A toxic job can wreak havoc on your life and the lives of those in your family. Everyone around you suffers when you struggle in this way.
One of the worst feelings associated with a toxic job is that it often seems like there’s no way out. Arguably, that is the most discouraging aspect of a toxic job. Boiled down, it is the loss of hope.
The good news is that you don’t have to give up and just “suck it up.” In fact, your ongoing stress because of your job needs quick attention.
Here are some things you can do to help if you find yourself stuck in a job that’s negatively impacting your life.
Determine What Makes Your Job Toxic
Sometimes a toxic job can feel like “a sea of misery.” It can be difficult to narrow down the specifics of what makes your job so bad. That’s usually because it’s not just one thing that’s bugging you.
And it’s not like most people can easily and quickly be done with a job needed to support their families.
Is it your boss, your pay, a condescending company culture? Maybe you feel undervalued or bullied. It also could simply be that your job doesn’t match up with what you’re gifted in.
Regardless of what the tension points are, identifying them will help you better know what your solution should look like.
Find Adequate Support to Handle Job Toxicity
If you’re stuck in a toxic job, the health of your family is at risk. And your family is much more important than any career or job.
You need the help of others now and it has nothing to do with you being weak. Your daily work environment is sapping the life out of you and making your entire life hurt.
Because of your fatigue and dissatisfaction, speak with your colleagues, family and friends about ideas to better deal with the stress you’re experiencing. Let others who care about you help you.
This is also a great time to speak to a trusted professional so you can get some wise counsel on what to do. If you don’t reach out for help, you’ll likely remain in your unpleasant situation and things will keep getting worse.
Organize a “Staying” or “Leaving” Strategy
Again, it can’t be overstressed that you need to take action. Include people you trust as you come up with a plan based on your career needs.
Once you narrow down what’s causing your toxic work conditions, you’ll know whether you need an exit strategy or a staying strategy.
Perhaps you can move to a different role within your company, change your hours, work less or do more remote work allowing for more flexibility for your family.
It also could be that you need to just get out of your job altogether. In this case, your plan should still have steps you can take now to make the remaining days at your job more enjoyable.
In conclusion, a toxic job isn’t ok over the long haul. You may have a short season you have to endure. But you never need to stay there indefinitely.
With the help of others who care about you, it’s quite doable to make needed changes. Your mental and physical health, as well as your family, will thank you for the courage it took to alter the direction of your career.
If it is time for you to schedule your family counseling appointment, you can do so online using our online scheduling tool, call us at (949) 393-8662, or text us.
