You’re Not Crazy For Hating Your Job
Hating Your Job
When did jobs with minuscule pay, borderline-evil employers, and discombobulated workplaces become a rite-of-passage? I dedicate this post to every individual who has ever had the misfortune of hating their primary source of income. For those of you who have never had to experience that miserable walk of shame as you enter a work facility that will turn your smile into a scowl, I pray you never see that day. As I stated in my melodramatic post, Pompee’s Crisis, the quarter-life crisis involves anxiety over the direction and quality of one’s life.
Hating My Job
One way I was propelled into my crisis was taking on a dream job that quickly turned into a nightmare. In 2015, I left my first job out of college to take on what seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I was courted like an NBA free agent by a boutique agency that wanted me to serve as their new marketing coordinator. I gladly took on this new job as I was ready for a bigger salary and greater responsibility. It wasn’t long before I realized that the promise of a team-oriented work environment and limitless room for growth was a sophisticated lie. I was burdened with outrageous unpaid overtime, thrown into impossible deadlines, and forced to take on duties of employees that quit without additional compensation; it wasn’t long before I detested my job.
My Discovery
Fortunately, I was able to escape the situation from hell when I found a home at a wonderful digital marketing company a year later. Before my glorious escape, I had many doubts about my future. It felt like I squandered all of my had work from college just to be berated and frustrated. I knew I hit a new low when I started to wake up and dread getting ready for my day because I had to go to a job that I despised. During that stressful period, I looked in the mirror and I saw a failure. I couldn’t help but think I was crazy for being miserable at a place that paid my bills. It didn’t help to hear about the success of my fellow peers. At the time, I failed to comprehend that I was going through my quarter-life crisis and that one bad job was the catalyst for it.
Others Can Relate
After I spoke to my colleagues about my experience, I realized I wasn’t the only person going through a situation like this. I quickly found out that countless people my age went through similar horrors. It was eye-opening hearing a friend of mine tell me that she believed that she failed her parents after taking on an abusive job that massively underpaid her. I’ve read stories of individuals using their bathroom breaks to escape their mundane days. People who have lived twice my lifetime have expressed to me that they unknowingly went through chaotic stints in the early careers that negatively impacted their lives.
You’re Not Crazy
For the individuals who can relate to my plight, you are not alone. If you get to a point where you are not happy at your place of employment and it makes you question your overall direction in life, you are not crazy in any way, shape, or form. I was able to get out of my situation and my main motivating factor was a desire to be proud and fulfilled by what I did for a living. For some, it’s not an easy decision to leave their situation with responsibilities such as bills, the oversaturated job market, and an economic crisis. However, making the decision to improve your quality of life by identifying a toxic job or career path is the first step to solving your crisis. If you can’t leave your situation immediately, make the most out of your job while you’re still there. You don’t have to stay at a job you hate just because it provides income for you. Be cognizant of the opportunities out there that will provide you with the ideal combination of utilizing your talents and leaving you emotionally fulfilled. Don’t be afraid to talk to your friends and family about your work. Lastly, always remember that your crisis is not permanent and your career does not define you.
Song Of The Day
Today’s song of the day is “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King.” When I went through the crisis that was my old job, I stumbled upon this song and instantly felt motivated. It’s amazing how a song from my childhood galvanized me into leaving my dire situation in order to create a better opportunity for myself. I kept telling myself how I wanted to roam free and eventually become a king.
Wow! This post is truly amazing 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience in such a fun way, you left me wanting to read more. I can’t help but think that one day, you’ll be an author of some fascinating books. I look forward to your future posts.
BTW I want to add that even though you went through this “Hell” job, at least you were there for a year and were lucky to move on rather quickly. I remember my dreadful job when I was in my early twenties, unfortunately, I was stuck there for 3 years 🙁 Therefore, consider yourself lucky lol
I actually had a very similar experience at a law firm! I felt like I “made it” when I got on as just a receptionist. The pay was sub par, but I didn’t care. I would’ve rather had made barely above minimum wage at a law firm than something else. The only drawback to the receptionist job is that I had to work with many unmotivated employees and overworked attorneys. Eventually I was promoted to a job I loved (Demand Writer) and eventually had the courage to ask for a raise, which I got… With strings attached (aka more work to do). It was fine by me, at first, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was when an attorney decided he could yell at me for something I was able to prove didn’t happen. Thankfully a month later I got another (less stressful) job opportunity making more. You’re right, we all have experiences like this ?
What a great read. I fortunately have never felt this but needed to read it. It helped remind me to keep the mindset and perspective that I have on my job currently.
This made me laugh and remember a book some gave me 16 years ago. Of course the world is very different today but a lot of the advice and messages hold true as evident in your post. Me, I bounced at 26. I had a six-figure soul sucking job and left it for non-profit work that took me around the world, something that is way easier to do today.
Quaterlife Crisis
When young adults emerge at graduation from almost two decades of schooling, during which each step to take is clearly marked, they encounter an overwhelming number of choices regarding their careers, finances, homes, and social networks. Confronted by an often shattering whirlwind of new responsibilities, new liberties, and new options, they feel helpless, panicked, indecisive, and apprehensive.
Quarterlife Crisis is the first book to document this phenomenon and offer insightful advice on smoothly navigating the challenging transition from childhood to adulthood, from school to the world beyond. It includes the personal stories of more than one hundred twentysomethings who describe their struggles to carve out personal identities; to cope with their fears of failure; to face making choices rather than avoiding them; and to balance all the demanding aspects of personal and professional life. From “What do all my doubts mean?” to “How do I know if the decisions I’m making are right?” this book compellingly addresses the hardest questions facing young adults today.
unfortunately, this same experience happens to those in the middle or end of their careers. I myself worked in an excellent company for 15 years, when my leadership was replaced by a toxic team, who decided to fire anybody for any reasons. Since then, it’s been 2-years here, 2-years there….all of which are toxic. All employers lie in the interviews, and the environments are nightmare scenarios – nearly all of them. So, it’s kind of rough, even for those later in their careers.