11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (2023)

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Heim Strategy

Natalie Walters

updated

2020-11-02T01:14:00Z

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (1)

WAYHOME-Studio/Shutterstock
  • Every job has its ups and downs. But according to Amy Morin, author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," there can be a serious problem when your work keeps failing.
  • When your work dominates all your thoughts, especially all the things that went wrong or all the reasons you don't want to leave, it can negatively affect your time away from work.
  • If something good is happening at work, but you can only see the negative, your job may be affecting you.
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Everyone has bad days at work. But if you're afraid to wake up on weekdays, or regularly sit at your desk in tears, then you probably have a more serious problem with your hands.

Amy Morin, autora de "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Dosays that a hostile work environment can make people unhappy, and in some rare cases, it can even be linked to depression. The problem is that once you fall into this trap, it can be hard to get out.

"If you're feeling down about your job, you can set yourself up for a self-perpetuating cycle, having negative effects on how you think and behave," he explains. "The more you experience negative thoughts and unproductive behavior, the worse you will feel."

Here are 11 signs that your job is ruining your life.

1. You can't stop thinking about your work

Your weeknights and weekends should be spent clearing your mind and relaxing.

So when you come home and can't stop replaying a meeting gone wrong in your head or thinking about all the reasons why you don't want to get up for work tomorrow, it can seriously affect the quality of your personal life. Morin says.

uglyactually i haveassociated with depression, and Morin says it can prevent some people from enjoying what little time they have outside of an unhealthy work environment.

2. They complain a lot about work

If you're really unhappy and dissatisfied with your job, you might spend a lot of time and energy explaining to your friends, family, and anyone else who might be listening how bad your job is right now.

That pitch may feel good in the moment, but Morin said it's unhealthy because it "robs your mental toughness." This, in turn, can increase your risk of stress.

3. Social events with colleagues seem to be more exhausting than fun.

Everyone needs "me" time, but you should still enjoy socializing.

If your job takes the life out of you, Morin said, you might start turning down all opportunities to socialize because talking to other people seems too exhausting.

It could be as simple as eating lunch at your desk instead of in the break room, or running home after work to avoid happy hour.

4. Your thoughts about work are too negative

If you have a bleak outlook on your office, Morin said, you may start to have overly negative thoughts about work, such as "I'm going toNeverreceive a promotion" or "IAlwaysbe scolded".

"Your internal monologue can drag you down," he said.

5. You filter out all the good things about work.

When you're feeling down, you tend to see the glass as half empty.

Even if nine good things happen at work in one day, you're likely to focus on the one bad thing, Morin said. When you're feeling down, "it's easy to miss something positive," he said.

6. You have some physical health problems

DepressionIt doesn't just affect your mental health.

For some people, the physical signs of depression include abdominal pain, headaches, and other discomforts. Also, your immune system may not be as strong, making you more susceptible to colds and other illnesses.

  1. You don't want to get out of bed in the morning, ever.

If your job makes you miserable, you don't want to get out of bed because that means you're one step closer to work.

"It's hard to welcome the day when you're afraid of how you're going to spend it," Morin said.

8. You are irritable

Morin says that you might get tired of your patience.veryskinny if your job makes you unhappy or sad.

You might get into a fight with your coworkers just because your phone rings or because they ask a simple question like "Do you know when the report will be ready?"

9. You call in sick just to stay home.

When your job is the main cause of other mental and physical problems, it makes sense that you want to avoid it at all costs.

  1. You no longer care about your job performance

"Increased procrastination, lack of participation and sloppy work are signs that you have lost interest in your job," Morin said.

This, in turn, could very well lead to your negative job predictions coming true, he warns. In fact, if your work is not good, you could be demoted or even fired.

11. You get sad on Sunday night.

Sunday is usuallyNoa relaxing day when your job makes you unhappy.

Instead, Morin says that a sense of dread on Sunday afternoon (or before!) can overwhelm you as Monday morning approaches. "You may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed or just sad about the work week ahead," he said.

Those anxious feelings mean you're in for a mentally draining weekend ahead of you, which can poorly prepare you for the next work week, he said.

This article was originally published in March 2016.

1. You can't stop thinking about your work

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (2)

Hero Photographs / Getty Images

Your weeknights and weekends should be spent clearing your mind and relaxing.

So when you come home and can't stop replaying a meeting gone wrong in your head or thinking about all the reasons why you don't want to get up for work tomorrow, it can seriously affect the quality of your personal life. Morin says.

uglyactually i haveassociated with depression, and Morin says it can prevent some people from enjoying what little time they have outside of an unhealthy work environment.

2. They complain a lot about work

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (3)

Shutterstock

If you're really unhappy and dissatisfied with your job, you might spend a lot of time and energy explaining to your friends, family, and anyone else who might be listening how bad your job is right now.

That pitch may feel good in the moment, but Morin said it's unhealthy because it "robs your mental toughness." This, in turn, can increase your risk of stress.

3. Social events with colleagues seem to be more exhausting than fun.

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (4)

Hero Images/Getty Images

Everyone needs "me" time, but you should still enjoy socializing.

