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9 Bits of Advice For Sticking With a Crappy Job

It’s a pretty common thing to be dissatisfied with your job. However, if leaving isn’t possible to do right away, the following nine pieces of advice from RiseSmart CEO Sanjay Sathe, shared on Miriam Saltpeter’s U.S.News.com blog, can help.

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It’s a pretty common thing to be dissatisfied with your job. However, if leaving isn’t possible to do right away, the following nine pieces of advice from RiseSmart CEO Sanjay Sathe, shared on Miriam Saltpeter’s U.S.News.com blog, can help:

1. Identify what you truly dislike about your current job. Is it the building you work in? A mean-spirited co-worker? Or are personal difficulties from home impacting how happy you feel at work?

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2. When thinking about job satisfaction, consider if it’s you yourself or the people you work with causing you to be unhappy. Write down a list of all the things that bother you during your workday so you can find out if it’s one specific thing causing unhappiness or many small things.

3. Speak with those you trust about your job dissatisfaction. Other advice and viewpoints could help you see your situation in a whole different light. You may even realize that things aren’t as bad as you believe.

4. Find out if you can cut less enjoyable tasks from your workday. Speak to your manager about doing work that better fits your skills. Or, if it’s not possible to remove such tasks, find a way to bring more duties you enjoy into your daily routine to make the parts of your job you dislike easier to handle.

5. If things are getting stale, ask if you can work on a new project or see if there is something you could do in another department or area in the company, even if it’s only on a temporary basis.

6. If there is no making your job better, make a plan for finding a different position elsewhere. Finding a new position can be overwhelming. Start by taking small steps.

7. Your state of mind has a huge effect on how you feel at work. Focusing on the perks of your day, even if they are as simple as a cool poster in your office or a joke a co-worker shared at lunch, can help you feel much better.

8. It’s also important to always treat your co-workers and boss with respect, no matter how poorly they treat you. You may need them as references for a new job in the future.

9. Setting aside more time to do fun stuff outside of work can help refresh and recharge you for the next workday. Also keep your eyes open for opportunities to change your passions into a side business or even a full-time job.