If you’re having a tough time at work, you’re not alone. Each year, many people struggle to feel motivated and productive in their jobs for all sorts of reasons, and those individuals get to a stage where they feel they must take action to preserve their wellbeing and sanity.
You’re probably wondering whether you really do need to look for a new job or whether you’re just going through a “bad patch.” If any of the following warning signs apply to you, it’s time to start looking for employment elsewhere sooner rather than later:
1. Your Employer Doesn’t Care About Safety
Did you know that one of the first and often most common signs you need a new job is when you realize your working environment isn’t safe? For example, you work in a factory, and the equipment you use violates many safety codes, but your boss doesn’t care.
You might even need a burn injury attorney if the machinery and tools you use could cause you electrical or chemical burns!
2. You Don’t Like Your Co-Workers
Another telltale sign you should start looking for a new job is when you dread going to work each day because you just don’t get on with your co-workers. The sad truth about some workplaces is they are breeding grounds for toxic work environments.
You can’t change how people treat you, but what you can do is look for a job where your colleagues are respectful, kind, and are happy to help if you ever need assistance with anything.
3. You Never Work “Normal” Hours
Do you spend most of your waking hours working? Perhaps you were supposed to have a regular 9-5 job, but now you seem to start much earlier and finish late into the night, often every night. You may even give up some of your weekends to work as well!
It’s essential to have a healthy work-life balance. With that in mind, if your employer won’t address the fact that you’re working such unhealthy hours all the time, it’s time to find a new job.
4. Your Job Is Taking Over Your Life
There’s nothing wrong with being passionate about what you do for a living. It’s certainly an interesting talking point among friends during social events, and it even makes you something of an authority figure.
But, if all you ever do is eat, sleep, and breathe work, now is probably the time to consider a career move to a job where your work doesn’t consume your life.
5. You Lack Any Enthusiasm For Your Work
One final telltale sign that you need to fire yourself and work elsewhere is when your enthusiasm and drive for your work is virtually zero. For some people, that might be because they don’t feel like they’re getting any fresh challenges.
However, for others, it can be due to work becoming monotonous and boring and there being no real prospect of career progression.