How Hating Your Job Can Affect Your Mental Health (and How To Get 'Unstuck' From Your Situation)
For many, work plays a critical role in our life. This role can be either positive, meaningful and connected or negative, lacking meaning and feeling disconnected and not valued.
Several studies have been found that the reason people leave their job is not because of their employer, but frankly their bosses. Additionally, when employees are dissatisfied with their work or bosses, going on sick benefits as a result of mental health diagnosis is another solution to a problem.
According to Faragher and Cooper they report "Almost 500 studies have provided, for the first time, a clear indication of the immensely strong relationship between job satisfaction and both mental and physical health. The relationships are particularly impressive for aspects of mental health, specifically burnout, lowered self-esteem, anxiety, and depression, where it can now be confirmed that dissatisfaction at work can be hazardous to an employee’s mental health and wellbeing."
The University of Manchester research shared that having a bad job can be worse for your mental health than being unemployed. They reported "There was a clear pattern of the highest levels of chronic stress for adults who moved into poor quality work, higher than those adults who remained unemployed. Adults who found a good quality job had the lowest levels of biomarkers. Just as good work is good for health, we must also remember that poor quality work can be detrimental to health”. (Professor Tarani Chandola)
The Business News Daily reports, discovered that those employees who stayed at companies because they felt obligated or couldn’t find other job opportunities were at greater odds to experience exhaustion, stress, and burnout. In addition, “this feeling of indebtedness and a loss of autonomy are emotionally draining over time.” All of these factors directly lead to mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression.
Being stuck in a job that lacks meaning, satisfaction and purpose negatively impacts your mood and state. Fear keeps people stuck. Fear of loss of economic income, change, lack of self-confidence, relocation, obligation and guilt for wanting to leave are just a few reasons people stay 'trapped'.
I realize that getting out of a job you hate may not be easy, but staying in the type of job does play a HUGE toll on your mental, emotional and physical health well into your later life.
Things to consider to help you get "unstuck" are:
See a therapist or EAP to work through inner fears that keep you trapped in a job you hate
Value you, and your worth as a person and employee
Choose employment settings where managers and supervisors value employees rather than devalues them
Explore companies online that have high job satisfaction and healthy workplace culture
Explore other job opportunities on employment websites online (Workopolis, Indeed, etc)
See an employment counsellor for job match possibilities based on strengths
With online upgrading so readily available, explore free trainings
Lean into fear and pick your long term health
With the current pandemic situation, explore employers with employment opportunities from home
Explore opportunities for government funding and grants for upgrading
Explore government funded trainings
Increase your networking with others for job opportunities. Still today, people find employment opportunities through other people
PICK YOUR HEALTH, HAPPINESS and WELLNESS first and remember life is short, so don't accept a life or employment of dissatisfaction!
Be Well
Ian