3 proven steps to leave a toxic workplace

?How often I have heard clients say “I just fell into my role by coincidence”! Can you imagine, the place where we spend a considerable part of our adult life just happens by chance? What are the odds that this place happens to be the jackpot? The number must be close to 0. And that is probably the reason why a lot of people in their 30’s feel unhappy at work.

?

Feeling trapped in a job that doesn’t work for you can go into two directions. You either burn out over time doing something that really drains your energy (like the frog being thrown into tepid water which is slowly boiled and the frog not perceiving the danger of cooking to death), or you become aware enough of the situation and somewhere find the strength to work your way out.

?

It can be incredibly frustrating being stuck in a job that doesn’t suit you. It’s a spiral of unhappiness that spreads to all parts of life. It’s contagious. Your relationship might be under attack, friendships often don’t seem authentic anymore, and life in general lacks purpose.

?

In one of my previous roles, I experienced exactly that. I was so bored. There wasn’t enough work to keep me busy, my tasks were repetitive and I was watching the clock, sometimes every 5 minutes, in the hope it would be nearer to the end of the day. I felt anger and rage towards the people around me, blaming them for my misfortune. I turned into a complete stranger as I was so out of sync with my own values. It was only when I almost suffocated (and I literally mean feeling a knot in my throat) that I found a way out. I had to pull the emergency break!

?

Why not just quit? You may be wondering...

The way out isn’t always as simple as quitting the job and moving on. Leaving a job is often attached to financial commitments, security and societal expectations. But there are little steps you can take to create a healthy environment, which forms the base to eventually move away from a toxic workplace.

?

In order to get out of the work trap, you need to get a sense of happiness again by starting to make little amends in your immediate. You need to pay attention to the other components of life that have probably been overshadowed by the negative feelings, but will give you more of a purpose. Only from a more balanced mindset will you be able to make informed decisions about solving the problem at hand.

3 ideas to remove yourself from the status quo

Find 3 things you forgot you love

Reflect on the past and think about what you loved doing as a 12 year old. What are you still excited about? What could you be doing right now to turn the excitement into action?

?

How does this help?

Finding elements of joy points us to where our values might be and getting in touch with values again is a great way of finding fulfilment.

?

Share your frustrations with someone you trust

Find an ally who has got your back without judgement. Make time in your diary to meet up with them and offload your frustrations.

?

How does this help?

Seeking out a trustable relationship gives us security and offloading gives us space in our head; both key contributors to getting out of a trap.

?

Do quit after all

Quitting is an option if the groundwork has been done. Job security and a monthly pay check often hold us back from quitting and they are legitimate reasons. But if we sit down with our finances and work out how much savings we have, how much we need every month and for how long we could be without employment, quitting the job becomes a much more calculated risk than the immediate emotional reaction we usually experience.

If this content resonates and you would like support with a similar topic, let’s connect through my website and have a chat.

?