Step back and take a good, hard look at where you are now, career-wise. The first step to solving any problem is to admit that there is a problem, then identify its cause so that you may find the appropriate solution. You cannot find your way to a successful professional life if you don’t know what makes you happy or unhappy at work, can you?
Make a List of Pros and Cons
You have to answer this question: are you happy with your job? To do that, you’ll need a concrete way to evaluate. Get a sheet of paper or use a spreadsheet if you wish and make two columns. Write down the things you like about your job and on the other column, the things you dislike. Cover all bases, from the tiny things like free coffee to the big issues like if you think your boss merits people based on looks and not on qualifications.
At the very end, answer this question honestly: when you wake up in the morning, do you dread going to work? Have you stopped caring about how you look and find yourself dragging your feet on the way to your workplace? While at work, do you constantly find yourself staring off into space, sleeping or daydreaming or procrastinating? Are you always late or absent? At the end of the day, do you always feel a rush of relief when you get to leave? If you’ve answered yes to three out of five of these, you’re suffering from burnout and you either need a break or a change in career. If you’ve answered no, congratulations on finding a job you like!
Identify the Factors of Your Unhappiness
Look at your list again. Are there more things that you like more than you dislike about your job? If the list of things you like is significantly longer, you may just be tired or your problems at work can still be solved. But if the list of things you dislike has reached the second page, you’re really not happy anymore. This means you have to do something about your job before it eats you up inside.
Go over the things you dislike and try to figure out why exactly you dislike them. Be as specific as possible. For example, if you’ve written “I hate my boss’ secretary,” think of what she’s done that has made you dislike her. Did she make you look stupid in front of everyone, or is it just because she once ran out of staples when you needed some?
How unhappy a person feels cannot be measured exactly, but weigh things on a personal scale, too. If you realize that the reason you don’t like this or that is something that can be easily forgiven or overlooked, it’s fair enough that you give things another chance. After all, everyone deserves a second chance, right? But if your reasons are things that have caused you great physical, emotional and mental stress, like your boss persistently calling you in to work over the holidays or a work environment that is full of safety hazards, get out while you can.