If your job takes the life out of you, Morin said, you might start turning down all opportunities to socialize because talking to other people seems too exhausting.

It could be as simple as eating lunch at your desk instead of in the break room, or running home after work to avoid happy hour.

4. Your thoughts about work are too negative

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (5)

Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock

If you have a bleak outlook on your office, Morin said, you may start to have overly negative thoughts about work, such as "I'm going toNeverreceive a promotion" or "IAlwaysbe scolded".

"Your internal monologue can drag you down," he said.

5. You filter out all the good things about work.

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (6)

Shutterstock

When you're feeling down, you tend to see the glass as half empty.

Even if nine good things happen at work in one day, you're likely to focus on the one bad thing, Morin said. When you're feeling down, "it's easy to miss something positive," he said.

6. You have some physical health problems

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (7)

Shutterstock

DepressionIt doesn't just affect your mental health.

For some people, the physical signs of depression include abdominal pain, headaches, and other discomforts. Also, your immune system may not be as strong, making you more susceptible to colds and other illnesses.

7. You don't want to get out of bed in the morning, ever.

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (8)

LaylaBird/Getty Images

If your job makes you miserable, you don't want to get out of bed because that means you're one step closer to work.

"It's hard to welcome the day when you're afraid of how you're going to spend it," Morin said.

8. You are irritable

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (9)

Antonio Guillem/Shutterstock

Morin says that you might get tired of your patience.veryskinny if your job makes you unhappy or sad.

You might get into a fight with your coworkers just because your phone rings or because they ask a simple question like "Do you know when the report will be ready?"

9. You call in sick just to stay home.

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (10)

Ophòlie Fas/Getty

When your job is the main cause of other mental and physical problems, it makes sense that you want to avoid it at all costs.

10. You no longer care about your work performance

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (11)

10,000 Stunning/Getty Images

"Increased procrastination, lack of participation and sloppy work are signs that you have lost interest in your job," Morin said.

This, in turn, could very well lead to your negative job predictions coming true, he warns. In fact, if your work is not good, you could be demoted or even fired.

11. You get sad on Sunday night.

11 signs your job is complicating your life and it's time for a change (12)

Ian Walton/Getty

Sunday is usuallyNoa relaxing day when your job makes you unhappy.

Instead, Morin says that a sense of dread on Sunday afternoon (or before!) can overwhelm you as Monday morning approaches. "You may be feeling anxious, overwhelmed or just sad about the work week ahead," he said.

Those anxious feelings mean you're in for a mentally draining weekend ahead of you, which can poorly prepare you for the next work week, he said.

This article was originally published in March 2016.

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Further...

FAQs

What are the signs that you need to change your job? ›

Six signs it could be time to change jobs
  • You often feel stressed and tired. ...
  • You don't believe in the company like you used to. ...
  • You're watching the clock. ...
  • Your skills don't match up to your personal interests. ...
  • You feel invisible. ...
  • You've just grown out of your current role.

What are the signs that a job is not right for you? ›

7 Signs Your Job Isn't the Best Fit for You
  • Values Do Not Align. ...
  • You Have No Idea How Your Role Impacts the Company. ...
  • Your Daily Activities Do Not Match the Job Description. ...
  • You Feel Negative About Work. ...
  • You Have Lost Your Passion. ...
  • You Are Uncomfortable Speaking Up. ...
  • You Are Not Getting Along with Coworkers or Management.
Oct 1, 2022

How do you know if you are wasting your time at a job? ›

If you feel like you are wasting your time at work, you may be:
  • Feeling like you can't do more.
  • Having difficulty asking to do less.
  • Having trouble advocating for yourself.
  • Unexcited about your work.
  • Having difficulty with not being recognized.
  • Having trouble working with your manager.

What is the best answer for job change? ›

The company's values have changed.

This is the best answer for reason for job change in interview. What to say: When I joined my current job, my company's values were very different at the time I joined, and I am looking for a new opportunity for me.

At what point should you quit your job? ›

Your values are not aligned with those of the organization. You are no longer able to fulfill your job responsibilities. There are substantially better opportunities available at another organization. You need more work-life balance.

What are some red flags in a job offer? ›

IT Pros: If You See One of These 6 'Red Flags' After a Job Offer, Run for the Hills
  • A Lack of Consistency In the Hiring Process. ...
  • Missing Specifics In the Job Description. ...
  • Evidence of Poor Team Dynamics. ...
  • Poor Company Culture. ...
  • The Job Doesn't Offer Growth Potential.
Jul 11, 2022

What are three signs of dissatisfaction in your job? ›

5 Signs of Job Dissatisfaction
  • Lack of Interest. Texting friends, browsing through social media, or simply staring at the ceiling can illustrate a lack of interest in one's work. ...
  • Procrastination. A lack of interest can drive employees to procrastinate. ...
  • Irritability. ...
  • Frequent Absences. ...
  • Lack of Effort.

Is it normal to waste time at work? ›

89% of workers admit to wasting time every day at work. 31% of workers waste at least one hour at work every day. U.S. employees spend an average of 2.9 hours per 8-hour workday doing non-work activities.

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