Tag Archives: work/life balance

Juggling Kids and Work

Although many businesses have returned to the office after working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic,, it can still be tough to juggle your family life with your career. There’s finding childcare when you can’t be home, allocating time to make it to sports games and extracurricular events, and deciding if part-time or full-time is right for you. It’s important to note that there are no wrong answers here: what’s right for you and your family is unique to you. But here are a few options to consider! (more…)

Getting Better Sleep to Rejuvenate Your Career

Sleeping on the job? Very bad. Getting good sleep FOR the job? Very good! Sleep is incredibly important to keep our minds agile and our work productive. But that doesn’t mean we all get enough sleep. The CDC recommends that adults get seven or more hours of sleep per night, but sometimes things come up. Maybe you’re stressed about the day and can’t seem to shut your eyes, or you binge watch your favorite show and suddenly realize it’s 1 a.m. If you’re having trouble catching some Zs, we have some tips for you. (more…)

Have You Heard of the Sunday Scaries?

It’s Sunday morning, and you’re stressed. Your mind is racing. All you can think about are work deadlines and the things you’ll have to do on Monday. You had a relaxing Friday night and Saturday, so what’s going on? Is there something wrong with you?

Nope. This phenomenon, known as the “Sunday Scaries,” is incredibly common. In 2018, LinkedIn held a survey asking participants if they worried about the week ahead on Sundays. Eighty percent of respondents said they had. If you’re not sure how to cope, check out our tips below and reclaim your Sundays! (more…)

Fight Stress, Stay Healthy

The Japanese concept of “Karōshi” can almost literally be translated as “death from overwork.” The term first came into common usage in Japan during the 1980s after rising concern following the sudden death of several high-ranking business men who showed no signs of previous health issues. “Karōshi” has been attributed to a wide variety of stress-related medical issues, such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke, to name a few.

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Why Do So Many People Hate Their Jobs?

Why are we so dissatisfied with our work?

You’ve heard about it in the halls. Around the water cooler. At parties. When you pick up your son or granddaughter. No matter where you go, at least one person is complaining about their job.

But it’s still surprising to see the statistics around work. The Conference Board recently published results regarding their latest survey on job satisfaction. They found that 51% of employees feel overall satisfaction with their jobs. Although this is actually an upward-trending number, the fact that 49% of workers remain unsatisfied is concerning, to say the least. In addition, workers noted disappointment in regard to the professional development aspects of their job. Meaning they gave the lowest marks to educational/job training programs. Other low categories include workload, the performance review process, and promotion policy.

But what else goes into hating a job? And what can you do about it?

Perceived Lack of Choice

Think of this as the “work just to get a paycheck” mentality. At a base level, many people only work to afford living expenses, pay student loans, enjoy hobbies, and fund college for kids. The majority often end up working for other reasons (parents’ expectations, to get married, to support children, etc.).

You might have dreams outside of your current company, but can’t risk pursuing those dreams because of monetary obligations. So, sometimes you sit at the same job, day after day, working on autopilot, just waiting for retirement.

The only way to get around this is to break free of constraints. If you truly hate your job, you should quit. But the future is scary. As a solution, consider working other jobs part-time, and think of it as a trial run. And if you just plain hate the industry you’re working in? Seek out online classes or night school to learn a new trade.

Office Drama

Your cubicle mate chews loudly, every day.  Amanda in Sales is jealous of your promotion. Your boss refuses to let you advance because he needs you to keep reporting to him. You just can’t get past that glass ceiling.

Office drama comes in many shapes and forms, from annoying coworker habits to illegal activity at the top of the food chain. No matter the severity of the drama, it can easily affect your work satisfaction.

For smaller issues, try contacting managers to discuss options. Or if you have a horrible boss, you can ask to move departments (just make sure to document all abusive behavior).

But for problems up at the top? It might be time to leave. To ensure that you don’t end up encountering another unstable company culture, check out Glassdoor, a site where employees can review companies. That way you’ll have a better idea of what you’re in for.

You’re Underpaid

This is a big one. Earlier we mentioned that, at a base level, most of us work to get a paycheck. If you’re working more than what your paycheck is worth, you’re going to be unhappy.

You see other people get promotions or raises and just grow even more unsatisfied with your job. You work harder than them—why haven’t you gotten a raise?

In many cases, this is because you haven’t asked for one. Asking is tough; we get that. That’s why we’ve provided the tools you need to negotiate a raise. And if they won’t pay what you’re worth? Start looking elsewhere. The job search can be intimidating, but what have you got to lose? In a worst case scenario, you’ll keep working where you are. But you deserve the chance to find something better.

And Express Employment Professionals can help. Let us do the job search for you. We work with employers all across the United States and Canada, and we know exactly what they’re looking for. Odds are, you’ll make the perfect candidate for one of those companies. Register online or locate an office near you.

Do you hate your job? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments section below!