5 Signs That You're Unhappy at Work

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5 Signs That You're Unhappy at WorkPlenty of people hate their jobs. Exactly how many is hard to say, but depending on which study you believe, somewhere between 20% and 40% of workers can’t stand their jobs.

And to a lot of people this is just the way things are. Once when I was in the US to do a speech a young man told me that “of course I hate my job – that’s why they pay me to do it.” Many people still have the attitude that if you’re enjoying work, you’re not working hard enough, and that the only path to career success is to work long hours and sacrifice everything else in your life for a job that makes you miserable.

Well, it turns out that not only is this kind of thinking completely wrong (studies show that people who like their jobs are more productive and successful at work) but it can also make you sick.

Here are 5 ways that hating your job can harm your health. If any of these signs resonate with you, your body may be telling you to quit your job — or at least make some changes.


Clock Watching


Everyone has had that moment when they are looking at the clock in anticipation. In school, they were referred to as “Clock-watchers”, always waiting for the bell to signify the end of class and the start of lunch or free time. The curse of the Clock-watcher was that the more you stare at the clock, the slower time seems to pass.

Of course it’s always fine to anxiously anticipate going to something (like a child going to lunch). But if you are more excited about the concept of simply leaving the office, rather than going somewhere exciting, that’s a red flag.


Monday Blues

This is a very normal occurrence that many people don’t really take the time to think about.  Sure it’s understandable to be sad the weekend is over, and perhaps you want to keep spending all your free time with family and loved ones. But if your anxiety is based on going to work compared to leaving people behind, take a step back and think about where the problem truly lies.


You Don’t Feel Helping Co-Workers

Your colleagues may be struggling. But you don’t really feel like lending a hand. Why should you?

One very interesting psychological study started by putting subjects in either a good mood or a bad mood. They were then asked to go down the hall to another room where the experiment would continue. In the hallway the real experiment took place – the subjects passed a man holding a big box struggling to open a door. Would the subject help that person? The experiment showed, that when we’re in a bad mood, we’re much less likely to help others.

You Get Sick Often

And finally, hating your job directly increases your risk of getting sick. One study of 20,000 US nurses found that nurses who were unhappy at work had a higher risk of getting sick, and we’re talking serious diseases like some forms of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

All of this means that if you hate your job, you have to act on it. You have to either figure out how to improve your current work situation or you have to find another job where you can be happy.

Your Sex life is Struggling

One of the worst things about hating your job, is that it doesn’t stop at the end of the work day. For many people it spills over and affects their whole life.


One study showed that people who are unhappy and not rewarded at work have less satisfying sex lives. Researchers have found a clear link between a good relationship with your spouse and health


This might be the time to update that resume and start researching the sort of position you would like to move into. It’s also a great opportunity to go through your resume and see where there might be gaps in your experience, if you find areas that are lacking you could take on extra duties at your current workplace, use the time before you leave to up-skill, enhance your responsibilities or take on training to make you even more attractive to your employer at the next dream job.

16 comments:

  1. Oh yeah - experienced all that when I worked in the workplace. Now I am self employed, I am so much happier!

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  2. OMG. It's a good thing i haven't gotten to these points. I haven't done clock watching, or stopped helping my officemates. I do hope I never get there.

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  3. Those are some great points you have there and can relate to the first few

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  4. I used to feel horrible on Sundays as I had to be at an office job the next day. I loved my job but the workload was really heavy and made me too tired to enjoy my weekends. Now I'm happy juggling two companies and blogging :)

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  5. I was unhappy with job hence i changed and now I self-employed and earning decent money..lovely pointers to which i can related myself

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  6. Haha, nice pointers. I definitely dont love my job (last time) but now that I do full time blogging, I'm having less of such problems!

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  7. Happened to me the first and last time I got an office job, I just subbed for my sister when she left for vacation. The stressful environment wasn't just my thing, I guess I'm a free-spirited type who can't thrive in those kinds of work places. Being a freelance writer at home is the best job for me.

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  8. Ahaha I was laughing! It affects your sex life? lol. I am glad to have a great work environment. I both enjoy my work/job and my company in the office. Thankful that God put me in a place where Mondays are looked forward to. :D

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  9. I can relate to your points. Clock watching is what I used to do when I'm unhappy with my work back then.

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  10. Burning out at work is something I dread happening. Sometimes I take a break out of the blue to snap me out of the daily grind. Being a blogger for films and theater really help me a lot to destress myself.

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  11. The first four I can see being a real workplace challenge when people are dissatisfied but, I don't the last one as a work related issue... Hey, we learn new things daily. :-)

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  12. wow, I had all first 4 pointers when I was with my previous job! thank goodness I left that horrible workplace. but now in my new workplace, I can also sense my own unhappiness but doesn't related to these pointers. what I can say is, other than a fulfilling jobscope, our co-workers' and bosses' attitude/treatment towards us is very important.....

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  13. Ooh i get sick pretty often. Time to take note if it's due to work stress/unhappiness....

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  14. haha all these pointers are a yes for me but i am still in college. =p

    www.whatfatemahsays.com

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  15. True lo these are indicators that your job is killing you! It's best to opt for a job which you like and where you are appreciated

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  16. This was so me. I hated my job with a passion and hated Mondays and couldn't wait for the time to come for me to go home :)

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