"The supreme accomplishment is to blur the lines between work and play"- Arnold J Toynbee
Like I have mentioned before, I could be considered a professional part-time career specialist (completely made-up term) from all the jobs I have had. From being a bartender to an aupair to a personal assistant and promo girl, I have met a lot of people and learnt a lot of things-useful or not.
Most people spend one third of their life at work, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. If you add it up that is a whole lot of hours to spend being miserable if you dislike your job. Even though I am still reasonably young and inexperienced, I know what it's like to hate a job to the point where you are considering giving up all together. Whether it is a job you have just started or that you have had for years, chances are it could be a life-changing decision to move on. Here is how to decide if you should stay or go.
1. You wake up in the morning with dread
This is what I base my life decisions on and I take it very seriously. That moment that you open your eyes in the morning, before your brain is fully operating, I like to think of it as your raw self where you are most in-touch with your instincts. If you wake up every morning with dread, sadness or frustration about the day of work that lies ahead of you, then quit your job as soon as you can. Yes, its not that easy, but what kind of life are you living if your body and mind are fighting against you before you have even got out of bed?
2. You are not being acknowledged for your work
This is something I have personally experienced being young and afraid of speaking up. When you are constantly being overlooked for the work you are putting blood, sweat and tears into, it becomes a vicious cycle of doing your all and getting nothing in return. Even worse is when a colleague or someone in a higher position takes the credit for the hard work you have done, and that's just not okay. If you have attempted on more than one occasion to rectify the situation and got no positive response from it then maybe it is time to leave, or at least move to another position where the same thing won't happen.
3. It is an unhealthy work environment
The work place can be a very volatile environment when it comes to mismanaged projects, unfair promotions, back-stabbing and sexism (to name a few). Office drama has certain levels of normality, but if it has got to the stage of a 'bold and the beautiful' episode, its probably not healthy. If the environment you are working in has affected your personal life or your reputation in the company then its best to move on. Some people stop at nothing to discredit others, and if the problem can't be resolved then leave before it gets worse and lessens your possibility of finding a new job.
4. Your boss is... an asshole
He/She makes your life miserable on a daily basis, whether its belittling you, making nasty comments or completely ignoring you all together. These are individuals who have a considerable amount of power, then misuse it and cause employees working under them to actually hate their job. If this is the case, and you have tried every possible way of improving the situation, then you should quit. PS: you probably shouldn't watch the movie 'Horrible Bosses' for inspiration.
5. There is no passion in your work
If your mind is constantly some place else, dreaming of other interests and passions you have, and the work you are at present doing does not make you even remotely excited, then its a clear warning sign that it's not the job for you. So many people are conditioned to think that having a sensible, well-paying job is all they can expect out of life, regardless of being happy. Of course it is realistic to want that reassurance, but if there is no passion in the job that you have, it really doesn't matter how sensible or stable it is. Find something that you're passionate about, or that you're really good at. This will allow you to obtain the satisfaction and self-assurance you need out of your career.
6. You don't care when something goes wrong
When you have made a mistake or done something wrong and get called out for it, you act like you care but you really don't. Whether the company on a whole means nothing to you, or you just couldn't care less about the work you are doing, its a simple way of realising that its time to quit. People who love their job have pride in their company/establishment and everything it stands for.
7. You are over-stressed and depressed
When I was suffering through the job that I hated and eventually resigned from, I would get this ache in my jaw every so often. I couldn't figure out what it was from until someone mentioned that it could be the stress of my job affecting my health. This pain magically disappeared as soon as I resigned!
If you are:
-suffering from stomach pains and headaches (or any other physical pains)
-getting easily agitated with friends and family
-changing moods frequently
-feeling lonely or worthless
-having difficulty relaxing
then you could be over-stressed or depressed (or both). Quit your job, its obviously not worth it.
8. There is only one thing making you stay
If the one thing making you stay is the money, ask yourself why. Do you want to hold out until your debt is paid off or do you plan on sticking with a job you hate for the rest of your life? Everyone desires a job that pays well, but you have got to consider the fact that there is more to life than material things. I know a handful of people that have dropped out of the corporate grind to become pre-school teachers or entrepreneurs. Find what drives you to happily get out of bed every morning. x
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