At some point, almost everyone starts to wonder if they are with the right company or if it is time to move on. You may feel that way after a bad week or a meeting that did not go so well with the boss, but sometimes it’s more than just a rough patch. Sometimes it’s time to get a new job.
Sign #1 – The Monday Blues
How often are you just sitting at the end of the bed putting your head in your hands dreading the start of the day? Do you experience overwhelming feelings of stress at the start of your workweek? Do you feel uninspired and unmotivated on Monday mornings?
When this happens, you are all but guaranteeing you are going to have a bad day. Sadly, when you do this day after day, it really never seems to get better. It is almost as if you have an impending sense of doom the moment you put that suit on and head to work. The Monday Blues are such a cultural phenomenon that it’s easy to just laugh it off. Oftentimes, it’s more than just the way things are and it’s a glaring warning sign that something is not right at work.
Sign #2 – Excessive Stress that Impacts both Work and Personal Life
Business is stressful enough without actually hating the job. For some, that stress is actually a rush, because these individuals really do enjoy their jobs. When you are in a company you detest, even the smallest of things can trigger stress. To make matters worse, a negative and stressful work situation will often find its way home with you, which is when things really start to go downhill.
Additionally, constant stress is extremely hazardous to your health. Work pressure is one thing but being completely stressed out all day can start to break down your immune system and lead to health problems. Stress has been linked to cardiac problems, depression, anxiety, premature aging, and headaches, just to name a few.
Sign #3 – You Hate Your Coworkers
There is an old saying that you don’t necessarily have to like everyone you work with, you just need to respect them and get along at work. The key there is “everyone.” It is ridiculous to think you are going to like every person, but it is unnatural not to form some positive relationships with coworkers. You are going to be around these people for at least eight hours a day, far more in most cases, so there has to be some type of comradery.
Sign #4 – Work-Life Balance is Gone
The moment your life becomes ONLY about your job, it will not be long before everything else falls apart. If you work in an environment when vacations are declined more often than approved and there is not even an effort to give you at least one regular day off and a somewhat normal schedule, you are working for the wrong people.
Sign #5 – More for Less and No Promotions
The whole point of busting your butt through the ranks is to get more money and advance up the corporate ladder. When your boss is constantly adding to your workload without additional pay, you are being taken advantage of. When this happens, there are several possibilities as to why…
The company may be downsizing, in essence being forced to ask for more from its staff without offering any additional compensation. Another scenario would be you simply have a boss that is taking advantage of you. We all know where that leads.
Now, there are times when additional tasks are assigned as a learning process in anticipation of a promotion, which is fine. But, if that promotion is always promised and never delivered, then it is clearly time to move on.