If you’re feeling dissatisfied with your job, know that you’re not alone. A 2017 Gallup poll found that 70 percent of Americans are disengaged from their work.
Basically, most of the country is unhappy at work.
But that doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to feeling awful every day. In fact, when you dread going to work, there’s an even greater chance that your day is going to go downhill. What’s worse is that you’re likely to bring the negativity back home with you at the end of the day.
Leaving your job is always an option, but it’s not always practical. And since most Americans are unhappy at work, it may not even solve the problem.
That’s why it’s a good idea to shift your mindset when you’re dissatisfied with your job.
Here are some tips for helping improve your mentality when work is bringing you down.
Get a handle on the problem
When you hate your job, it can seem like everything is completely out of whack. There might even be days when you can’t find one thing you enjoy about work. But in most cases, there’s a root cause of all the disengagement.
Take a step back and evaluate the parts of your job that make you most frustrated. It could be a personality conflict or an overload of work. If you could change one thing, and one thing only, what would it be? Here’s a hint: Money is important, but it’s usually not the reason you hate your job.
Next, try to think about one thing that makes you happy about your job. Maybe it’s even just the potential. Or maybe it’s a best friend who works with you. But whatever it is, write it down. It’s easy to get lost in the things that upset us. But then we risk overlooking the positivity that exists.
Whenever you can, focus more on the positive things than the things that bother you.
Consider making some changes
Once you know what’s really bothering you about your job, think about whether you can make any changes to avoid it. If it’s a personality conflict that’s making your life miserable, maybe transferring to another department would help.
Think things through, and then talk to your manager about potential solutions. He or she should be willing to help you troubleshoot the problem. Employers always want happy employees because happy employees tend to be more productive.
On the other hand, if the problem is something you can solve on your own, you’re in an even better position. In this case, your happiness isn’t dependent on anyone else.
Leave work at work
Have you ever noticed that problems seem to expand the more you think about them? This is because you’re investing negative thoughts and those thoughts are breeding more of the same.
Acknowledge that there’s nothing you can do about while you’re at home. Recognize that you’re not getting paid to worry about work when you’re at home. And understand that leaving your mind at work will always take focus away from your family. They don’t deserve that and neither do you.
If you can separate work and home life, there’s a better chance you’ll have a more positive attitude about your job — because it’s not actively ruining your entire life.
Shift your mentality
It may seem cliché to hear that the power of positivity can solve your problems. But there’s some truth to it. You aren’t going to be able to convince yourself that a negative situation is happy or exciting, but you might be able to shift your focus towards something more positive.
If you’ve decided to stay at your job, it’s in your best interest to make the most of it. Even if it’s a temporary situation, focus on the things you enjoy and try to forget about the rest as much as possible.
If you’re unhappy and decide to stay at your job anyway, think about the reasons why you’re staying. Even if it’s just the paycheck, think about how that money is helping your life. Whenever the stress is getting to you, shift your focus back to the reason or reasons why you’ve decided to stick it out.
If you’re having trouble sticking it out, it may be time to leave. But if you don’t want to add to your stress levels, try to find a better job before you tender your resignation.
We know that most workers are unhappy with their jobs, but what about that 30 percent? They seem to have a secret that the rest of us should know. Try looking into the happiest jobs in America. You may just find a dream job that makes you jump out of bed with a smile every morning. Wouldn’t that be something?
