“I hate my job and feel trapped”! Does this sound like you? What can you do if you’re in this situation? Know that you are not alone and many people feel this way about their job. Whether it’s your finances, commute, your boss or fellow employees who are the problem, there is a solution!
If you’re seriously stressed out it might be worth seeking medical advice from a professional. You might even get some time off. Look for other opportunities within your company or organisation too, as there may be opportunities for a sideways move.
I Hate My Job And Feel Trapped: Get Out Of Debt
There’s other things you can do too such as taking charge of your finances. If you’ve been in this situation for a while, you may have fallen into some bad habits and accrued some debt.
The cycle of debt will keep you stuck, so that’s one of the first things you can address when you’re ready to take some positive action. Checkout StepChange.org the debt charity who can help you consolidate debt and get out of it.
While this may not be the whole of the problem, once you take charge of one aspect of your life it will often empower you to feel better about yourself and take more control of other parts of your situation too!
If you’re in debt you might have fallen into a pattern of spending money to blow of steam, which further entrenches you in your job and financial difficulties. So just getting to grips with this one thing can have a knock on effect.
I Hate My Job And Feel Trapped: Reduce The Stress
When you’re stuck in a job you hate it can become all consuming. To escape this state of being, try and block time doing things you want, rather than thinking about work. Spend time with people who help. Make time for small actions which can accumulate to bring about changes. One of these might be to start looking at other work you can apply for. Although when you’re consumed by a job, there’s very little time, making just an hour a day for a job search can alleviate some of the stress, knowing there is a potential way out and through taking some positive action.
Talk to friends or family and share the burden if you can. Sometimes just talking about it can help. When you’re caught up in your own thoughts it makes matters worse. Consider talking to a counsellor if it seems appropriate. Set some more boundaries at the workplace if you can. Say “no” more! Create some space for “you” time and meditation.
I Hate My Job And Feel Trapped: Take Some Exercise
Exercise has been proven to be more effective than the most powerful drugs for your state of mind and mental health. If you’re spending time only worrying and stressing, you have a build up of chemicals which are’t doing you any good. Join an exercise class or gym and take up some regular exercise which will help you reduce your stress levels and blow off steam.
Plan A Financial Backup
Planning your finances better can give you a buffer of cash if worst comes to worst and you feel you have to pull the plug on your job. Without a back up of cash flow, leaving a job can be more stressful than staying in it!
One way to do this is to notice your spending. Take a notepad and record everything you spend money on on a daily basis for a week. You should notice some areas where you can cut back.
Small changes to your daily habits can save you thousands over a year, and this can give you a buffer. When you have a buffer of cash you can survive on you’ll be more empowered to leave a job, or even stay knowing you’re building an escape plan and the end is in sight.
Set Up An Automated Savings Account
With savings you have something to fall back on and something to invest in opportunities which can help you escape the 9 to 5 – such as an online business venture.
Saving money you have got used to spending can be a challenge. Instead of trying to do it manually, set up an automated payment into a savings account which is hard to get to, so you’re not tempted to spend it. It might only be a little amount at first, but make it a regular automated payment for every pay day.
Your payment should go out like a bill does, so you forget about it. This is your escape money or “F”*%k you” money! The more you have in your F”*%k You account, the freer you are! You can use this money when you say “F*&k You” to your boss!!
Start A Side Hustle
There’s many ways to build a side hustle alongside your job. See extra income ideas from home for a few ideas or learn more about starting an online business here.
While it takes some time and investment for most side hustles to build up, doing something will make you feel better about your situation and give you some hope. Don’t quit your job straight away as you’ll need the income to help you build up your side hustle.
Summary
While you may not be in the best state of mind to take a lot of action, taking small steps in the right direction is a good place to start. Create a buffer zone from work and reduce the stressors in any way you can.
Spend a little time every day working on an escape plan and organising your finances better so that you’re in a better position to leave when the time comes and you have a buffer of cash. Start looking for other positions you would like to apply for, even if it’s only an hour a day at first.
Use your lunch hour to start looking for alternatives and approach work colleagues if appropriate to ask about other work within your organisation.
Taking some positive action in any of these areas should help you feel more empowered about your situation. Leaving a job without a back up plan might be more stressful in the long run, so it’s worth planning the escape. But only you know your limits!