Hate Your Job? Here’s How You Can Survive

If you are on this page you are most likely feeling stuck in a job you hate.  You should take some consolation in the fact that if you don’t like your job you are not alone.  A recent Gallop poll shows that 85% people across the globe hate their job. Include me in this number!  As I mentioned in my new years resolution post, I am laser focused this year on getting a new job.  If you don’t have the luxury of going scorched earth and quitting today.

You may have kids, bills, or other responsibilities that make this a really BAD idea!

But you are going to want a plan. Studies show that staying in a job you hate is worse for your mental health that not having a job at all.  Pretty sobering stuff!

Here are some tips to help you make it through this.

Remember This is Temporary

“This too shall pass”.  It is important to remember that your life won’t be like this forever.  You will get past this point in time and you will move on to bigger and better things.  You may not find another job that pays as well but that is not the only important factor.

I can speak to this from experience as I am currently the most unhappy I have ever been in a job even though I am making more money that I ever have.  One day you will look back on these days and appreciate the experience and perspective you have for going through this.

For more perspective check our our post Remember it’s just a job

Invest in Yourself

Just because you are in a job you hate doesn’t mean you have to stagnate.  Even worse don’t let the job decay your skills to the point that it will be hard to move on and upward in your career. You can use this time to improve your skills and learn something new. During this time period I’ve gotten a digital marketing certification and have improved my WordPress and blogging skills.  Consider getting an Audible subscription and listen to some self-improvement or business related audio books. Working towards something better in the future is important and feels good.  Never stop growing! I’m also a huge fan of Udemy.  They have over 100k courses on a variety of topics.  I recently completed a course on SEO as well as a class on Chess!

Create New Income Streams

Nothing makes a bad job a bit more tolerable than knowing that your paycheck isn’t your only source of income.  If you hate your job you need to diversify your risk by bringing in money from multiple sources.  At this point I am making approximately $7K per month in pretax dollars from my non-job sources (primarily real estate). Read our post on creating multiple sources of income for more info.

Exercise

Stress from a job you hate can put your mental and physical health at serious risk.  Combat this with exercise.  Physical activity increases endorphins in your brain which makes you feel good. Exercise also decrease cortisol which is also known as the stress hormone.

This is the reason I exercise every day.  I want to burn off as much of the negativity as possible!

Eat Healthy

If you are depressed and hating your job it will be easy to grab a Big Mac on the way home and pig out on cookies and cake.  Don’t do it.  This garbage will just zap your energy and make you feel and look terrible.  So just avoid it. Eat salads and wholesome healthy food.

Also do your best to moderate or avoid alcohol.

Treat Yourself

If your job has you down make sure you treat yourself.  Go see that movie you’ve been wanting to see.  Read that book on your bucket list or play that video game that helps you escape from the day-to-day.  Just make sure you are smart and don’t splurge too much or run up credit card debt which leads to the next tip.

Make Smart Purchases

The last thing you should do when you hate your job is spend a ton of money on junk you don’t need.  You may get a temporary shoppers high but it won’t last and this could leave you in a bad financial situation which will only make your life even more stressful. I’ve found it helpful to build up a sense of independence from my work and that is hard to do if you living paycheck to paycheck.  This not only applies to small purchases but large purchases as well.

One of the best financial decisions I’ve made so far ws to buy a house I could afford vs over extending myself and being “house poor”.  This enabled me to payoff my mortgage over 3 years ago and become completely debt free.  If you have a “go to hell” fund aka emergency  fund you will sleep alot easier at night.

Be Patient

Don’t make a hasty decision that you will regret just because you hate your job.  I’ve toyed with the idea several times of quitting my job without having another one lined up but so far I haven’t pulled the trigger.  I may need to but if I do I know that I have exhausted my opther options and that I have a nice financial cushion in case it takes me a long time to land my next gig.  This leads to the most important tip.

Stay Positive and “Always Be Looking” for a Job

Remember that even if you are in the worst job on the planet with a boss that is a real a-hole you need to keep everything in perspective.  On the plus side at least you have a job and you are working on a plan to get out and land on your feet.  Make sure you have an updated resume and that your Linkedin profile is current and showcases your skills and experience.  You never know you could be one day away from making a contact or having a conversation that can help you land your next job!