How to Love the Job You Have

How to Love Your Job

Do you love the job you have? Most people don’t. While no job is perfect, sometimes, for whatever reason, you can’t leave a job you don’t like. Whether it’s bills, family, or other responsibilities, it’s rare to have never been between a career figurative rock and a hard place. We’ve all had terrible jobs, whether it’s working retail and working with the unforgiving public, handling food for strangers, or worse. The key is remembering that it’s not permanent and that there are parts you can focus on in the meanwhile.

 

How to Love the Job You Have

  1. Remember Why You’re Doing This
  2. Enjoy the Small Victories Along the Way
  3. Work-Life Balance
  4. Focus on the Parts of the Job You Like
  5. Explore Internal Opportunities to Obtain New Skills

 

Remember Why You’re Doing This

You didn’t just end up at this job. You had to apply, interview, and show up, so you’re doing it for a reason. No matter what job you have,  you’re there for a reason. To take care of yourself or others, to build your retirement, to pay for school, etc. Whatever your purpose is, keep that in mind. Any job gets a lot easier when you remember why you’re doing it in the first place.

It can feel extremely hard to keep doing a job you don’t love. Plenty of people have done this, whether it’s working multiple part-time jobs or handling work-school-family obligations stretched so far that they can’t picture making it. Our recommendations for those who really can’t get away: pictures. Keeping pictures of your family or your goals with you where you can see it will help you keep going. That can be in frames next to your computer, saved on your phone, or wallet-sized and in your pocket, but keep it with you. Sure, you know what it looks like, but the visual reminder will help you when you least expect it.

(And please try not to overwork yourself. Burnout is a real thing that will hurt you in the long term.)

 

Enjoy the Small Victories Along the Way

When the big wins aren’t coming in, don’t forget about the small victories. Those small wins are still progress and going in the direction you want. Whether it’s setting up to make tomorrow’s work easier, making that one customer happy, or getting ahead of the goals you set for yourself, each small victory adds up. One step to learning how to love the job you have is by focusing on the parts you already like.

 

Work-Life Balance

“You can’t do a good job if your job is all you do” — Katie Thurmes, Artifact Uprising Co-founder

Making ends meet is a major requirement in life, but once you’ve met the basics, it’s important to remember who you are. You are not your job. You are not your workload or your assignment list or the number of emails waiting in your inbox. It’s important to remember what makes you, you. For some, it’s their family or friends. For others, it’s their hobbies or dreams they want to accomplish. When your job that makes ends meet isn’t cutting it, you need to step back and revisit what it is that makes you who you are. Make sure you take care of yourself. Take your breaks, eat lunch away from work, and go home on time. Eat the healthiest foods you can afford, get regular exercise, and try not to let your work affect your home life.

 

Focus on the Parts of the Job You Like

There is a good part to every job. It may not be amazing, but it will be good. Got a good coworker you can chat with? Do the hours work with an unusual schedule? Whatever it is, picking out the good parts will help you keep going for just a bit longer. It may not be enough to keep you there forever, but hopefully, it keeps you going until you find something else.

 

Explore Internal Opportunities to Obtain New Skills

You’re unhappy at your job, so it’s safe to assume you won’t be staying there forever. If you’re definitely set on not working there for the rest of your life (and who is doing that anymore?) then make the most of it while you’re there. What does that mean? We mean that you should look around and see if there are any opportunities for you to learn new skills while you’re there. After all, you’ll have to have this job on your resume when you leave, won’t you? So make the most of being there and see what you can learn because those new skills could be the reason you’re hired at the next place.

 

In conclusion, to love the job you have requires a mindset focused on doing just that. No job is ever permanent and you don’t have to stay there forever, but in the meanwhile try to focus on what you do like about it and how it helps you.

Want a different job? We can help with that: Tips for Finding Jobs Hiring Near You

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