my fear and I bit the bullet and I quit. And it is the best decision I ever made.
So don’t give up. Make goals and big changes. It’s time!
Job satisfaction and career goals will be a regular, ongoing topic on my blog so please come back and continue to read this series. If you liked this post, you might also enjoy my other post: Do What You Love, Love What You Do. Stay tuned – more will be coming in the future!
