You Can Be Happy, Even if You Hate Your Job

Bad jobs. Like chicken pox, most of us have had them (and some of us even have scars to prove it!).

Some of my worst job highlights include: a major celebrity ordering me to scrub the floor, being called “soup girl” (don’t ask, it’s a long story involving a mix-up with hot pepper flakes), being referred to as a “Barbie” and spending an hour-long performance review hearing about how the woman at the next table wasn’t wearing any underwear.

I wish I could tell you these examples are from one REALLY bad job, but unfortunately (for me), they’re all from different jobs.

So, I’ve got to imagine that if I have had at least four bad jobs, then you must’ve had one or two.

So in the spirit of sucking it up and making the most of a bad situation, I’d like to share this helpful little post: 9 Ways to Be Happy with a Job You Don’t Like.

Through the twists and turns of my career, the tips that ring truest for me are:

• Find a buddy. Our experiences at any given job are shaped by those around us. If you have good releationships with the people you work with, it can make a crappy job much more enjoyable. And even if it doesn’t, at least you have someone to comiserate with.
• Stop talking about how bad things are. When we focus on the negative aspects of a job, it dominates our thoughts and brings us down. Instead, try focusing on the positives (come on, I’m sure you can find at least one!) and let the good things (few as they may be) lift your spirits.
• Keep working towards your passion. Whether you find time before work, afterwards or during your lunch break, working towards your passion every day will help remind you that your job is simply the means to an end. Plus, it will help give you a sense of purpose as well as something to look forward to (which will hopefully make your work day go faster).

 Have you ever had a REALLY bad job? How did you cope?

Image courtesy of espressoroastblog.com