3 Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution to Not Hate Your Job So Much

Even if your New Year’s motivation is still pumping through your veins, it’s difficult to coax yourself out of bed every morning if you’re heading to a job that you absolutely despise. The good news is, you’re definitely not alone – the better news is, there are things that you can do to keep your goal of not hating your 9-to-5 so much.

(Photo Credit: Victor Bjorkund/Flickr)

1. Early bird gets the worm. Studies show that early birds are happier and more productive people and employees than night owls, so if you want to start the day off right, then wake up earlier (or, at least, on time). The hours between waking up and arriving at work are, typically, filled with stress and frustration because of one simple reason: you stayed in bed too long, again.

Therefore, in order to eliminate the morning chaos, set your alarm to gradually wake you up earlier and earlier each day until you are able to allow yourself ample time in the morning to calmly get ready and eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so skipping this meal can result in poor mood, decreased concentration, lower energy, and other more serious health issues. Waking up earlier can make the difference between running around like a chicken with its head cut off, and enjoying your mornings like those chipper, coffee-sniffing actors in a Folgers commercial.

To help get the most out of your day in the office, consider these five tips, here. 

2. Feel the burn. Exercising is one of the best ways to boost your mood and your health at the same time. According to a recent PayScale post, “[R]esearch suggests that working out helps employees balance the demands of work and their family life” by relieving stress and improving self-confidence.

Getting your endorphins flowing also helps with relieving the stress of the workday, even if it’s a brisk walk around the block during your break or after dinner. In fact “some studies show that walking briskly for even one to two hours a week (15 to 20 minutes a day) starts to decrease the chances of having a heart attack or stroke, developing diabetes, or dying prematurely,” as reported by Harvard School of Public Health.

The positive effects exercising has on your mood are tremendous, too, and it may be all you need to change your bad feelings about your job. See how one company’s decision to implement hourly exercise breaks for its employees lead to its success, here.

3. Treat yourself. Find the time to reward yourself for a job well done. Treat yourself to a nice lunch once a week, or go out for happy hour with your co-workers to give yourself something to look forward to during the workweek. Doing something as little as skipping your home-brewed coffee to indulge in a fancy, overpriced latte might be all it takes to make your workday that much more pleasant and bearable.

Be careful not to fall into the mentality that you need to be rewarded for every little thing on a daily basis. Limit your rewards to when you need them so that they hold their value along the way. For instance, Monday seems to be the most difficult day of the week for nearly everyone, so fix a healthy breakfast or treat yourself to a specialty coffee to start your week off right. When Wednesday rolls around, try planning an outing for lunch or after work with co-workers so that you have something to get you over the mid-week hump. Get creative and have fun with your rewards. 

Bonus: If all else fails, get a new job. There’s no use in wasting your time and energy on a dead-end job that makes you absolutely miserable day in and day out, so consider finding another job that will make you happier. Looking to change careers? PayScale’s Research Center can help you with stats on various professions you may be interested in pursuing. If you’re looking to get a raise, get a promotion, get hired, or simply get better at your job, then consider taking one of these e-courses to help you achieve your career goals.

You might be surprised to find that you don’t actually hate your job as much as you thought – it could be that all you needed were some minor tweaks to your daily routine. Try out the three suggestions above for a month and see if your mood, health, and outlook change for the better, so that you can make 2014 your best year yet.

Tell Us What You Think

What other things do you do to perk up your outlook on work? Share your pearls of wisdom with our community on Twitter or in the comments section below.