by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Is your job making you crazy? Spending 40+ hours per week in a stressful work environment can take a serious toll on both your mental and physical health. Job stress has been linked to conditions including anxiety, depression, ulcers, obesity, chronic back pain, high blood pressure, and heart disease. That  "I hate my job" feeling could literally be making you sick.

 

But it’s not always easy to walk away from a bad job. I speak from experience. I learned about all of the sanity savers on this list the hard way – I stayed in a job I didn’t like for years before I worked up the courage to quit.

 

1. Make a Plan to Get Out

 

 

The most important first step is to get serious about changing your situation. You will be amazed at how much less aggravating your job can become once you have a solid plan to get out. Even the worst days are easier to bear if you know the end is in sight.

 

So think about what you can do to stop the madness – get off of that hellish project, transfer to a different department, replace that incompetent employee, or figure out how to quit your job and move on to something more fulfilling. What would it take to make things better? And then, what do you need to do to get there?

 

If your job is running you ragged, the idea of making time for planning can be daunting. That’s why so many people stay stuck in bad situations. But you have to prioritize your long-term health and happiness and find the time, even if that means your days become a little more hectic in the short term. The reward of a better job situation is well worth the temporary strain. We can’t depend on our employers to guide our career paths anymore. It is up to us to take charge. And if we don’t proactively plan, we run the risk of getting caught up in momentum toward goals we don’t even really want.

 

2. Take a Mental Health Day

 

 

One way to make time for hatching your escape plan is to take a mental health day. That’s right. Play hooky. Some of you Type A personalities may have trouble with this idea. However, if you’re on the verge of burnout and your employer refuses to let up the pace, you may have to take matters into your own hands.

 

A day away from the madness can be a great way to get some perspective. It’s easy to start taking work way too personally when you never have a chance to step back and view things objectively. At the same time, countless studies have found that people perform better when they have time away to refresh.

 

So you owe it to yourself and your company to take a day off if you’ve reached your limit. You can call in sick and you don’t even have to lie. You’re “not feeling well enough to come in.” After all, burnout can be just as debilitating as a bad cold.

 

3. Take a Walk

 

 

 

You don’t have to take a whole day off to benefit from a little mental health break. Even a ten-minute break to step away from your desk and take a few deep breaths can be beneficial when you’re feeling stressed out.

 

Even better, getting out of the office environment for a little bit longer can give you the space you need to figure out a better solution to the problem at hand or defuse a negative situation. When you’re feeling out of control or on the verge of saying or doing something you might regret, just walk away. Take a walk around the block or duck out to the gym and work out your negative energy. 

 

Just stop what you’re doing, get away from the people who are getting on your last nerve, and focus your mind on something besides the cause of your stress.  If you can, go outside for a breath of fresh air. Psychological studies have shown that gazing at views of nature can provide relief from mental fatigue and enhance competence.

 

4. Make Time for Activities that Energize You

 

 

 

All work and no play make Jack not only a dull boy, but also a very cranky one. If you’re not getting the fulfillment you need at work, you have to make time for your passions after hours. Without a regular dose of joy in your life, burnout is inevitable.

 

Think about what’s missing. Do you need a creative outlet? Do you long to be able to make a bigger difference in the world? Do you hunger for greater intellectual challenge? Look into hobbies, classes, or volunteer work that can help you fill the void. You may think you don’t have time for fun or fulfillment, but I can guarantee you that a little bit of inspiration will give you more energy and make your days much more pleasant.

 

5. Make Friends In and Out of the Office

 

 

 

Recent research studies show job satisfaction increases by nearly 50 percent when you have a close friend at work. It’s a lot more fun to come to the office when you have colleagues that you like and respect. Having friends at the office is even more important when you’re stuck in a miserable job. You need at least one trusted confidante that you can vent to. You can also benefit from the informed advice and support of colleagues who know all of the players and issues that you’re dealing with.

 

At the same time, make sure that you continue to cultivate a circle of interesting friends outside the office. The very act of getting away from work and work people to enjoy totally unrelated activities and discussions can be very rejuvenating. Spending time with “normal” people can also provide you with new and healthier perspectives on your work. You may even meet someone who can hire you or recommend you for a better job. You certainly won’t find job leads if you spend all of your evenings crying into your beer with the gang from the office.

