Dread going to work Archives

Dread Going To Work? How To Deal With The Feeling

You dread going to work. Every morning is the same: you have to drag yourself out of bed. It's not that the body is weak. It's that the mind is not willing. Most of us know that. Many people have felt that way at least at one point in their careers. Is there a way to overcome the dread of going to work every day?

I am not sure if I have the absolute solution, but these are some of the strategies I have personally tried in my years of experience:

Don't Dwell

Do not let Monday blues or the "dread going to work" syndrome become your dominant thought. Yes, I know it is easier said than done. But you have to start somewhere, and that somewhere is your thought process.

The more you think about how much you dread work, the deeper you will dwell on that feeling. Stop thinking about it. Take that thought out and focus your thoughts on something else.

Locate The Source Of Your Dread

Man dreading work tries to work through his lack of motivation

Find out the source of your dread. Otherwise, you will not be able to tackle it. Do not complain if you do not know what you are complaining about.

Why do you dread going to work? Is it because of your co-workers, your boss, your routine work, your pay, or the commute?

Write all the reasons down and see if you can tackle them. I am sure resignation has crossed your mind. But before you do that, let's see if there is a way to alleviate your feelings of dread. We cannot expect life to be perfect, or work to be perfect, for that matter.

Seek Not Perfection

Woman dreading work looks at her calendar

Like I stated above, life is not perfect. Why should work be? Accept that things being imperfect is how things work. If you expect perfect colleagues, perfect bosses, perfect resources, or perfect processes, then you are in for a shock.

There can never be a perfect system, perfect factory, and perfect office wherever you work. Because, trust me, no matter how high your pay is, it can always be higher; no matter how good your colleagues are, they can always be better; and no matter how understanding your boss is, he or she can always be better.

Seek not perfection if you do not want to dread going to work. Seek adaptationâadaptation from yourself. What can you do to make the work environment better?

Think Of Work As A Pedagogue

Ever think that the process of work can also teach us something about life? Think of work as a pedagogue.

It teaches us that we do not always have things our way, and that life can sometimes mean having to do things we do not like or even enjoy. But it's only temporary, and we have a choice of doing something about it.

Use this experience of dreading work as your teacher. What does it teach you? Ask and answer, and you will immediately see this experience in a different light.

There is something you can do about the feeling of dread you get when thinking about work. Do not fear it. Sit down calmly and have an action plan to tackle it. When you start working on a plan to diffuse it, you will feel betterâeven if the plan does not work long term. Remember: every job is temporary! You'll get through this rough patch in your career soon.

We know most people don't enjoy going to work, especially if they're feeling lost, trapped, or burned out in their career. If you're struggling to find a job that you like, we can help.

We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. Itâs a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship

Dread Going To Work? How To Deal …

We've all been there. We've experienced the feeling of dread, battling traffic as we drive to and from work. The lack of sleep Sunday night as your mind spins, thinking of ways to get out of work the next day. Constantly wishing you were doing something else, anything else, yet never feeling 100% clear that you're meant to leave your job and find something else.

After all, other people at work seem happy. You earn a decent living, and you've got a roof over your head because of that job.

Now, I'm going to give you the four simple signs that you should get a better job. But first, here's a bonus tell-tale sign: If you're reading this article and got this far, you probably deserve a better job. The fact that you're reading this tells me there's some part of you that knows you can do better.

But, just for fun, let's go through the four tell-tale signs you should get a better job:

1. You're Doing What You "Should" Do

Woman thinks about leaving her job while working

Ever feel like you're constantly doing things you "ought to do" instead of what you "want to do"? If the real reason you're working is to appease your parents, impress your friends, or do what you think your great-great-grandfather would want you to do, then you're not being true to yourself, and you'll eventually snap. It's time to tune into what you want in life and take steps today to pursue it.

2. You're Incredibly Bored At Work

Young man looking bored at his desk and deciding whether he should get another job

There's a difference between doing the occasional boring task during an otherwise enjoyable workweek and working an entire job that you're bored with. If you're daydreaming of better things to escape the mind-numbing boredom, then it's time to make those dreams come true and find a job that's fulfilling and plays to your strengths.

3. Your Co-Workers Bring You Down

Young professional upset at his desk while his coworker yells at him

People around us have a huge impact on our life, often much more than we realize. So, if you don't get along with your team, find yourself picking up bad habits from your co-workers, or just can't wait to get away from them, then that's a pretty good sign the grass is greener elsewhere.

4. You Say "No" To This Question Too Many Days In A Row

Young professional woman looking stressed at her job, debating whether she should look for a new job

Here's the really big, final, decisive sign. It's from Steve Jobs' famous Stanford commencement speech, and it goes like this:

"When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: 'If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.' It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: 'If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?' And whenever the answer has been 'No' for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something."

Powerful, isn't it?

These tell-tale signs may have helped you come to terms with the fact that it's time for a change. Yet, as you likely know, figuring that out is the easy part. The much more difficult part is gaining clarity on what to do, and having the courage to do it.

If you need help building the confidence to leave your current job, check out Work It Daily and all of our career resources. We'll help you feel empowered in your job search so you can find the right job for you!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Acquiring Job Advance Your Career Career Changing Careers and Employment Education Internship