Empower yourself
It is very common for people who become unhappy with their jobs to wait too long to do anything about it.
There’s a difference between getting through a tough project for a few weeks and dealing with a heavy workload that never eases up. Or a manager that can be curt once in a while versus reporting to someone who is consistently verbally abusive. It’s important to acknowledge when there’s a problem and start taking action as soon as you realize your job is bringing you down.
The more power you have, the more options you have. Having enough savings to comfortably quit gives you power. Having confidence in your employability gives you power. Knowing that you have the moral high ground gives you power.
When you have power, you can take steps to address the problem, whether it is renegotiating your job duties or standing up to someone who is harassing you. Having power doesn’t mean it’s easy or that you will prevail. It means that you can act in your best interest and know that you will be fine even if you don’t win this battle.
When you don’t have power, it’s more likely that you will try to endure a bad situation and simply hope that it will get better. Please note: it usually doesn’t get better on its own.
So do what you can now to empower yourself. Save money so that you can quit a horrible job and be able to pay your bills until you find a new one. If you don’t have in-demand skills, get some. Take a class, figure out how to learn on the job, or practice at home. Be clear about your values, so that if you’re pushed over your line, you can push back.
There are many parts of work that you can’t control. Strengthen what you can control. Then if you need to stand up for yourself, you can stand in power.
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