Are you Living to Work? – Part 18
The emotional stress of an unfulfilling job
Very few people want a job just for the money, but many have jobs which are solely to provide income. Who wouldn’t want an occupation which stimulates, interests, or satisfies them? As more than two-thirds of people in employment are unsatisfied, they are hardly likely to bounce out of bed in the morning.
Not only 70% of people have unsatisfying jobs, one person in seven would actively damage the business for which they work. If it is that awful, why stay? It really is time to assertively address the issue of job hunting.
It is easier to find a new job if you are in employment, whether that makes sense or not. To take action to change our lives should begin before something dramatic, like losing a job, happens. People stay in unfulfilling jobs for a wide range of reasons:
- Guaranteed income
- Loyalty to the boss or colleagues
- Pension scheme
- Location
- Inertia
- Family pressure
“People will choose unhappiness over uncertainty” Tim Ferriss
Of course, the primary reason people stay in their current role is the lack of an attractive alternative. If they had taken time to work out what would provide stimulation and meaning, they would be In a position to look for it.
If the job you are in feels unfulfilling, but the company is fundamentally sound, perhaps the questions are:
- What could I change to make it more stimulating?
- What could my boss change to motivate me?
- Can I move roles or tweak the one I am in?
- Does my boss know how I feel?
- How do I approach my boss to ask for help?
- What happens if my boss feels threatened and takes it out on me?
We frequently need to have difficult conversations and yet, too often prefer to remain silent and endure the frustrations. Very often the prospect of the discussion is much worse than the reality.
Rob Ball
Contact:
07850 954075
rob.ball@workhorizons.com
rob.ball@naturallyconcerned.com
Websites:
Work Horizons – Organisational renewal through engaged, productive people
Naturally Concerned – Developing Better Business Leaders
www.framingourfuture.com
Books:
Beating the Wisdom of Hindsight: 75 Ways to Pursue Fulfilment and Avoid Regrets eBook : Ball, Rob:
Amazon.co.uk
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Time-Sponges-Overcoming-behaviours-absorb/
Online Programs:
Empower Change by Learning to Live Well (indegu.co.uk)
Expanding Your Work Horizons (indegu.co.uk)
Work Horizons is an online membership site which gives you career coaching at a fraction of the cost of traditional support at £12 per month. The site now incorporates, without additional cost, the book Prepare to Impress: job hunting for the ambitious, frustrated, unemployed and those facing redundancy by our CEO Rob Ball
Next steps
If you would like to discuss any of these issues further or are interested in working with the Work Horizons team, please read about our services or get in touch.
