Okay so you know the phrase, the grass is greener on the other side? We can all say we understand the concept, but it’s really easy to slip into the ‘what if’s’ when we’re stuck with our own thoughts, especially if we’re working from home.
We’ll be real with you though, sometimes those thoughts of the ‘could be’s’ and ‘what if’s’ are valid and they may be just the thing to propel you into something greater and more suited to your needs and desires. This all sounds great in theory, but how do you actually dissect and differentiate between the two?
We’ll start with the 3 signs you’re going through it at work and it’s just a rough patch.
- You feel better when you kick your feet up and take a break.
Yes, it would be great if we could all jet off to Bali for a beach holiday, but odds are we might feel even more run down when we come back to our job. We’re talking about taking a three day weekend or a mental health day when you can. What’s that phrase again about turning it on and off again? Oh yeah, it works for humans too.
- The little things annoy you
We all have those bad days. Your mouse breaks and you have to use your company’s PC brick where the cursor moves like molasses, or you’ve made one error that’s thrown off your whole spreadsheet. Remember that your coworkers aren’t going to remember these little things and that everyone makes mistakes.
Take a deep breath, we guarantee this is not something you need to worry about past 5:30 PM. Give yourself the grace to let it go.
- Work is your life, your whole life
You might absolutely love the work you do, but work is always going to be work. Understand the difference between you putting time into the work that you love, and your work completely monopolizing your time. To be productive and to fully enjoy your time you have to have a work-life balance.
Talk to your boss and look into getting extra help at work. If you’re the boss, look into hiring an assistant or more senior management to take some of the weight off of your shoulders. Your dream doesn’t have to be just yours!
Here’s 3 times you should listen to your intuition. Yes, it IS your job!
- Your boss doesn’t respect boundaries
Okay, so maybe you were ahead of the game and you already spoke to your boss about your working long and late hours and she’s given you the nod but she’s not actually implemented any changes. If your boss does not respect your time and you often feel guilty or penalized for not working long hours, it might be time to reconsider your employment and seek different opportunities. Your mental health and wellbeing are more important.
- You don’t feel well
Does your work give you physical symptoms? If you’re constantly getting headaches or you feel sick to your stomach because you’re worried about what your boss will think about your new pitch, this may not be the job for you. There is a difference between general nerves that we all get and anxiety caused by fear. Trust your gut and pay attention to the physical symptoms that are manifesting in reaction to your employer.
- You dread work every evening
Work is work for a lot of people, so it’s no wonder many of us get the “Sunday Scaries” sometimes but this shouldn’t be every night of the week. Work doesn’t have to feel like work but it definitely shouldn’t make you worry late at night.
If you don’t think that taking a break, speaking to your boss about time management or better work-life balance will help, there’s a chance you may need to consider changing jobs.
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