The average working adult dedicates over one third of their life to their career. That can sound very, very scary if you feel you are ill-suited for your job.
Here are 8 signs that your job is working against your happiness.
1. You wake up dreading work.
Let us explain. Very few people wake up in the morning, jump out of bed, brush their teeth, and count down the moments until they get to work. However, if you wake up and shudder at the thought of the day ahead of you – all because you’ll be doing your job – there’s a problem.
2. There’s toxicity in your relationship with your boss and/or colleagues.
This is completely unnecessary in the work place (or anywhere). Disputes are bound to happen from time to time, but when a professional relationship turns toxic, it will undoubtedly effect your performance and mental health in a negative way.
3. You aren’t being challenged.
Work is work. It is meant to challenge and push you so that you may grow as a professional and in turn, as a person. If you find that you always know the answer or are always the person to come up with a solution, you’re over qualified. (Ask for that promotion!)
4. Your position isn’t leading you towards your goal.
Ideally your position will to lead to another position. This can be within your company or even outside of your company. But, if your position is leading you on a path that you do not want to be on, it’s time to quit. It’s definitely time to quit if you don’t see any path at all.
5. You believe you should be doing more.
This could be the case for multiple scenarios. First scenario, you’re paying your dues – OK, that’s a real thing. We’ve all begrudgingly made a Starbucks run. Push through it for the appropriate amount of time (typically not longer than a year.)
Or maybe you believe you have earned a promotion but are repeatedly told it will happen “soon” rather than agreeing upon a solid game plan. That’s a huge red flag. There’s nothing worse than a boss who isn’t pushing for your success. The point is, if your responsibilities don’t utilize your talents, bye.
6. The work isn’t meaningful to you.
In some way or another, if your career feels like more than just a paycheck to you, you’re on the right track! Without that, what’s the point? It’s never too late to find a position that interests you or allows you to make a positive impact. When you find yourself believing your efforts are pointless, you owe it to yourself to strive for more.
7. Your company’s future is unpromising.
If the writing is on the wall, get out of there. (Hints of possible trouble: recent acquisitions or mergers; the term “restructuring” is being used.) Often times it’s not worth sticking around to see if things improve. Before you know it, there will be lay offs, followed by fear, negative competitive vibes and extra stress.
8. You constantly leave work feeling drained.
After a full day of work, yes, you are allowed to want to relax on the couch and watch Netflix, that’s human! But there’s a fine line. If you feel constantly feel physically exhausted, it’s a sign that your job is taking too much from you emotionally.
The idea of quitting, even a job that you hate, is intimidating. There are so many things to consider, and the timing will never be exactly right. But if you identified with multiple of the signs listed above, you owe it to yourself to explore a new opportunity. There is a job out there that can make you fulfilled! Don’t waste any more of that third of your life.