How Staying At A Job You Don’t Enjoy Can Hurt You

Staying in a job you don’t like can have negative effects on your health and career. If you see some of the following signs, you might want to consider leaving for something better.

SIGNS YOU SHOULD QUIT


It probably starts with a bad day at the office. Then strings of bad days lead to bad weeks. After a while, every day is a bad day. Of course, there are various types of bad days. You may be bored. For example, you spend most of the workday looking at social media, or even worse, the clock. You may be frustrated. Your skills are not being utilized in your job, or you aren’t learning anything new. Your company’s mission doesn’t align with your beliefs or you don’t trust your boss or company. You are constantly pushed to do more and never feel like you’ve earned a win. You may be exhausted. Constant stress from a boss makes it hard to sleep through the night and get through the day. You start looking forward to the weekend at the beginning of the week, and Sunday nights are filled with anxiety about Monday mornings. You may be at a dead end. You’re constantly worried about money and layoffs and can’t imagine yourself at the same company in a year.

HEALTH PROBLEMS


Not surprisingly, bad days at work can ruin your health. Feelings of boredom and stress lead to eating and exercising behaviors that cause people to gain weight. Stress also wreaks havoc on the immune system. Of course, not all stress is equal. If you work hard and feel appreciated at work by coworkers and your salary, you’re less likely to feel stressed. If you are constantly bored, frustrated, exhausted, or fearful of the future, workplace stress will harm your immune system and increase the risk of depression. One of the biggest problems with work stress is that it doesn’t remain at the workplace. Studies have shown that people who do not enjoy their work have less satisfying sex lives and more problems in their relationships. Stress from work also makes it harder to fall or stay asleep. A lack of sleep can cause memory and attention problems, weight gain, accidents, and a weakened immune system. Finally, a study of 20,000 US nurses found that unhappy nurses had a higher risk of cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other serious illnesses. https://s3-rabbit-dev.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/media/static/img/post/Image_on_body_content_career_problem.jpeg

CAREER PROBLEMS


Staying too long in a job you hate can also hurt your career. Your resume will be much shorter and lacking in new skills and experiences because you no longer search them out. The reference section will also be shorter, and you won’t have many professional contacts. You’ll fall out of practice with the job hunting experience, and other employers and headhunters won’t be aware of your talents. Your self-esteem will be wrapped up in your performance reviews, and a layoff, demotion, or other big change could destroy it. HOW TO QUIT A BAD JOB


Quitting a bad job can be nearly as stressful as the job itself. A few easy steps can make the transition smoother. Generally, it’s best to schedule a meeting with your boss to inform them that you’re quitting. The meeting should be at least two weeks before your last day. However, certain positions or times of year may require you to stay longer. In most cases, it’s not necessary to explain why you’re leaving. Now is not the time to air grievances or cause a fuss, as this could work against you in the future. In the time between the meeting with your boss and your last day, it’s important to leave a good impression on coworkers. Don’t act like anything matters in the final weeks. That good impression means informing your coworkers of your decision. If there was anyone in the company that was particularly helpful to you, make sure to let them know how and why.