Do you get the Sunday night blues because the reality of Monday morning is approaching?

Do you find yourself pushing the snooze button a third time because you don’t want to go to work?

Do you have to fight the urge every morning to call in sick?

Are you in survival mode by 8:30am and by 5pm feel drained dry?

If you can relate, then you probably kinda hate your job.

Sure, maybe you used to like it.  But something has changed (boss, owner, management, corporate rules) and the place is now, choose one:

• Unethical.
• Greedy.
• Toxic.
• Incompetent.
• Unfair.

And you can’t leave right now because, choose one:

• The economy is bad.
• I’ll never find these great benefits.
• My kids are still in college.
• What else I’m I going to do at my age?
• I need to get some experience first.

Whatever your reasons for hating your job, and whatever your reasons for staying, here are some positive things you can do while you figure out how to change your situation.

Get up earlier than you have to. I know.  It sounds counterintuitive but stay with me.  Carve out some “me time”, start out with 30 minutes. Then do something you truly enjoy but never have time for. Make yourself a decent breakfast, workout, do puzzles.  This way even if a humdrum day awaits, at least you put yourself first.

Shoot for work performance that “Meets Expectations” rather than ”Exceeds Expectations”.  I know, this is sacrilege coming from an HR professional.  But conserve your energy for your own endeavors (improving your skills, networking for another job). And yes, you do owe your employer fair work for fair pay, but “Satisfactory” will do.

Take responsibility for your situation.  Yes, sometimes things happen beyond our control.  But mostly, wherever we find ourselves is largely a direct result of choices we’ve made.  Which brings us to….

Take charge of your work life and chart a plan.   What kind of work situation do you wish you had? Which jobs  at what companies offer something similar?  Focus on what you want to move toward, not on what you want to escape from.

It’s much easier to stay in a job you don’t like when you have a plan that motivates and guides you to a better future. Your purpose is charted.   Stay calm and carry on.

©Copyright Eva Del Rio

Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com