Work that won’t make you crazy

I had a wonderful email from one of my readers whose boss was driving him crazy at work. He said that he had been looking for a new job for many MANY months with no success. At least not the type of success he thought he was hoping for.

Basically he (let’s call him Jim) started looking because he was miserable with his current job. Especially the way he was being treated by his boss. But other things too. Work was driving him crazy — and he was also bringing the frustration home with him. And that was the final straw.

Is grass actually greener over there?

So Jim decided it was time to look for a new job — a better job. But after a long search with little results other than jobs that looked no better than what he already had, he started thinking about his current job. And whether, just maybe, he could make it work for himself after all. [Read more…]

Wasn’t even thinking of quitting…

I just got a GREAT email from JMatt, a reader who, in the process of writing to me, solved his own problem. In effect, as he was telling me about his situation, the truth popped out right in front of his eyes. He wasn’t even thinking of quitting … but there it was!

Here is part of what he wrote me:

“I work constantly. I mean every single day of the year I am on call. Even when I’m on vacation I need to keep my phone with me in case of emergency. I am consumed almost every waking moment with work related issues and it is driving me nuts. My personal life feels like it’s a shambles, and my health is deteriorating..

Wow. In typing this I think I just came to the conclusion that I must quit and find a new job. It is obvious.”

Make time to tune into yourself

I love this! Whether you are a boss like JMatt or an employee like most of the rest of us, so often what we actually need is to be able to really hear ourselves. Especially if you’re thinking of quitting. [Read more…]

Trapped in job & feeling sad

I got a great comment from one of my readers, N.W. She was responding to another comment from Stuck and Sad who feels trapped by a job she hates and a boss who drives her crazy. A tough combo to deal with!

I thought N.W.’s words about her own situation hit the mark. So with her permission, I’m sharing her heartfelt advice to Stuck and Sad:

Dear Stuck and Sad,

I was in your shoes exactly. In addition to flitting from issue to issue and being unable to stick to an agenda, I’m sure my boss (the owner of the company) had some real psychological issues. It got so I never knew who would show up.

She could be overly nice one day, then raging and irrational the next. I was there for years, in a management position with good pay. And most of the time I felt “stuck and sad” like you.

Maternity leave shines a light!

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Do you ever feel invisible at work? Maybe more than just sometimes? I think many of us have felt that way at some point of our career. But if you have a job where you feel that way now and it’s starting to get to you, keep reading.

There’s a wonderful song called Mr. Cellophane in the show Chicago. Maybe you can relate to what he’s saying:

“Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Shoulda Been My Name
Mister Cellophane
‘Cause You Can Look Right Through Me
Walk Right By Me
And Never Know I’m There…”

Why do we feel invisible at work?

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Why do so many of us stay in bad jobs, long after the job’s expiration date? Sometimes it simply takes a while for us to realize it’s a bad job. Especially if you’re new to the work world. Or you’re hoping the job offers more pros than cons in time.

But sometimes there are other things going on inside of us. Fear plays a big role. And the way we see ourselves in general. So let’s take a look at some of the things stopping us from leaving — and what we can do to help ourselves move on.

Reasons we stay in bad jobs:

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If you feel that you’re in the wrong job, you are not the only one thinking that. Truth is that even people in the right job can sometimes wonder if they made the wrong choice. It’s human nature to question the choices we make in life.

But if you find yourself going from job to job and always feeling like a stranger in a strange land, it’s worth looking deeper. Sometimes it’s about how you choose your jobs. But job happiness can also be about things we do within a job — any job.

How do you recognize wrong jobs

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Many years ago, I took a job as a film editor. I was excited by the opportunity to learn a new skill and, hopefully, begin to work my way into a new career. But within a few minutes of walking in the door on my very first day, I knew I took the wrong job.

I can still remember walking into that office with a smile and shaking my new boss’s hand. Yet the instant he mumbled a few words, barely looking at me, and then led me to my dark tiny workspace, I was gripped with fear. This was NOT the job for me!

How soon know you took wrong job?

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I can’t even count the number of times I asked myself “Should I quit?” And, to be honest, many of those times I did quit. When a job is so boring — or annoying in some way — you just want to relieve the pressure NOW. And seeing it vanish into the distant past sure feels right!

But while it might be right in some cases, it’s not always the best solution. Although I always found a way to recover eventually, it sure made for a rocky resume. And the need for some very creative job search — and a lot of transitional jobs.

When job boredom feels endless

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Being embarrassed by your job feels strange. You know you need the money. And you know you had a good reason when you took it. Yet here you are with a nagging feeling that you are in the wrong job. And that others will see you as failing somehow.

While there are many possible reasons for being embarrassed by your work, basically you have two general categories. Either you are judging yourself for the job you have or you worry that someone else will judge you. Well … or both.

Why are you embarrassed by job?

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You spend a tremendous amount of your life at work. So when your job isn’t working out for you, it’s more than a mere inconvenience. The day-in and day-out misery you feel can affect every part of your life — even your sleep.

But before you go running for the shiny “new job” door, you might want to look at what’s really going on. And if there’s anything you can do to fix it right where you are.

Possible reasons job isn’t working out

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