Most of the places I’ve worked at in my career have been wonderful places of employment. However, there was one college I worked for that had low staff morale campus-wide. I was over career services for the students, but oftentimes staff would come to my office seeking job search help.
One of the perks of working for a college or university is your children get to attend tuition-free. The staff members coming to me were the ones who had stuck it out until their children finished school, and were now ready to move on. Because of the low staff morale, they lacked passion in their job. Some weren’t even sure anymore what they were passionate about.
Are You Tied to Your Current Job?
This is something I also hear today from potential clients. People often contact me because they want to find their passion and get a job they can feel passionate about. However, they feel tied to their current job and don’t see a way out, at least not yet. Have you ever found yourself in this situation?
If you can’t leave your current job yet, there are ways to cope until you can develop an exit strategy. You may even be able to recapture your passion, or discover new passions by trying some of these simple suggestions.
How to Make Your Current Job More Bearable
- Eat lunch away from your desk. No matter how busy you are, be protective of your personal time, even if you only get a half-hour lunch. If the weather’s nice outside, go eat at a picnic table or under a tree. If you can’t get outside, eat lunch by a window.
- Have lunch with some of your favorite co-workers. Set a rule that you won’t discuss anything negative or anything related to work during those 30 to 60 minutes.
- Get a little exercise. Spend part of your lunch or your break taking a quick walk around the building or do some stretching exercises. This will get your blood pumping and lighten your mood.
- Volunteer to serve on a committee. Every company has various committees that need people from different departments to serve on. Find one that matches your interests and dedicate a reasonable amount of time to it (1 to 4 hours per month). Doing this will get you out of your daily routine and your everyday surroundings, introduce you to new people in other departments, give you purpose, and build your resume for when you’re ready to start sending it out.
- Ask to represent your office at a conference. There may be money in the budget to send you to a local, regional, or even national conference. Not only will this provide you professional development, it will also expand your network and bring you a change of scenery from your current geographic location. If you can’t attend a several-day conference, see if you can attend a one-day drive-in conference or luncheon. A day away from the office while still being productive can help cure some of the doldrums.
- Take a class. Your company may offer some continuing education opportunities you can take advantage of. If not, your local community will have numerous classes available to learn a new skill or hobby. This is especially important to make time for (1 to 2 hours per week for only a few weeks) if you’re no longer sure what your interests or passions are.
- Update your resume. Make a list of all your accomplishments you’ve made in your current job and add them to your resume. Taking an inventory of this builds your confidence in your skills which in turn gives you the courage to start looking for something new. Just make sure you do this on your own time.
- Stay focused on the things you like about your current job. Look for other opportunities that have those same positives.
Take the Next Step
I encourage you to come up with some of your own ideas. I also encourage you to not let yourself stay stuck. Recognize when it’s time to seek something new and start working toward it now. You want to be ready to move when the time opens up for you to do so!
If you need help coming up with a plan to make a smooth transition from your current job to your next job, start by completing the paNASH intake form!
You may also like: “Feeling Trapped? 7 Ways to Cope”