 

6. Sleep On It

 

 

 

If you’re dealing with a stressful job, chances are good that you haven’t been getting enough sleep. When schedules get hectic, people tend to start cutting back on their sleep hours in order to fit everything in. We’ve all pulled an occasional all-nighter when an important project called for it. However, consistent neglect of your body’s natural need for sleep can make you more irritable and lead to significantly lower job satisfaction.

 

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you may very well be better off going home to bed than working late. You’ll think more clearly in the morning and be more productive. Likewise, if you have a big decision to make or are feeling tempted to respond emotionally to a work conflict, try sleeping on the situation in order to get enough distance (and rest) to make an informed choice.

 

7. Book Your Vacation Now

 

 

 

Research has shown that workers who take regular vacations have lower stress levels and are less likely to experience burnout.  Unfortunately, half of U.S. workers don’t take the vacation days they’re given. In fact, U.S. workers forfeited approximately 421 million vacation days in 2005.

 

If you’ve got vacation days coming, don’t put them off any longer. A vacation lets you recharge your batteries so that you can do a better job at work when you return. It can also give you time and distance to think about your job situation and how you’d like it to change.

 

Even if you can’t get away right now, you can schedule your trip and start planning your vacation activities. Scheduling your getaway now will give you something specific to look forward to and think about on those days when work feels like it will never get better.

 

8. Laugh It Off

 

 

 

Did you know that humor can reduce job stress, boost morale, strengthen workplace bonds, and even help ward off burnout?  And here you thought all those stupid forwarded joke emails were complete wastes of time.

 

A little comedy can help you release tension and lighten up a bit. So keep your funniest friend’s phone number handy and call when you’re having a bad day. Upload sets by your favorite stand-up comics to your iPod and take a quick comedy break when you need one. After all, it’s physically impossible to feel totally miserable when you’re laughing.

 

9. Just Breathe

 

 

 

You may have heard this advice before, but it bears repeating. When things get tough, deep breathing can take you from crazed to calm in just a few minutes.

 

When we get stressed, we tend to start breathing more shallowly. As a result, our cells don’t get as much oxygen and when your brain cells don’t get enough oxygen, it’s hard to think clearly or calmly.

 

The best quick relief for feeling overwhelmed is to just breathe. Find a secluded or semi-secluded spot, close your eyes, and focus on taking deep slow breaths from your belly. Keep your mind on your breathing and refuse to be distracted by other thoughts or outside noises, if only for a minute or two. This process will help you get that oxygen to your brain while also clearing out unproductive thoughts. It can be a great temporary fix when you’re feeling frazzled.

 

10. Get Some Help

 

 

 

If you’ve tried everything that you can think of to make your bad job tolerable and you’re still suffering, it may be time to call in some outside help. Working with a career counselor or coach could help you more clearly identify the root causes of your job misery and explore solutions that you haven’t thought about. If your work situation is having a serious emotional impact, you may prefer to speak with a counselor or therapist.

 

There’s no need to suffer in silence and no shame in asking for help. They don’t give out medals for bravely enduring terrible jobs.

 

If your job is affecting your mental or your physical health, you owe it to yourself to do whatever you can to make the situation better. While your ultimate goal may be a better job, these ten tips can help you keep your sanity until you’re ready to give your notice. 

 

Do you have additional ideas for minimizing stress in a horrible job? Share your stories and advice and add to the list.

 

 

Popularity: 100%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Worried about making a career change amidst rumors of recession? Well, first of all, there’s no perfect time to switch careers. If you plan to wait around until the perfect moment comes along, you will likely be waiting for a long, long time.

 

Sure,  it make sense to  plan a bit more carefully when the economy seems shaky, but that doesn’t mean that a career change is impossible. In fact, there are many careers that will continue to boom even during a down economy.

 

And what careers might those be? The human resources experts at HRworld.com recently posted a handy list of the 25 top careers to pursue during a recession.  Among the top contenders: health care, international business, alcohol, skilled services (like plumbing and hairstyling), and consulting.

 

For more advice on making a career change during a difficult economy, check out this excellent Monster.com article.

 

 

Popularity: 15%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

I just had to post a link to this inspiring story featured on Yahoo! today. Jonathan Coulton was a software engineer who quit his job to become a rock star. Today, he’s earning more than his old salary by selling his music online, including tracks inspired by his office life like the irresistable "Code Monkey." 

