When Sunday night feels like the last night on earth and Monday mornings are the worst part of the week, you probably work at a toxic job.
These kinds of jobs are soul-draining and you know it. You are not crazy when it feels like this job is sucking the life out of you.
You might wonder why your coworkers don’t struggle as much as you do, and maybe, you are even thinking about something being wrong with you.
If you clicked on this article, you already know what it is about your workplace that makes you feel so horrible about going there every day of the week – maybe it’s the actual work you need to do, maybe it’s the people you work with, maybe it’s the supervisors. If you are not sure if it’s really a job from hell or if you’re just feeling too sensitive – I wrote an article about 10 signs that your job is toxic – and I’m speaking from experience.
I worked in countless jobs, and I had my fair share of toxic jobs from hell. Some weren’t just right for me, others weren’t right for anybody, because the company would treat people like milk cows (you know, milk them until they are empty and dispose them).
So, without any further ado, I’m going to share with you the very tactics I used whenever I was stuck in a work environment that dried my soul up.
- Learn to set boundaries
This one is the secondmost important survival tactic while you are still in the job- because if you don’t show people how they can’t treat you, chances are, they are going to walk all over you. It doesn’t matter if it’s a coworker who has no understanding of personal space, people making racist or sexist jokes, or others discrediting your work our your person, your boss giving you countless extra shifts – take a stand. It might feel scary to stand up for yourself, especially if you tend to be a people pleaser, but trust me, you will feel so good afterwards. You are here to work and live in peace. You don’t have to be cool with people disrespecting you as a human being.
2. Use your breaks
First of all, take your breaks. Most countries have a legal regulation about how much time you can spend away from your workplace each day – If there is no such thing where you live, make sure you make it part of your next negotiation about terms & conditions on your next job.
Most offices have some sort of peer pressure about breaks and lunchtime – you do not have to give in to that. If you feel like going for a walk instead of sitting in the cafeteria with the gossip girls, do that. Stretch. Move your body, remind your system that the outside world still keeps turning. Do things that charge you up and give you energy and joy.
3. Find balance
I know, when you spent 8-9 hours at a place you hate, doing things that drain you, you probably only want to drop dead on your couch and bingewatch netflix while feasting on comfort foods. BUT. If all you see on a day -to day basis is the work environment that drains you and your TV screen, chances are that you forget the great things about life.
Make sure you do things that are truly fun to you – don’t numb your frustration with party and substances all the time – I know, sometimes you will feel the need to do this and give in to it and that’s okay (we’re all humans here).
But also, play in puddles, watch a comedy play, do things that 4-year old you would have enjoyed.
Make time to tend to your hobbies and try new things – you need the fun to balance out the dullness of work.
4. Move your Body
Moving your body releases stabilizing and mood-lifting hormones, lengthens your life and helps you to move past blockages in your mind. For me, the saving grace was Yoga- It helped me manage the stress of the job, it helped to find more ease and softness in my body and to transcend the negativity of my coworkers. (I have a little beginner’s routine for you here)
Also, get out & breathe fresh air and move in nature– even though you’re human, you still have a part of wild in you that needs the sun, the breeze, the earth and the waters.
5. Prepare an escape plan
This one is the most powerful survival tool in a toxic job. When you know that your time in this horrible place is limited, most hardships feel way lighter.
This can be looking for a new job or starting a side hustle that one day will replace your salary.
If you don’t know with what you could start your own business, I have a free workbook for you that will help you to learn what comes to you with ease. Click here to download !!
If you want some 1:1 support with creating an escape plan and building a profitable busness, BAZINGA, that’s what I do for a living – you can book yourself a FREE discovery session in which we’ll talk about your situation and how I can help you. Click here to book yours!
That’s it for today – keep in mind that your destiny is in your hands.
Let me know if these tips were helpful for you, and what helps you to balance out your draining day job.
