So, you’re in a job that you don’t love, and you’re in school. How can you stay motivated to keep working when you feel overwhelmed?
I’m gonna be real with you: Most of the time, you won’t be motivated. Instead, discipline and routine will keep you going.
In this post, you’ll learn some of the tips I’ve learned over the years to help you stay sane as a working student and not quit your job.
Don’t quit.
This one can be hard on many days. Quitting without a backup plan or savings is a bad idea, especially in this economy.
Even if all you can do is show up and do your minimum, that’s better than nothing.
You’re still getting paid and able to fund the rest of your life and school.
Only do what you can.
This one is especially difficult for me.
I find myself wanting to go above and beyond my capacity for the approval of my peers and bosses. I also do this in an attempt to influence the things I can’t control.
My job is as an agency recruiter, so I often want to grind harder than I am humanly capable of in order to get more people hired. However, I have come to realize that there are just too many variables out of my control. As a result, I’ve just been working on doing what I can.
Stop obsessing over the outcome. It’s not worth your mental and physical health.
Remember, that you are only human, and as long as you’re actually trying, you have an incredible leg up against those that don’t. Only give what you can give. That’s perfectly okay.
Make life more interesting outside of work.
Certain days, it can feel like all you do is work, study, eat, and sleep.
You may find you don’t have as much time or energy to hang out with friends. Or you don’t have the funds to go on fun adventures.
That’s normal.
In the midst of this season, though, here are a few things that I have found that make life more enjoyable.
- Small acts of self-care
- Exercise
- Doing something creative in your spare time that you enjoy (for me that’s blogging)
- Trying a new recipe
- Going on random road trips
- Playing video games with my husband in the evenings.
- Talking to my parents on my commutes to work
- Treating myself to something special at a random point in the week
- Planning something that you can look forward to after work on a weekday (This helps avoid only looking forward to weekends)
Many of these might require that you wake up a little earlier or go to bed a little later some days.
However, it’s so worth it to feel more in control of your life.
Remember that this is only a season.
You probably decided to return to school to help you build skills for a promotion, raise, or even a career change.
It’s important to remember your reason for working while going to school. This has helped to keep me going in the past.
Some of the lack of enjoyment in your job might also be due to you balancing work, school, and life. When you finish school, your burdens will lighten.
In the meantime, you can reduce how many classes you’re taking each semester. I’m considering this myself. This will help to give you a breather while you’re still making progress.
You are developing as a human in this job. Even if you don’t feel it.
Think about the things you’re learning and the skills you’re building at your job.
I have learned so much regarding different technical skills, but the jobs that I didn’t enjoy also helped build my character. For example, building patience when dealing with incompetence, or developing discipline when I don’t see results right away. Or even developing boundaries and handling conflict.
I would not have improved in these aspects if I hadn’t pushed through those jobs that I didn’t like.
By doing this, I am able to apply the lessons learned in the past to my personal life in the present.
If you aren’t learning anything in your job, get curious!
Look up ways to improve in the software you use…experiment with different processes to achieve objectives.
Brainstorm some rabbit holes to go down when it comes to your job! In one of my jobs, I taught myself advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and used them to better optimize my day to day activities. Doing this was so satisfying, and I was able to add that to my resume when applying for future roles.
Conclusion
In this post, we covered some practical ways to stay motivated at a job you hate as a working student.
This is the time to make the most of our situation. Even if you don’t love your job, it’s helping us to stay afloat financially.
Imagine switching jobs and starting over with interviews, training, and more, while balancing your classes at the same time!
It can be hard to stay motivated, but remember, staying at your current job. will help build you as a person, as you keep working towards your dreams.
Note: If your job is causing health problems, then it’s time to consider making more drastic decisions. Even if it’s creating an accelerated exit plan. Just be sure to consult with people you trust and not make decisions based on impulse.
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