 

I really like his quote about what prompted him to leave his code monkey career to to pursue his music: "I have known some bitter people in my life who never did what they wanted to do, and I didn’t wanna be that person."

 

I sure wish I had known about Jonathan while I was still working on the book. I’d love to interview him and learn more about how he made his career change work. After all, rock star is a pretty ballsy goal to dream about from a cubicle and he made it happen.
 

Check out Jonathan’s story on Yahoo!

 

Visit Jonathan’s site to hear his music.

 

 

Popularity: 19%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Workplace stress is the most frequently cited reason U.S. employees consider leaving their jobs, according to a new survey by consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide.  Employees defined their  top causes of workplace stress as long hours, work/life balance, technologies that expand availability, and managers’ inability to recognize stress.

 

More surprisingly, another Watson Wyatt survey found that nearly half of employers (48%) acknowledge that stress caused by overwork is affecting business performance and 32% said that work/life balance issues were taking a toll on the bottom line. 

 

Although companies know that workplace stress is a problem, very few are taking steps to address it. Only 5% said they are taking action to address stress caused by long hours. A more encouraging 16% said they are taking action to relieve stress caused by work/life balance issues.

 

Those companies that don’t address these issues may find themselves paying the price in health care and retention costs. According to a statement by Shelly Wolf,  national practice director of health and productivity at Watson Wyatt: “Too much stress from heavy demands, poorly defined priorities and little on-the-job flexibility can add to health issues. By leaving stress unaddressed, employers invite an increase in unscheduled time off, absence rates and health care costs — all of which hurt a company’s bottom line.”

 

 

Popularity: 19%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

Did you know that your obsessive BlackBerry habit could make your thinking fuzzier than if you had just smoked a joint?  Dr Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at King’s College, London University,  conducted a survey on this subject back in 2005 on behalf of Hewlett Packard. According to Dr. Wilson, "Workers cannot think as well when they are worrying about e-mail or voicemails. It effectively reduces their IQ," says Wilson.

 

The tests conducted on 1,000 volunteers showed that those distracted by a mobile device or computer saw an average drop of ten IQ points while the stoners saw only a four-point drop. Interestingly, the impact was more pronounced in men than in women. Wilson also suggested that ongoing exposure to our  "modern culture of information could cause a permanent drop in intelligence."

 

Just thought you should know about yet another good reason  to learn to disengage from our technology when an important task is at hand. If your boss complains, just tell him you need all of your IQ points today.

 

And whatever you do, don’t check your BlackBerry while smoking a joint or you’re liable to do something truly moronic.

 

 

Popularity: 15%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

I was quoted in a very informative article on career slumps  in Investor’s Business Daily last week.

 

You can now check out the article by Adelia Cellini Linecker on Yahoo! News. You’ll find some very helpful quick tips for identifying the reasons for your career slump and finding a cure.

 

 

Popularity: 12%

by Pamela Skillings      Send to a friend

For me, the highlights of tonight’s crop of new Super Bowl commercials were the ads from CareerBuilder.com. Apparently, this is a web site after my own heart. After all, listen to their manifesto: "Our new TV campaign encourages disgruntled workers everywhere to get out of unrewarding jobs and do something about their situation," says CareerBuilder.com.

 

Best of all, the ads are truly funny and memorable. They almost made me believe in humanity again after I suffered through watching Paula Abdul sing (sorry, Paula). And they really capture the quiet desperation one feels when stuck in a brain-numbing, soul-sucking job. Ah yes, I remember it well.

 

In the first commercial, "Queen of Hearts," a downtrodden assistant toils miserably over her computer while her evil boss sucks on lobster claws in his office.  See how our beleaguered heroine learns how to follow her heart and find a new job.

 
In "Firefly",  a mopey schlub in a suit is working late and lamenting his crappy job when a singing, incandescent insect (in a suit and tie, natch) inspires him to dream big.  See why "wishing won’t get you a better job."

And here I thought they couldn’t top their previous campaign featuring monkeys in offices. Let’s face it, it’s hard to top monkeys. Monkeys are just inherently hilarious. And I should know. I spent hours building my own Monk-e-Mail  e-cards after those other commercials aired last year. So apparently, I’m not the most  objective source.

 

Popularity: 11%