How to feel happier at work when quitting isn’t an option

A Pew Research Center study has found that only about half of US workers are extremely or very satisfied with their jobs. If you’re dissatisfied at work but aren’t in a position to leave, there may be ways to improve your situation.

1. GET CURIOUS

It is easy to fall into a cycle of negative thinking when you’re feeling stymied or unhappy at work. Instead, approach your problems with curiosity.

Ask yourself what’s inhibiting you at work, advised Amy C Edmondson, a professor of leadership at Harvard Business School. Then ask: “What can I do?”

Meet with your manager to discuss your aspirations and seek concrete feedback, Dr Edmondson suggested. You can also turn to people outside your organisation, like friends, family or career counsellors, to get a different perspective.

2. RECALIBRATE YOUR EXPECTATIONS

If you are feeling disappointed in your role, there may be a mismatch between your expectations and reality. What are you hoping to get out of work? Is that realistic? If not, would it be more feasible over a longer time frame or on a different team?

Try to be flexible. “We live in a volatile, uncertain world,” Dr Edmondson said. “It’s okay to have a five-year plan, but recognise that it is a hypothesis, not a fact.”

3. LOOK TO YOUR CO-WORKERS

If you’re feeling frustrated at work, the odds are that many of your co-workers are, too. If that’s the case, find honest and constructive ways of supporting one another, said Dennis Stolle, the senior director of applied psychology at the American Psychological Association. Consider participating in after-work activities together, like volunteering and professional development workshops.

4. ASK FOR ACCOMMODATIONS

Sometimes it takes just a few small modifications to make work more enjoyable. Do you need better flexibility in your schedule, or to work from home more often? What about a transfer to a different department?

If you have a qualifying condition like major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, you have a legal right to a reasonable accommodation that will help you do your job. But even if you don’t, it never hurts to ask, especially if you can make the argument that the accommodation you desire will enhance your job performance.

By Christina Caron © The New York Times Company

The article originally appeared in The New York Times.