5 Signs You’re Secretly Miserable at Work

And what to do instead.

You did everything they told you to do.

You studied hard and got amazing grades. You got into a prestigious college and left with a good degree. You finally landed a job in a large, corporate firm with a fat monthly paycheck.

You should be set for life now, right?

Financial stability, a big name on your CV, and career progression were what you signed up for. So why do you feel so suffocated by it?

It’s estimated that only 13% of people actively enjoy going to work. The remaining 87% are either indifferent or unhappy with their jobs. This shouldn’t be normalized.

If you’re feeling miserable at work, you’re not alone. Sometimes we stick to the conventional path and then find out it’s not everything we were promised it would be.

It’s okay to feel stuck where you are despite doing everything right.

It’s okay to do a complete 180 with your life and jump into the deep end of the pool.

If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and changing things up with your career, this is for you.

Here are 5 signs you’re secretly miserable at work and what to do instead.

1. You feel directionless right now

I cried in my career advisor’s office when I was 19 because I felt like I had no ambition.

I couldn’t get to grips with applying for internships and checking off boxes. What was it all for?

If you’re feeling directionless right now, it’s a clear sign you’re probably unhappy at work. Of course, you aren’t going to be 100% motivated all the time, but if you can’t remember the last time you felt excited to work on a project, it might be time to move on.

In my case, I felt directionless because I didn’t understand that there were options outside of big corporations. Now I know the alternatives, I wake up with purpose and motivation again.

How to find career direction:

Some people are born knowing what they want to do for the rest of their life. The majority of us aren’t, and that’s okay.

Start by making a list of everything you are interested in and enjoy doing. Think of the books you read or podcasts you listen to, and consider your hobbies and interests.

What have you invested significant time in without needing any money in return to motivate you?

Once you identify a few things, the next thing to do is research your options.

For example, if you enjoy cooking and have a business background, you could find a role in food production management or even start building your own business related to your passion.

Remember, the job you want is probably out there- you just haven’t heard of it yet.

2. Your job doesn’t align with your values

If you’re feeling unhappy at work, your current situation probably doesn’t match your values.

My key values are my freedom and my time. Sure, money is important, but I’d take a lower paycheck over having to show up for a fixed number of hours a week and answer to other people.

It’s easy to take the first well-paying opportunity in a competitive job market without considering the bigger picture. Unfortunately, this can lead to unhappiness later down the line.

How to identify your values:

Our values change with time. What might’ve once been perfect for you could be the complete opposite now.

One way to start getting clear on your values is to sit down and script out your ideal working day. Consider the following:

• What time do you wake up?
• Where do you work?
• Do you work with a team, or do you fly solo?
• How many hours do you work each week?
• Do you value having a structured routine, or do you crave variety?
• Do you want to go all-in with your career, or is work-life balance non-negotiable for you?

You might feel silly doing this initially, but it can be a powerful exercise. The key is to push yourself to think outside the box.

Try not to constrain yourself to the idea of working in an office or working a fixed 40-hour week. I promise you these things aren’t as important as you think.

Once you have an idea of your ideal working day, start to pull out some of the values from your description. Some examples of these could be:

• Fast-paced
• Outlet for creativity
• Work-life balance
• Flexible hours
• Variety of tasks

You can then rank these values and identify which are most important to you and which ones you could be prepared to compromise on if you need to.

By getting clear on your values, you can take steps to start to look for something that meets more of your priorities.

3. You don’t like answering someone else

Before the job I have now, I never had a boss.

Instead of being employed, I chose my own hours with Deliveroo, freelance brand promotion, and tutoring math and science to support myself during university.

The truth was staring me in the face all along. I know that I prefer being my own boss and am working towards doing so.

How to solve the boss problem:

If you find yourself resenting having to take instructions from a manager, there’s a good chance you’re miserable at work.

You could have a terrible boss and be happier elsewhere. Or the idea of loaning out your time and asking someone else permission to take a holiday might drive you mad.

If you don’t want to leave but are having difficulty working with your manager, you might consider being more empathetic towards your boss whilst trying to minimize interaction with them as much as possible.

However, if you are truly miserable and experiencing anything as serious as sexual harassment or verbal abuse, it’s time for a conversation with HR.

This should be a last resort. HR exists to protect the company but not necessarily the individual employees. If you have an issue to discuss, make sure to be equipped with evidence like emails, voicemails, or text messages, but be aware that your company may still not side with you.

If you know you don’t like taking orders from someone else, you might want to begin taking steps to work for yourself. This could start by launching a side-hustle you are passionate about, saving money, and finding a niche you want to work in.

4. You’re living on auto-pilot

You know you can work well on your own. You know you’re self-motivated and driven, and independent.

You were all those things when you busted your ass trying to get into this job, but things have changed.

I could live life in easy-mode in my current job, exchanging my time for a fixed paycheck until I retire. The problem is that I get restless in easy-mode. I’d rather work for myself.

How to meet your potential:

If you are naturally self-motivated and hard-working, you should maximize those gifts, rather than letting them die a slow and painful death doing something that isn’t fulfilling you.

Evaluate what your day-to-day life at work consists of. Do you really get to do things your own way? Or have you been stifled into following procedures and principles for the sake of them?

To unlock your full potential, you need to tap into the skills you already have. Consider the type of tasks you find most enjoyable and that you complete most easily.

Your next step is to put those skills to use. If you are currently in a big organization and find yourself without autonomy, a natural next step may be to look for a smaller company or start your own venture.

If you aren’t ready to change your job quite yet, starting a new hobby or side endeavor may be a great way to jumpstart your motivation and passion again.

5. A psychic told you

Okay, okay, I’m half-joking with this one, but hear me out.

Around about the same time I broke down in my career advisor’s office, I also went to see a psychic. I forgot all about it until recently, but she did tell me that I should work for myself in the future.

I don’t even believe in psychics or horoscopes.

Maybe the advice given to me is nothing more than a false memory I made up to feel better about my life choices. One thing I do know, however, is that I have a gut feeling I am meant to work for myself.

How to trust your instincts:

Taking a big leap with work is scary because your livelihood and finances directly depend on it.

But if you’ve been turning the idea of a career change over in your mind for a while, there’s a reason you can’t stop thinking about it.

Trust your instincts by fully committing to your idea. Accept that it’ll change and evolve with time, but know that commitment is the first step.

Conducting research and reading case studies of other successful people who changed careers can also give you the confidence to take the leap.

If you’re miserable at work, you’ll know deep down. Sometimes it truly isn’t any more complicated than that. You just know.

Listen to your gut feeling, and start looking for alternative options.

Final thoughts

Being honest about the fact you’re unsatisfied in your career is scary. It’s much easier to fall into a routine of sleep-walking through life and pretending everything is fine.

Most of us work 40 hours a week, which adds up to a third of our lives in total. Your time is too valuable to be miserable at work.

If you recognize any of the signs above in yourself, start planning alternative options.

No, I’m not telling you to go all gung-ho and quit your job, but it’s never too late to start looking for other roles or begin building your own business.

Life is too short to fall into the trap of complaining about your situation and never doing anything about it.

Start today, and don’t look back. You never know where you could be a year from now.

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