How to Survive in a Job You Hate

There is absolutely no point in going to a job that you hate every day. No, really. There's absolutely no point in it, even though you have bills to pay and mouths to feed (even if it's just your own) and a landlord gunning for a reason to get rid of you and your delicious rent control. The simple fact of the matter is that, despite all of those things, it's just not healthy for you to go into work every day dreading it and counting the hours until the workday is over. If you're currently hating your job, here are some proven strategies to at least make the struggle a little more manageable.

Remember why you're there.
Maybe you have student loans to pay off or children to take care of. Maybe you're saving money to buy a new computer so that you can switch to your freelancing full-time or pooling every last cent towards the film company you're starting with your best friend. Perhaps you're behind on your rent, paying off medical bills, or go a little crazy when you have too much time on your hands. Perhaps it's not about the money at all, and you're staying at your current lousy job because you need a certain amount of experience in the field, to develop certain skills before moving up or going solo, or you, for needs chronic, acute or merely preventative, need the health insurance that your employer offers. The reason itself is really only significant if you can remember what it is, and what makes you go into work day after day when you'd much rather be doing almost anything else.

Using your long-term goals as motivators is an old trick, but it's one that works. Think of your goals as a sort of mantra that you say to yourself when things are particularly bad; just say them over and over in your mind until you feel a little calmer and a bit more focused. Does this mean that you should stay in a job that you absolutely hate, just to meet your goals? Not necessarily. If your job is offering you something fairly basic, like health insurance or regular wages, then keep in mind that many other jobs could offer you the same thing-- and other jobs might not make you want to pull your hair out.