When Your Job Gets You Down, Don't Quit Impulsively- Handle the Problem and Relax

Face it, sometimes work really can get on your nerves. We're only human, and we all have good and bad days. Don't impulsively give up on your job, chances are it is just a nagging case of job burnout. Overload is your brain's way of telling you to take a step back and weigh your options to conquer whatever is bothering you.

Figure out what is bothering you and work to solve the problem. Are you dissatisfied with the kind of work you do? Would you rather be doing something totally different with your life? Whatever the issue, it is your responsibility to yourself to analyze the situation and figure out an accpetable solution to whatever the problem is. It is your life and you are in charge. Do you want to spend your time and energy working in your current environment? What specifically do you need? Think about it carefully and write down your answers. The answer may just be a matter of calling a truce with a co-worker or going after a promotion. Be tenacious and work on the problem until it is solved, in whatever way you choose.

If the situation is a matter of job burnout, then pry your work-addicted self away for a week and do anything but think of the job as you relax. Do something stimulating and fun while vacation, it will rejeuvenate your energy and mind. If you are unable to take time off from work, consider leaving early or taking a walk at lunchtime. Do something out of the ordinary, that is fun or energizing. When I used to work at a large corporation in-house, friends and I would walk the large parking lot to keep ourselves stimulated during the day. Now that I work from home for the company, I walk out to my lake and feed the ducks. Being around nature calms my soul and makes it easier to go back to work and finish my day with a better attitude.

It's all about attitude and habits. How you treat your body and mind determines your ability to handle stress well. Eating sugar, drinking too much coffee and having a negative attitude can weigh you down and make the day feel endless. So go easy on the junk food, try more nutritous meals like salads, fruit or baked chicken. Look at that tempting box of donuts in the lunchroom as a bunch of greasy "fat pills." That always works for me. Drink decaf coffee or soda. In short, be good to your body since it's the only one you have. To keep you energized it needs the right "fuel." Instead of chowing down at the sugar-filled snack machine, bring something from home that is more nutritious. Sure, we all like something sweet now and then, but not all the time. Too much sugar can make the mood plummet later on. Be conscious of what you eat during the day.

In general, do whatever it takes to keep your mood and motivation up, and negativity down. If your job is truly not to your liking, then consider a change, but only after researching the alternatives thoroughly. Don't make any rash decisions when upset, calm yourself then think it over. Remember, you are the boss of you. The boss at work controls you if you want him to. You choose to work the job. Or, you choose not to. It is all up to you. Be true to yourself. Live it to the fullest by pursuing whatever gives you passion and satisfaction. Anything else is just a filler job until the right one comes along. It is all up to you.