Making the Most of a Job You Hate

Check Out Your Feelings

Take some time to identify whether you are truly unhappy in your current job. If you are constantly watching the clock, film gems buzz you are just waiting for the weekend, or if you get depressed at the thought of going back to work after a vacation - or even every morning - then you definitely do not like your current position.

Try To Identify the Cause

Do some introspection as to what could be triggering your unhappiness at the workplace. Is it your boss who is causing the tension or is the stress involved in carrying out your work? Once you have identified the cause, then you need to find a permanent solution.

Just ignoring the problem or using methods to delay a solution will just end up in your bottling up your feelings and could eventually result in a big explosion.

Act on the Solution

If you feel that your boss is unhappy with the quality of your work, then along with putting in extra effort, you could also join some after-hours workshops to acquire or refine your skills in order to make your boss happy.

If the stress of your job is getting to you, then sit down with your boss and discuss the problem. Together, the two of you may be able to find a solution. Your boss might be able to lift some of the work from your shoulders by giving it to another employee, or might have some ideas to make your job more satisfying.

Keep an Open Mind

If you are unable to please your boss under any circumstances, or if your job is taking a toll on you, then it might be time to look for other opportunities. Keep doing your present job, but at the same time, acquire new skills so that you can apply for a new job in a different company. However, do your homework properly or you could end up jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

If you are unable to change your job, then at least start exercising regularly. Exercises like yoga can have a calming effect on the mind and you can also try your hand at boxing or kickboxing to get rid of any pent-up anger and frustration you might have.

You can practice yoga in your workplace - but boxing or kickboxing are definitely not recommended, especially if your boss is on the receiving end!

Get a Life Outside Of Work

If you feel that you do not have any choice but to stick with this job, then get a life outside of your workplace. Develop a hobby, or meet your friends or relatives regularly to divert your mind from your work during your non-working hours. Treat your job as a job and do not turn it into an obsession. You might realize that most of the problems were much smaller than you had made them out to be. Take small breaks to refresh your mind and body.

So cheer up! If you are not happy in your job, then take heart in the fact that there are very few people who actually are.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.