If you’re like many people, you may be unhappy or disgruntled with your current job. Eventually, you may find a job that you love, but what do you do in the meantime when you’re lacking motivation and fulfillment in your current job? You may often hear about people quitting a job they’re unhappy with before they have another position.
Sometimes this works, but it’s a risky move. In our current economy, this is very attractive because opportunities are abundant. So, if you can’t tough it out until you find something better, consider the strategies below to help you hire yourself when you hate your job:
- Make a list of all the reasons you’re grateful to have your current position. Remind yourself about all the good aspects of your job. There is a reason why you accepted your current position. Have you taken time to consider what they are? Have those reasons changed, or have you? Remember, your attitude is always a reflection of your gratitude.
- Focus on being great in your current role. Instead of dwelling on your unhappiness at work, make a real effort to excel at what you do best. What reasons, resources and relationships do you need in order to be great in your current role? And more importantly, ask for help in those areas where you might struggle. With these positive intentions, you just might start to enjoy your work again.
- Be creative in completing the work your job requires. Maybe you need to shake up your routine at work. Use your imagination and creativity to accomplish your job tasks differently. Leveraging creativity destroys the fear of failure and it also fertilizes new ideas to be born.
- Take a timeout at work. During your breaks, try reading positive affirmations or meditating. Both of these activities can help make your day more productive and enjoyable. Listening to music can also be a great way to lift your spirits.
- Establish friendships at work. Your job will be more enjoyable if you work with people you like. Reach out socially and make new friends. Spending the day with friends makes the workday pass by more quickly.
- Invest time in learning the skills you’ll need to find work you love. Everyone finds a way to waste time and we all have more free time than we realize. Think about what you could accomplish if you used most of your free time to work on changing your situation. Maybe you could pursue a certification and earn the credentials for a career that will bring you more enjoyment. The day might pass more quickly if you utilize your time in a way that benefits you.
- Find an activity you enjoy doing outside of work. Turn something besides work into the highlight of your day. Maybe there’s an activity that you’d love to do each day, so fit it into your schedule. It’s important to have something to look forward to in each day.
- Avoid negative self-talk. You’ll only make yourself more miserable by focusing on the undesirable aspects of your job. When you catch yourself focusing on the negative, quickly replace those thoughts with more positive ones. Remember, you become what you think about.
At some point, you may have a job you’re unhappy with because you’re lacking motivation and fulfillment. So, when you do, remember you will have a couple of options. One, you can quit the current job you have before you have another position. This works but it’s also very risky. And if you don’t address the causes, you’ll have the same effects in your next job. Or number two, you can use these tips to hire yourself when you hate your job because you will become the best version of yourself. And that’s the best hire that you’ll ever make!
The Blue Hen team has decades of experience helping organizations succeed. Reach out to us today to learn how we can help you win. Behind every champion, there’s a Blue Hen.