I’ve been gratefully employed for over 10 years and I’ve been at my current job for 7 years, this May. However, there are have been plenty of moments when I’ve felt discouraged, sad, and overwhelmed with my job. Actually, there have been days when I’ve felt all those emotions before lunch. Thankfully, over the years, I’ve found and embraced different ways to have helped me cope with my job and can help you love your job.

If you feel that you are at the end of your ropes at your job, keep reading to see some easy ways to help you enjoy your job a little more.

Help You Love Your Job: Look for New Projects

You know that refreshing and optimistic feeling you have when you start a new job, but disappears after a few months. One way to get that “new smell” back is to ask for a new project to work on or a new responsibility.

Help You Love Your Job: Side Hustles

Finding a side hustle or project can help deter you from the boring and/or tedious day job. It gives you something that you enjoy to look forward to away from your job. You can create a little side business, sign up to volunteer at a children’s hospital, or do what I did; create a blog. I will advise that you steer clear of side project in the same field as your job. Not doing so may cause you to develop the same disdain for your side project as your day job.

Help You Love Your Job: Leave for Lunch

One of the best pieces of work advice I ever was to avoid spending your lunch break at work. You need that moment away from the hassle to get a breath of fresh air, even if it’s only for less than 30 minutes. Taking breaks has been shown to help increase your productivity when you get back to work.

Help You Love Your Job: Daily To-Do Lists

I’m a firm supporter of creating and adhering to daily to-do lists. It helps me stay on course with my work, pick and choose what to work on, and avoid doing the same thing everyday.

Help You Love Your Job: Use Personal and Vacation Days

I know so many people who have a hard time using personal days or taking vacation days. Actually, I used to be one of those people didn’t like taking days off. However, when I did, I would feel slightly guilty for doing so. Now I know the importance of needing to take a day off to get away from an intense work load. Plus, taking a mid-week personal day as a self-care or mental health day will help you go back to work feeling refreshed and more productive.

In the end, if you can’t learn to love your job, at least find ways to make it more enjoyable.

What do you do to help you love your job when you don’t?

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