If you've never been there, you are certainly very lucky. I, like most people, have been there -- in a job that I don't like. In fact, I'm currently in one of only a few jobs that I've really loved. (While most have been hardships, this one is a blessing.)
If you're in a position where you hate your job, you're not alone. This piece from MSN starts with these facts:
About a million people a day phone in sick — and it's not the bird flu. Some surveys have found that 87 percent of Americans don't like their jobs.
Fortunately, this article offers 10 tips on how to make things better in a job that doesn't rouse your interest:
1. Communicate. Let the boss know your achievements and problems.
2. Do Something for Yourself. Take on a project that's dear to your heart or set aside time for what you do best.
3. Improve a Bad Relationship.
4. Delegate.
5. Seek Feedback.
6. Tackle Tough Assignments First.
7. Have A Little Fun.
8. Encourage Teamwork.
9. Body and Soul.
10. Get a Life.
My thoughts:
1. Option #1 doesn't really work in an environment where you have a boss that is a maniac -- one of the main reasons people hate their jobs.
2. I like items #2, #4, #7, and #10 the best. These are all tactics I've employed and many of them make a bad situation better (though they don't make it great -- and in some cases they could make it worse. For example, if you "get a life", having a job you hate will make you yearn even more for time away from work.)
3. If you have a job that you hate and you're thinking of leaving/changing jobs, don't quit until you have a new position. Almost everyone I've known who's quit a job before having a new job has gone through an extended period of unemployment -- something many of them couldn't afford to do.
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