Five Tips to Turn a Job You Loathe Into One You Love

Okay, love is a strong word so how about turning a job you loathe into one you at least lukewarm like?

According to a piece published this morning by Forbes, Nisa Chitakasem, co-author of How to Get the Job You Want, writes that even people who seem to be happy overall go through ruts when they can’t stand their jobs. So yes, it’s going to happen to all of us at one point or another.

There are several ways to tough it out when the going gets rough.


1. Ask to work with different people. For starters, maybe you’re tired of working with the same people day in, day out. Chitakasem writes, “Even if you don’t necessarily hate your co-workers, it can refresh your outlook on your work and the aspects of it that you hate to involve different people. On upcoming projects, ask to be teamed with individuals you don’t usually work with or even interact with around the office.”

2. Make a lateral move. The author calls this a “sideways shift” but it comes down to keeping your skills sharp and remaining fresh if you’ve hit a dead end and there’s nowhere to go. She adds, “Think smartly about how you can be helpful in bringing this about, rather than sitting back and expecting to be moved somewhere new.”

3. Find a confidant. While all of these tips require being proactive, one way to handle the rut is to simply vent to someone. Of course, this involves seeking out the right person to confide in first (and by right, we mean someone you can fully trust). In her blog post, the author recommends “a colleague, a mentor or a close friend in another department.”

4. Enjoy your down time. If the nine to five (okay, who are we kidding? More like nine to six, seven or eight!) grind of a work day saps your energy, it’s important to bulk up your schedule outside the office with fulfilling endeavors. Freelancers, this pertains to you, too! Chitakasem emphasizes the importance of scheduling activities that invigorate and energize. Essentially, fill up your play time with people you enjoy spending time with, be sure to get enough sleep, and of course, carve enough down time for yourself.

5. Make diet and fitness a priority. In addition to getting enough quality sleep, diet and fitness are paramount to feeling healthy and full of energy. She writes in her blog post, “By eating well and exercising regularly, we increase our energy levels and alertness and lift our mood. You might be surprised at how much these changes can contribute to a more positive attitude about your job.”

 

3 Tips for Exercise That You Love, Not Loathe

Exercise is a great way to get the blood pumping, calories burning, endorphins surging and blow off some steam. Guaranteed, you already know all the benefits of getting in a workout, so I won’t waste your time. The real problem is being able to fit it into your busy lifestyle, and also enjoy it.

 

After all, when you skip working out, you tend to feel a bit guilty, sluggish, tired and try to eat less in an effort to still lose weight.

 

Here are three simple tips to find irresistible exercise… no matter how busy your schedule may get.

 

1. If all exercise burned the same amount of calories (example: walking burned the same as running which burned the same as swimming), what would you do?

 

We have this idea of exercise as being a knockdown, drag out sweat fest that takes hours out of your day. Especially if you sweat so much you have to wash your hair.

Is there a dance class you’ve been dying to try? Or do you love to walk but feel obligated to run. Expand your definition of exercise to include non-traditional movement too. But most of all, make it something you enjoy!

 

2. Only bite off what you can chew.

 

Promising yourself you’ll get to the gym when it just physically is impossible to fit into your schedule is a recipe for a guilt trip. Be realistic about what time you have in your day to fit in some movement. It’s okay if you were only able to do a few laps around the office, calf raises while you brushed your teeth, or a minute of jumping jacks before you got in the shower. Then, put it on your calendar that you’ll go to that class you’ve been dying to try a few weeks into the future when your schedule lightens up, and commit to that.

 

3. Be Social.

 

Exercise is more fun when you do it with someone and a great way to make new friends. Next time you’re going to get your body moving, invite a friend along or talk to the person next to you. If it’s your first time, ask them if they’ve done it before. You’ll start looking forward to seeing people you know, chatting about what teachers to try and what smoothies are the best at the juice bar.

 

And voila! Before you know it, loathing will turn into a love for exercise.