No.5: You're bored
The opposite of happiness is not sadness, they're just opposite sides of the same coin. The opposite of happiness is boredom. It's ok if you're bored 10% of the time, it happens in every kind of work, even the most exciting ones. It's not ok if you're bored 90% of the time, with boredom occasionally relieved with lunchtime or trips to the water cooler.
What can you do?
Ask to be challenged, volunteer to do what no one else wants to do, put yourself in a position where you can contribute. If this all sounds like too much work, look at reason no.3.
No.4: Your work violates your values
If you're an honest sales person and you know you're helping your company sell a lousy product, you will hate your job. If you're an accountant with integrity and you're working for a shady accounting firm who cooks up their books, you will hate your job. If you're a truthful engineer but your company asks you to cover up their illegal cost cutting measures on your latest construction project, you will hate your job.
What can you do?
If a company violates your core values, leave. There's nothing that you can do with this organization that will make you truly happy.
No.3: You feel like you're supposed to be doing something else in life
This is a long term sinking feeling. It's like being in quick sand, slowly sinking into this muddy hole without any idea how to get out and not having anyone who can help pull you out. Sure you can continue working on what you're doing right now, but you'll never achieve your best.
What can you do?
Start doing what you enjoy doing. If you don't know what it is you need to search for it. Volunteer for a cause, indulge in hobbies, talk to lots of people in other professions. Don't let anyone tell you that you cannot make money doing what you enjoy, there's always a way to monetize your passion, even stamp collecting has created millionaires.
No.2: You're not making a difference at work
One of our basic human needs is to make a difference to people around us, if we stop making a difference, we start thinking "what's the point of all this?" and then we start thinking "what am I even doing here?" then you realize that "I'm here to pay the bill", then you feel trapped in a high paying job that you hate.
What can you do?
Actively look for ways to make a difference inside and outside of work. Making a difference is not a passive event, people who make a real difference look for ways to do so, they drive through thick and thin, through rejection and idiots to triumph at the end of their efforts. You cannot steer a parked car, similarly, you cannot make a difference by just waiting.
No.1: You've got a boss from hell
If this is truly the boss from hell, and it's not just you in your entire company thinking that this is the boss from hell, then what are you still doing working for him?
What can you do?
Work for someone else. If your past 10 bosses are bosses from hell, then something's wrong with you. Break your patterns for choosing to work for bad bosses or grow your people skills.
Remember that you always have the power to take action to make your life better. A better career begins with hope, starts materializing with a plan and becomes a reality with action.
Hope, plan, and make it happen, it's the 3 ways you can do to begin to enjoy your work.
