Hate Your Job? Here Are 10 Things To Do Besides Cry in the Bathroom

Photo via  Dickuhne on Flickr .
Photo via Dickuhne on Flickr.

Spending part (or all?) of your lunch hour – or minutes between never-ending meetings – sobbing in your office bathroom?

Wondering how the hell you got here, and how this is your life?

Instead of giving into despair because you hate your job so much, do this instead:

10. Do whatever you need to set the reset button. What energizes you? Whether it’s a “sick day” at work to take yourself out for lunch, a movie, and a massage; a journaling practice each morning; or a “pajama day” where you don’t even entertain the thought of leaving the house (or getting dressed!), pinpoint the things that “reset” you back to feeling like you, and do at least one of them.

9. Read 8 Ways to Get Through Your Day Job Without Shooting Yourself in the Face. Pick one thing from the list and do it. Take to heart that this is my most popular blog post ever, and remind yourself that you’re not alone.

8. Get your hands on a copy of The Artist in the Office. It’s out of  print now, which makes me cry, but it’s the best how-to-make-the-most-of-your-stupid-job-guides ever. If you wanna hear more from the author and illustrator Summer Pierre, tune in to my interview with her right here.

7. Take a walk. Take a break. Get away from your desk. Get out of the building. Grab a coffee. Call your spouse. Enjoy the fresh air and make sure to breathe deep. Do what you can to get more time for yourself throughout the day. It makes a big difference.

6. Read the posts in the Recession is Bullhonkey series and know that you can get another job (or quit it entirely), despite what The World At Large is telling you.

5. Pick and choose from the dozens of Grown Up Gigs interviews I’ve conducted – or watch/read/ listen to ‘em all!

4. Follow all my Pinterest boards, but go through the links in the ones titled Career Changers, Career Clarifiers, Career Connections, and Rockin’ Resumes.

3. Do 1 thing that’ll lead you towards your Effective Escape (which is what I call quitting your job without having to worry that you’ll wind up living in your parent’s basement). Update your resume. Send an APB email to your trusted peeps about your ideal work situation. Recruit a friend to attend a networking event with you, and then talk to other people. Take that baby step, and take it today.

2. Get your hands on my illustrated, rhyming (!) career change workbook, Operation: Creative Career Cheer! I used to sell it on my site for $37, but I decided to make it my (free!) bonus when you RSVP for my CreativeLive class, Create Your Dream Career. Take advantage.

1. Remember that you are more than your job, and it is never too late to make a career change. Your identity goes way, way way beyond what you do between the hours of 9 and 5 (or 6, or 8, or 10) – and the bulk of your day can be make up of tasks that make you feel smart, confident, helpful and passionate.

RSVP for my CreativeLive class right here and you’ll be well on your way to getting out of that bathroom stall.

Michelle Ward FOLLOW >

Michelle Ward helps creative women get out of their soul-sucking jobs & into work that feels like play!