What to Do When You’re Unhappy at Work

When it comes to job satisfaction and career fulfillment, it’s only natural to have periods of highs and lows. No matter how much you love what you do, feeling unhappy at work is something almost everyone can relate to. We’ve all experienced it at one time or another. Sometimes it passes quickly, and sometimes, it sticks around.

When you’re feeling unhappy at work, the most important tip I can provide is this: Don’t make any sudden movements. In fact, think of that feeling as a sign to slow down and reflect.

Your goal is to figure out the TRUE source of your unhappiness. Then, fix that problem.

Sounds obvious, right? But most people don’t do this.

Most people address the symptoms rather than the true source of the problem. When they’re unhappy at work, they get a new job! But then, before long, unhappiness creeps back in…They never stopped to figure out the real reason for the unhappiness, so the new job doesn’t actually “fix” anything. In some cases, it just makes matters worse.

Pausing to understand the source of your unhappiness will help ensure you fix the right problem and do everything within your power to create a happy work experience in the future.

Here are some examples of what this might look like…

• Maybe your unhappiness at work is really a reflection of something deeper happening personally. You might be struggling with depression or relationship issues that have nothing to do with work. (Humans are notoriously bad at misdiagnosing where pain is coming from!) Concentrate on improving the other aspects of life first, then reevaluate your career with fresh eyes.
• Maybe your unhappiness is really about your compensation. You feel underpaid and that your role isn’t valued. Instead of immediately leaping to a new job, you might want to focus on understanding and advocating for your worth where you are first, especially if everything else feels pretty good. If you’re not able to earn the salary you deserve where you are, then you might need to launch a job search—and you can do so with the full understanding that you made your best attempt to make it work with your current employer.
• Maybe you’re unhappy with the people in your job (your coworkers, your leaders, your clients, etc.). Maybe it’s really just one person, or a small handful. Depending on how often you have to deal with them, you might just need to put things in perspective. Afterall, any workplace is bound to have personalities that don’t mesh. Or maybe you can spend some time learning strategies to improve your communication and navigate conflict more productively. If the problem is persistent and prevalent, get clear on what kind of social environment would better suit you. Maybe that can be found in another area of the organization where you work currently. If not, you can launch a targeted job search with a better understanding of your social needs.
• Maybe you’re unhappy with the culture of the organization. The environment just isn’t a match for your personal values and work preferences. This is a case where a job change to another organization might be smart! But before you jump, get clear on exactly WHAT it is about the current company that doesn’t work and what you believe would be a better fit. Then, do your research to target specific organizations with that ideal culture during your job search.
• Maybe you’re unhappy with the work itself. The things you’re doing day in and day out don’t leverage your true talents and skills. Getting a new job doing the exact same thing won’t resolve the situation. Instead, you’re better off getting clarity on the specific things you’d rather be doing. Perhaps you can craft your current role to better match your interests, or maybe an entirely new line of work would be a better fit.
• Maybe you’re feeling stuck—like there’s no room for career growth where you are. This may be the case, and if so, leaving may offer a path forward. However, if you’re generally happy with your organization, be sure to discuss your career goals with your leaders and advocate for your own advancement. You never know what kinds of opportunities may be available when you get creative!

You can see from these examples that the issue of unhappiness at work is layered. There are a lot of different facets to consider.

Changing jobs is always a risky endeavor. There are never any guarantees, no matter how rigorous you are in your due diligence. That’s why, before you jump the gun, you should always pause and reflect as described here.

That being said, job change is always an option! If you’re not happy with some aspect of your job and you believe that moving on is the right solution, go for it. Sometimes, a change of pace is the best cure!

The post What to Do When You’re Unhappy at Work appeared first on Eat Your Career.