Do you enjoy the work you do? Do you look forward to going into work and fulfilling your obligations, even on a Monday morning when you are exhausted and would rather stay in bed? Or do you plead the opposite of all these things?
Here are five signs that you are unhappy at work, and a few tips for getting through it even when every task seems impossible to finish.
1. You procrastinate … a lot
Are you feeling particularly overwhelmed at work lately? Maybe you have a lot on your desk and it somehow piled up without your noticing earlier. Or maybe there’s so much to do because you procrastinated, and maybe you procrastinated because you’re not exactly thrilled about the work you have to do.
Procrastinating on projects and responsibilities is a huge sign that you are unhappy at work. You are no longer looking forward to completing the tasks you are assigned to complete. You would much rather be doing something else – anything else – than sitting at work, even though you get paid to do it.
Here’s a simple three-minute method to help you stop procrastinating at work. It’s a lot easier to get work done than you think it is, even if you no longer enjoy it. Just focus on what needs to get done right now and put anything that can wait aside. Shifting your focus is the key to getting through it and getting it done.
2. You focus a lot more on your salary and title than you should
“I’m the assistant manager, that’s why.” Have you ever been fed this line? Have you ever tossed it out to someone else? There’s nothing wrong with being proud of the title you have earned, but focusing on your title or your salary instead of on the work you do in that role says a lot about how happy you are at work (you aren’t).
If you don’t like the work you have to do, you’re much more likely to focus on the salary you are earning or the title you hold, which does not make things any easier for you or anyone around you. It makes it much harder to get your work done, which you don’t want to do anyway, which can make you even unhappier.
Think about what you say to people when they ask you what you do for work. Do you tell them about all the projects you do and all your achievements in the company, or do you immediately resort to giving your title and nothing more? If it’s the latter, you’re probably not enjoying your work very much.
3. You’ve thought about quitting
When you first start a new job, whether it’s your dream job or not, it’s hard to imagine exactly what it would feel like if you ever got to the point where you were ready to quit. The novelty of the experience does wear off, though, and sometimes we fall into routines we’re not particularly fond of.
If you have thought about quitting your job, it’s because you are unhappy. If it’s not the job itself, it’s the people you work with or those you work for. No matter the reason, even wondering to yourself if quitting is possible is a red flag that you are no longer happy where you are.
Here are signs to look out for if you’re serious about quitting your job. Whether you want to stick with it or not is completely up to you. If you’re truly unhappy, though, and there’s a chance you can find something better, let that be your incentive. If it has gotten to the point where you’ve seriously considered resigning, it’s not very likely things are going to get any better.
4. You don’t want your boss’s job
Ideally, you were placed under the supervision of someone who will lead you by example. In some cases, there is potential for you to replace that person and take on their responsibilities once you have gained the necessary experience and skills to do so successfully.
But what if you don’t want to? What if even the thought of having to come into work every day and do what your boss does makes you want to hide under your desk? If that’s the case – you guessed it – you are unhappy at work, and more likely than not, not much is going to change that.
If you don’t see yourself ever filling the role your current boss occupies, no matter the reason, this is another sign that you are unhappy at work. You have no interest in ever advancing in the company, even if the opportunity was presented to you. You don’t want to grow, which is important in a job.
5. You just don’t care anymore
Do you sit back in the middle of finishing a project at work and just think, “I don’t really care whether this goes well or not?” Do you wake up in the morning not really caring whether you’re on time or a few minutes late?
Being at this point is a true sign of job dissatisfaction. While it’s understandable that you just don’t want to bother with any of it anymore, you don’t have a choice. Knowing that can make you even more miserable, which makes it even harder to get work done … and the cycle continues.
Here’s how to keep working hard even when you don’t care anymore. Like it or not, you need to keep doing your work, at least for the time being. If you are unhappy enough at work that you are seriously considering giving your resignation, leave things on a positive note. You still have responsibilities. Make the most of it as best you can.
Realizing you are unhappy with your job is tough. There isn’t always something better within your reach, and quitting on the spot isn’t an option. Being aware of your feelings toward your work situation, however, can help you figure out what next steps you might want to take to improve things, whether that be speaking with your boss or giving your two week notice.
Pay attention to these signs. You might be unhappy, but you might also be able to, one way or another, change that.
