Years ago, when I worked a job, I can still remember waking up with heaviness in my chest, pain in my stomach and crying; the thought of going in another day was too much. For me, it was not the work itself but the politics and oppressive behavior of coworkers (not in my department) who were miserable themselves. Why does it have to come to this?
My story is not uncommon, although a majority may not let it get to the point I was at back then. Employee engagement levels continue to remain at 33% (Gallop, August 2017), which means there are many dissatisfied workers. In light of that, how do you know when to hang in there or say ‘enough is enough’ and get out?
I am always of the mindset that you can take a step back and resurrect your career; it starts with assessing the needs – and expectations- that are not being met and creating a plan for how to get them fulfilled. It’s also about mindset – stop focusing on the negative parts of the job and placing it on what is working well and how you can be a contributor. This places the control back in your hands, so you feel less helpless to do anything.
However, there may be times that leaving is the only recourse. If you find yourself:
- unable to sleep or eat (or overeating)
- chest palpitations or pain (or feeling as if you’re having a heart attack)
- jittery or nervous
- irritable, anger, outbursts
- crying spells
- apathy or lethargy
- sadness/low energy/difficulty getting out of bed
- lack of focus and concentration
then it is time to stop the madness. It’s time to focus on your emotional and physical health and look at other opportunities that will satisfy your needs. Working for a job that you hate, and which is affecting your to an extreme level, is not worth it if you can’t at least have some level of satisfaction. Taking time to heal, to take a step back and see if the situation can be reversed will go a long way to knowing if leaving is the best option.
If you do make the decision, then be proactive in your job search: set a timeline to be in a new job (or if you are able to manage until a new job is secured) and work backwards, listing all the steps you need to take, i.e. assess skills and experiences, update resume and Linkedin profile, research jobs/companies, begin networking, sending out resumes, etc. Set time in your day for this priority so you can take back your life and feel more in control of it. You may you find you actually don’t need to leave; but this also could led you to the job that you’ve desired. Either way, its a win overall.
Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting focuses on workplace happiness and organizational success. If you need help gaining clarity on your business or career goals, why not get some help – stop the struggle and call today to get started! http://www.cyscoaching.com or barbara@cyscoaching.com
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