Job Depression…

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Your job may have you feeling down and out these days, making you question the thought of even getting out of bed in the morning. It’s not that you are opposed to work, well, let’s be honest if you didn’t have to work would you really? But when you are wondering how you got here in the first place it might be time to take the blinders off and really dig deep before job depression sets in. You are not likely to make a break so how do you psyche yourself into believing you really love your job despite its obvious pitfalls.

You are tired. We all get tired but the first sign you might be heading into job depression is your inability to focus on what you were hired to do. It’s not like you’d rather stand around the Keurig coffee maker and discuss last night’s episode of “Game of Thrones” but you may actually start feeling like a “White Walker” before the day is through. Finding the energy to make it through to lunch has got you questioning why you even took this job in the first place and how on earth you are ever going to get out. Staying focus is key if you want to avoid the dark night of the soul that defines your job.

Your job should not make you feel like you were just given a prison sentence of 25 to life. Actually that might actually be preferred over yet another meeting with your boss talking about the same project that you know will never get off the ground. Or like an episode of “Happyish” you are waiting frantically by the conference room window for the space ship to beam you up and take you home to the planet where you really belong.

Work is a bad four-letter word but feeling depressed about it will not help you rid yourself of the work-all-day blues. But here’s what will. Get up and move. Focus on one small task at a time. If you hate your boss, quit or be reassigned. Make an effort. Don’t take everything anyone says personally. Create boundaries in your job. Make room for activities that are fun and that bring you joy. Practice on getting clear about what you want. Remember to laugh at anything or anyone. Know you have options. You are not trapped and you can get out of there whenever you want. You are creating something beautiful even when you feel like a spoke in a wheel.

Never mind that your boss has a hard on for you and your co-workers don’t invite you to lunch. You don’t need a job that makes you feel less than who you are. Get deep with your feelings about what makes you happy and follow your path. It’s not going to be easy but finding meaning in life outside of work will help you prioritize what’s important to you and what truly makes you happy. When you doubt who you are and what you can accomplish you allow the dark thoughts of depression to creep into your mind. If you only had one shot at getting it right, would you waste it on the job you are doing today? If the answer is no, then start to convince yourself that you are better than what you are doing now and make a plan to move out. Whatever you do, sitting around harboring negative thoughts about yourself is one way to relinquish control over your own job depression. Fighting job depression is a fight you can win but you need to physically move out of the comfort of your bed in order to make some progress.


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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