Don’t Waste Any More Time In A Job You Hate

I still feel guilty saying that I hated my old job.  It was engaging work for a great law firm, with lots of wonderful co-workers.  The job just wasn’t a good fit for me.  Yet, I stayed because of a belief that there were no better options and a fear of change.  It’s been about three months since finally taking the leap to a new job and I’m so thankful for the change and all it has given to me, and to my family. 

There are far too many people in the world who spend every day getting up and going to a job that they hate.  They feel uninspired, frustrated, or just plain bored by having to spend all day long doing a job that brings them no joy whatsoever.  But why is that?  Why do so many of us feel as though we have to stick with a job that we hate? 

Well, I’ve been there and believe it usually comes down to fear of change or an aversion to risk, and a sense of responsibility.  Financial obligations are often the main cause for feeling tied to a job.  But doing work that makes you unhappy isn’t the only way to bring home a paycheck. There are ways to find something better.

What Are Your Passions?

One of the most common reasons that people find their jobs boring or unpleasant is that they have no passion for it.  Rather than trying to force yourself to feel passionate about something that you hate, you should take the time to think about what you’re actually passionate about and try to figure out if there are career paths that incorporate those passions.  Do you have a flair for writing?  Why not become a freelance copywriter working for businesses who need that extra something added to their content.  Or perhaps you’ve always been a whiz with numbers, if that’s the case. then why not consider a career in accounting.  The kind of career you choose is up to you, but it’s always best to think about what you actually enjoy.

Play To Your Strengths

Of course, just because you enjoy something doesn’t mean you’re going to be good at it. Not all hobbies and interests translate into a well-paying career.  Sure, you might think that chefs hats look nifty and enjoy coming up with new recipes, but are they things that people would pay to actually eat?  

Maybe you don’t need to search out a whole new career in order to be happy.  In my case, working in an office during normal business hours was one of the main causes of my unhappiness.  In my new job, although I do the same type of legal work, there is much more flexibility and I’m able to do a large portion of my work from home.  This means that I can schedule my day based on my most-efficient working times and no longer have to waste precious hours on commuting.

Be Patient

Now, don’t expect to come up with the perfect plan or opportunity right away.  Soon after returning to work from maternity leave with the twins was when I realized my job of eight years just wasn’t going to work out anymore.  I searched through so many job postings for months and reached a point where it seemed like there was no hope.  Then, I found the posting for my new firm.  The funny thing is, that the posting was only for a part-time position, but I reached out to them anyways and ended up being hired for a full-time job.  

Don’t end up staying in a job that you hate just because you fear the unknown.  I get it.  The idea of leaving something familiar behind, even if that would mean moving on to something better, can be incredibly scary.  The situation only gets worse if you’re fighting to pay off debt.  But you things are never going to get better if you don’t change anything.  Fortune favors the bold, and if you want to find a career that you really love, you’re going to have to take some risks.