There are a lot of reasons to quit a job that you hate — sexual harassment, bullying, incredibly rude customers, and so on — but it can be really tricky to figure out what to do with your life when you actually like your job. When you like your job, but you don’t love it — it’s not your life purpose or you’re just not feeling completely fulfilled — it can be very challenging to make the leap when there is the risk that you might not love your next job either.
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I’m very lucky in that most of the jobs I worked at outside of high school (high school jobs are notoriously soul-sucking!) have been great. I’ve loved the flexibility, the people, and the tasks (yay! Spreadsheets!), which is what made it so hard to leave when I knew my time was up. Whenever I say that I love a job, it is guaranteed to make me stay in my position for at least another year and work hard to get that same job satisfaction day after day.
Whether you occasionally find yourself flicking through job ads on the weekend or are just dithering about whether or not it is time to leave, these tips will help you make the job you like into a job you love and will keep you around even longer.
1. Don’t Procrastinate
I’ve gone through periods where I am the absolute queen of procrastination and periods where I am a model employee, and I always enjoy my job more when I actually do my job. When you procrastinate, you add stress into your working life because those easy deadlines suddenly become hard. So get your actual work done and check out those interesting sites later.
2. Ask For More Work
Sometimes the reason we do not love our job is because we’re not being challenged enough, which leads to boredom and the aforementioned procrastination. Ask your boss for more work if you need it — you could also ask for something that is outside your field or that you want to learn so you can upskill yourself in the process.
3. Have An Opinion
We’ve all been in a brainstorming meeting where we’re constantly asked for ideas but are offering nothing. Make an effort to be an active member of your team, and you’ll enjoy your work more because you’re feeling valued and appreciated. Ask questions (don’t be afraid of looking dumb!) and offer your ideas no matter how silly you think they are!
4. Only Work At Work
This can be a huge problem if you’re really into that procrastination thing I mentioned earlier, but if you’re finding that you have to keep working on the weekends for free (either because you ran out of time or simply have too much work), then do something about it. Set yourself deadlines or speak to your boss about your workload. Just make sure you can switch off at the end of the day, and you won’t start resenting a good job.
5. Consider A Transfer
Whether you work for a big company and can move to a new department or work somewhere small and can just move your desk somewhere new, this can make a huge difference to how you feel about your work. Getting to see new people every day or have a new view from your desk makes it feel brand new even if it is the same old job!
Who here loves their job? What are some tips for making the most out of a job you like (or hell, even a job you hate!)? Tell us your tips in the comments below!