Most of us have to work and nobody really likes their work at all times. But there are some things you can do that can help you love your job more or help you find a job that does not compromise your mental health for the pursuit of money and financial success.
Get Help
Well-being and happiness are important, but you will likely still have to do something for income. However, if your job is pushing you towards burnout and stressing you out to the absolute limits, then you may want to consider therapy. BetterHelp has professionals who can help you relieve stress and decrease anxiety so that you can get on with your life and improve your well-being.
You can also get help from your friends and family. Having a solid support system is important. They can support you when you need it and can bring positivity into your mundane routines. You can find friends that share similar interests to bring meaning and fulfillment into your life as well.
Consider a New Job
While this is not always a viable option, it is something to keep in mind. If your job is making you unhappy or severely impacting your mental health, then it may not be worth it. You need to remember that money is only good if you are happy to use it. Now, there are obviously other factors to consider like kids, rent, food, and your ability to acquire a new source of income.
If you are considering a new vocation, then you will want to consider your mental health when hunting down a job. If your entire reasoning behind getting a new job is for your happiness, then it’s important that you do not take something solely for the money (although feel free to take something that pays well that you also enjoy!).
It is commonly said that if you choose to do something you love for your career, you will never work a day in your life. While this may not be completely true, there is likely some truth to the statement. Make sure to follow your curiosity and your passions and you can even take an aptitude test to find what skills come naturally to you. Having a career that you are not very good at can stress you out even more.
Be Grateful
Being grateful can help you appreciate everything that you have. Sometimes we have a tendency to focus on the negative and avoid thinking about the positive. This can have a detrimental affect on our overall mental health.
Keeping a gratitude journal and taking a few minutes each day to write down three things that you are grateful for can be highly effective at introducing positivity into your life. It can improve your perspective and help you achieve a more optimistic outlook on your life.
Take Some Time Off
While you may not be able to take a whole week off of work, just taking a couple of days off for your mental health can help you to destress and recharge. In fact, you may even find that you come back to work more productive than you would be normally.
When you take this time off, be sure to avoid anything about work including emails, phone calls, and meetings. You should also avoid doing housework or other chores so that you can actually focus on yourself and your mental health.
Try using the free time on your day off to meditate or take a peaceful walk. You can catch up on sleep or watch your favorite sitcom reruns on Netflix. This time away from work can also give you time to reflect on the things that are overly stressful about the job.
Set Boundaries
Okay, so it is one thing to set boundaries and a completely different thing to follow them, but if you do then you may notice a better work-life balance and reduced stress levels.
When you get home from work, it may be tempting to think about what you are going to do when you get to the office first thing in the morning. You may even check your work email at home. However, it is best to set up strict boundaries and leave work at work so that you can actually give your mind time to destress. This will also help you truly enjoy your weekends even more.
This also means to not take on too much work. Know that it is okay to say no to a project if it will mean that you will become overworked and tired. You should also remember to take 5-minute breaks occasionally throughout the day and eat lunch without involving work.
Organize Your Work Area
Organizing your work area can have a profound effect on the way you feel, even if it is only subconscious. Clutter and messy areas can increase stress and decrease productivity, which is likely the exact things you want to avoid when it comes to work.
Clear off the extra papers and any extra materials that you don’t need every day. This also means cleaning out your email inbox and desktop icons. Even if you are not a naturally organized person, taking the effort to get things neat and tidy can be great for you. You may also want to add a plant to your desk because just having one around can improve your well-being.
Be Kind
Sometimes our mental health causes us to be irritable, or maybe you are just naturally a rude person (although I doubt that!). However, being nice to people and lending a helping hand can be beneficial for you. I know it sounds like the most selfish way to help others, but, hey, who cares right?
Thank people for helping you and help them in return. You may not be a morning person but coming into the office and being nice instead of moody can go a long way towards a positive and productive workday.
Take Care of Yourself
Taking care of your overall health can do wonders for your mood and well-being. Make sure that you are eating nutritious foods like fruits and vegetables (remember, 5 a day!). Also, try to exercise regularly and get restful, quality sleep every night including the weekends.
Final Thoughts on Loving Work and Life
You may not love your job, but that doesn’t mean that it has to bring you down and wreck your mental health. Taking care of yourself and growing your support system are good steps to help you remain happy at work and when you get home. You can also take a few days of to recharge.
However, if you still feel like work is stressing you out too much, you can also seek the help of a mental health profession so that you can learn stress reduction techniques and ways to cope with negative emotions.
[This post is written by Marie Miguel. Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health-
related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.]