What To Do When You Hate Your Job
Dec

Working a job is part of life. At some point, virtually all of us will have worked for someone else. There are those who go on to own their own companies and there are those who will work for the man for their entire lives.
Unfortunately, far too many people are dissatisfied with their careers.
If you’re a business owner and you hate your job, sell it and go do something else.
If you’re an employee and you hate you job, what should you do?
Your Options At Work
The vast majority of people who hate their jobs will not quit. People will stay in a crap job for years for any number of different reasons. If you choose to stay in your job, then you need to find a way to make yourself at least a little happy.
I’ve been working in a job/career for 9 years that is so wrong for me, it’s not even funny. At first I was intrigued by the thought of being a stock broker. After a year I realized that it wasn’t anything like the movie “Wall Street” and in fact, sucked badly.
However, I was good at it and I was making more money that I ever had, so I stayed. Fast forward 8 years and a number of pay raises, and I’m stuck. Good job, 2 kids, stay at home wife, a shit load of expenses, and seemingly no way out.
So, after spending years on end being miserable, I have crafted numerous ways to make my work life more palatable.
Before I get into how to make your days better, I will say that I am of the mindset that if your job is making your quality of life worse and is affecting your overall happiness and well being, you need to get the fuck out.
It won’t be easy or maybe even responsible, but there is always work out there for someone hungry enough to find it. I truly believe that.
Getting Through The Day
Even if we feel like giving our 2 week notice every single day, there are still a few things that we can do to make our days a little more endurable?
Think long-term. If you can’t see greener pastures in the future, then you’re sunk. Accepting your fate is the worst thing you can do. Even if you are a complete idiot with absolutely no skills, there are still jobs out there that will make you happier. Know where you want to be in 3 years or 5 years and work towards it every day.
Don’t be a sell out. By sellout I mean someone who hates their job and/or boss yet will pretend that they love it, maybe even for years. The reason this is a bad idea is that: 1) It annoys your coworkers. You will come across as a phony and nobody likes a phony. 2) You will tend to forget what your principles are. If you feel strongly about your job and know that quitting is ultimately the best move, then you need to keep that in mind and focus on your goal.
Find office accomplices buddies. This is a key factor in your sanity. In “Office Space”, Peter relied on Michael and Samir for moral support. We need to do the same. If you’ve got a boss who is an asshole, then chances are that others hate him/her as well. While talking shit about them openly may get you fired, find a buddy and be discreet. We need to vent about our jobs. Why do you think therapists have so much business?
Keep your mind off the negatives. And by negatives, I mean work. If you hate your work, then spending all of your time thinking about it will wear you out. I suggest taking some “you” time at least 5 or 6 times each day. Some call this unproductive, but I call it respite care for the mind. For example, if I stared at my computer all day long, I would snap. Therefore, I choose to get up and take frequent walks, read non work related things, and socialize. It’s actually better for productivity if you think about it.
Don’t take it home with you. Chances are that if your job is awful then it’s taking a toll on some aspects of your life outside the office. If you’re single, then you can go blow off some steam at a bar, but if you’re married, it’s much different. Married people know that it takes a lot of hard work to keep a marriage healthy and strong. Bringing negative vibes, complaints, and pissy moods home is a surefire way to anger and annoy your spouse. If you have children, they don’t need to see that either. Do you really want your 5 year old thinking that working a job equals unhappiness? Neither do I.
All in all, I think there are definitely ways to improve your situation at work, even when it sucks. As I have said time and time again, I wholeheartedly believe in finding something that you are truly passionate about and then figuring out how to earn a living from it.
In the meantime, keep your head up and don’t ever forget your dreams.

Fernando
Thanks for this awesome post!
Sometimes we need these kind of posts telling us not to lose our heads!
Thanks for not giving up and following your dreams, you give me inspiration 🙂
Steve
I really appreciate it, Frenando. It makes me very happy to hear that you’re inspired. Hopefully you are following your dreams as well.
Carl Mueller
Hey Steve
Sorry about your current work situation but good for you for setting up this website. Maybe you’ll end the grind online and make some money at it too. Who says you can’t do both, right?
Carl
Steve
That’s the plan! I’m still trying to figure out all this internet marketing stuff, but am working hard at it. The day I can quit my job will be one monumental occasion!
Jem
Thanks for the article! I had to laugh as I read through your points. It describes me perfectly. I’m good at my job. In fact, I think I’m more than just good. However, just because I’m good at it doesn’t mean I should be doing it. I can relate to staying in a job because of the finances and committments.
I like your first point. I also have a studio with two partners making jewellery on the side. This is my long term goal and I work toward it daily. It is my ticket out, along with plans for other ventures. I have cohorts at work and do the time outs you do as well. It is the only way to maintain sanity! I also have a very understanding spouse who is in the same boat, so we work actively together on our long term goals. Your article is spot on!
Ashraf
You have such a sense of humor. I like your hopeful spirit that does not surrender to despair. Thank you for your post
Ashraf
Steve
Hey thanks Ashraf! I try to keep a level head and what’s left of my sense of humor…
I figure if I can’t have fun looking at how lousy my life is, it will be REALLY bad!
Timo Kiander
Great advice!
I actually happened to write about this same topic this week, but perhaps from a different perspective – so that instead of hating your job you can also appreciate it a bit (yes, sounds crazy, I know 🙂
Steve
Timo,
I read your post and I have a real hard time finding the positives about my job. There are there, I just have been choosing to ignore them.
Thanks for the reminder 🙂
Gaurav Lotekar
I need Help,I am a software engineer.I work for a company but I don’t like this job of sitting in a cubicle and banging my head on this dumb machine.I am afraid to take a step out to do something of my own and I also don’t know what is is my passion and what i like to do.!!Help
Steve
Hi Guarav,
I know your feeling all too well. I sat at my desk for years and didn’t know what I wanted to do . I just knew that what I was doing wasn’t it. Your first priority should be to figure out exactly what you want to do.
You’ll have to do some serious soul searching to answer a question like “what am I passionate about” but it must be done. What excites you? What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies? These questions are a good start. Keep me posted about your progress!
Gaurav lotekar
how Does the change in self takes place steve??Its hard to figure that what i need or what i want from myself or for myself.
Alan
Tell you what, negatives are a killer. No matter how bad things are you’ll (or I) only perceive things to be worse when I think through the negatives. It’s so important to try to see the positives and find out if things really are as sh*t as you think or if it’s just a perception, lack of gratitude thing. But if there are no positives… it is time to walk.