To ask how you cope with a job you hate

[dontcallmeduck]

I’m actively looking for jobs as I hate my current one. I’ll still be there a while though. How can I get through the day to day. I hate waking up on work days, can’t get out of bed, am exhausted mentally when I come home and it’s affecting my ability to do anything else as I’m putting so much energy into actually surviving the day. I’m miserable there and am not hiding it.
Please give me your tips.

I could have written this. I don't have much that's helpful but I try and focus on the small things and give myself treats through the day or things to look forward to. I still feel awful but it helps a little bit. I have resigned so I'm also counting the days but that's not helpful if you have a while to go.

Hopefully you'll feel better now you've decided to move. Put your energy/work time thoughts into job seeking. Is there any networking you can do through your job?

Bless you. Go on the sick as it sounds like you and need a rest!

Sympathies, I've been in your situation.

I worked in a place with a lot of bitching and backstabbing. If you did anything out of the ordinary it was more trouble than it was worth. My strategy was to work to rule in a very polite and positive way so that nobody noticed too much. I still did everything I was asked but never volunteered proactively for anything, never spoke up in meetings unless I really had to. Made small talk if someone else did but never gave anything too personal away. The others couldn't really be trusted so I rarely let on how I was really feeling about work.

And obviously I spent a lot of time looking for a new job!

That sounds like me, too. I'm still on my 6 month probation and have already been off once sick.

Like the first poster, I look forward to the little things. Coming home to my partner and cat and getting all cosy now it's colder. I work in a place which has a costa downstairs so I will treat myself to that. I work for the weekend (which I bloody hate, such a waste of my life) but now I make sure my weekend is full of fun things one day, and a lazy day the next.

I'm going to uni next year so I've only got to put up with it for a year or I would be leaving. If you're not happy OP, definitely continue looking elsewhere.

Or as another poster said, go off sick! 😂😂

Taking the odd sick day is a slippery slope

Basically just put a shit load of effort into getting a new job, and spend time outside of work on stuff that will aid your jobseeking, for example taking free courses online via sites like future learn. It’s easier to tolerate when you know you’re doing everything you can to bring it to an end soon!

And don’t fall into the trap of complaining you’re too tired from work to look for other work/build skills, you’re just backing yourself into a corner with that attitude.

If you’re aiming for the right next job/field/career it should enthuse you enough to want to work at it outside of your current job, not feel like a chore.

Voluntary work helped me cope when I had really shit jobs I hated too as at least I was doing some work I was excited about even if I wasn’t being paid!

And FFS don’t go on sick! New jobs may ask about your sick record.

You need to put all your effort in looking for a new job be positive.
Don't be one of those people who don't pretend they don't want to be there it's not nice for others and they just think go if your not happy .
If you want something to change do something about it .
Good luck .

I’m looking every morning and have a few applications to complete this weekend. All of my colleagues are unhappy at work also so it’s a very negative environment. I get on with them all great but it’s really hard being in that environment. I’ll look at online courses that I can complete and some work experience in other fields that I’m interested in also.

Keep a countdown for pay day and enjoy weekends fully.

I've been there and appreciate how draining it but I really had to summon any energy into extra study/applications. It has been a long old slog and really tested my resilience because I'm shit at interviews but I feel better knowing that I'm doing something. I do occasionally have a wallow though

• Make yourself a lovely lunch to eat during break
• Take a walk outside during said breaks to remind yourself the world is bigger then just your shitty job
• Find yourself a consegliere inside or outside work who can advice you about difficulties at work
• Reward yourself with something nice after work and think about it
• Have your partner send you a sweet text during work to cheer you up

I reminded myself frequently that it's only work, not real life and also, if it were meant to be fun, they wouldn't call it work.

But I hope you find somewhere better for you soon.

