I don’t love my job. I feel like the world expects you to graduate college and get a job in your field and love it. I have a major in sociology and my job is certainly not in my field. My job involves a lot of customer service, back end financial work, and dealing with insurance companies. The hours are long, 700am-6pm (or later), so work/life balance is something I really struggle with. Some days are better than others, but this is not what I want to do with my life.
For a long time, I felt like it was required the I love what I do. I’ve finally come to terms with the idea that it’s okay to have a “for now” job. Something that you do while you figure out exactly what is you’d like to pursue as a career when you grow up. It’s okay to not love your job. That being said, it’s not easy to wake up everyday and go to work and pretend to be happy and upbeat. I’ve found some ways to make the days more bearable, so I thought I’d share my tips.
- Count your blessings. This may sound cliche but it really does help. For example, my job pays really well. Every morning as I drive to work I think about how my job allows me to wake up in the state I love, in my wonderful apartment, that I’m driving a fairly new car to work, I have plenty of food in my fridge, and I can afford most of the things I want. Instead of focusing on what my job doesn’t allow me to do, I think of all the wonderful things it enables me to do.
- Set small mile markers throughout the day. Getting to certain points throughout the day can make it go by faster. My four “mile markers” are 11am, lunch, 3pm, and 5pm. At 11am we’re through most of the morning, things have slowed down, and I usually have a snack. The next “mile marker” I look forward to is lunch. This seems like an obvious one, but that hour is something I’ve come to cherish. During lunch make sure you get out of the office. This gives you a true mental break, as there’s no work stuff around. I just sit in my car with the windows roll down and read a book. It helps me relax and have a good mindset to finish the rest of the day. 3pm is one because it means we’re almost done for the day, and 5pm means there’s only an hour left.
- Find someone you can talk to. This is a big one. Being able to vent is so so so important. Without being able to express frustrations everything builds up inside and can end up negatively effecting work performance. Find someone who’s good at listening and doesn’t mind if you go on a rant. It could be a significant other, friend, parent, even a trusted co-worker. After venting, though, let it go. Don’t hold on to the anger, negativity, or resentment. The day is done, from here turn your focus forward and treat each day as a new beginning.
- Take time for yourself. Work/life balance is hard. Sometimes it can feel like all you do is wok/eat/sleep/repeat. If you can, take a random vacation day every once in a while. An extra long weekend or random weekday off can help you feel less burned out from work.
It’s okay to have a “for now job”. There’s no rule that says you have to have your dream career right away. I don’t even know what my dream career is. Learning as you go is what life is all about, and finding ways to be happy through that process, can make it a little more bearable.