All of my colleagues are unhappy at work also so it’s a very negative environment

Can you not reduce contact with your colleagues as much as possible. I once had the misfortune to work in a toxic environment with a lot of unfilled whingers (with good reason as the place was a horrid workplace), but found the constant negatively of my colleagues to be worse that the work itself. So I started finding ways of minimising contact, i.e. I made myself go out for my entire lunch break rather than staying at my desk to eat - it was lovely to have a peaceful break way from the desk AND colleagues! I also just tried to keep my head down as much as possible and not join in with the office gossip etc. I'm sure they started to think I was being anti-social and maybe even stuck-up, but it was my coping mechanism and to some extent it worked and made work bearable until I could leave.

For me when I hated my job so much it was making me ill, I tried to think about how much worse it would be without it, which it would have been for me but may not be for you? I had a mortgage to pay and was desperate to keep it, and have a real fear of being in debt after having had a bad relationship which left me with a lot of debt. I told myself every day how lucky I was to have a job with a reasonable level of pay and a good pension plan, and cried most Sunday nights at the thought of going back to work again on Monday. I got through it, the job got better and the worst bullies moved on and now I am happy and confident at work. I hope things get better for you.

Been there. Sorry it’s crap in this job.

Depends what the causes of the problems are. If it’s moaning or bitchy colleagues, avoid them, keep head down! If it’s the job content, try to identify better bits to focus on. If it’s getting stressed because things aren’t going well on a piece of work, remember it’s not all on you.

A poker face is hard to do but good. As PPs say, try to conserve energy for jobseeking.

Plan nice things for your time off - doesn’t need to involved doing loads or spending money. Relaxing with good TV is fine! Appreciate payday.

If your mental health is an issue, seek help, that has got me through several rough patches.

Self care!

Feel the same as everybody here but moving on soon, same field, but I'm mainly terrified that it'll be Frying Pan/Fire

The culture were I am is really "Whatever" the manager is ridiculously lazy and actively encourages laziness to look less bad

I'm hoping for a more enthusiastic approach as it is nowhere near what it should be for the kind of job it is.

My colleague gets through it by keeping a list of all the things on his wishlist handy. He calculated how much disposable income has has each month and then divides that by the number of working days, so that he can remind himself how much closer he is getting the things on his wishlist. He also has IGPFTR embossed on the front of his notebook (standing for "I get paid for this regardless") to help him get through the worst bits. I go for the things that other posters have suggested - lovely packed lunch and snacks to look forward to, tiny rewards for getting through each day - even if it's just things like lighting the candles when I get home, or a long soak in the bath.

Until recently I was in a shitshow of a job in a terrible office environment, being managed by a horrible cow of a woman. I would cry in the toilets and I felt sick every evening at the thought of going to work. I basically decided to keep my head down, spoke to my boss when absolutely necessary and worked my arse off to learn any skill I could that would boost my CV. I managed three years before I couldn’t do it any longer.

Six months ago I accepted a secondment (at the same pay grade) to give myself a break mentally and last week I successfully interviewed for a fantastic job on a higher pay grade.

It was hard and it’s not a long term solution but just power through, give them no reason to doubt your ability and throw everything you have into finding a new job.

Inspiring stuff, amusedbush, good for yoi and congrats on the new job!

Does anyone sometimes feel a quiet sense of embarrassment for all involved?

Particularly when I hear the manager explain what we do to any outsiders especially as it changes every time as an evolving prickly defence to legitimate criticism

I got out. I worked in catering, as a graduate management trainee for a multinational. At the time, it appeared to be a good opportunity with excellent career prospects. The reality was absolutely horrendous.

Instead of what I was led to expect, which was spells in finance, operations, marketing etc etc leading to a corporate career I became an overqualified general dogsbody in a pub restaurant working 80 hours per week. I worked double shifts (aka AFD, all fucking day), I had no life outside work, I was permanently exhausted and I hated every single minute. When my relationship ended because we never saw each other, I realised I had to get out to retain my sanity. I just walked, without bothering to formally resign or work my notice. It was that bad.

I got a job in a call centre while I worked out what I wanted to do next.

Yes, vanya, and found the Office v uncomfortably similar to certain jobs

@Loopytiles

Thank you

I’ve worked really hard for the past few years, completing a BA and (currently) my Masters while working full time so I’m over the moon that it’s paying off.

It’s awful grinding through a job you hate though, it impacts everything and wears you down.