:firstname: - do you need help with a work-related issue? If you do, this issue will help, but if not, please consider sending it to someone you know who might benefit from it.

And don't worry - the next issue will be another general issue so look out for that one.

Some love their job..
but I bet you don't!

More than 60% of us HATE our jobs, so that's a pretty good bet. We need money to live, we need a job to get money, and there it is.

But since work takes nearly half our waking life (think about that) it's a big shame when it's miserable. The saddest thing I see is pessimism. We don't see a real chance of improvement.

So here's my list of the biggest issues I see, and how I tackle them with clients.

I Just Hate It!

Try to be more specific. Narrow it down to particular aspects of work. Is it a particular person, task or location? It's easy to generalise - to hate in broad brush strokes - but if you can be more specific, you may see that actually - 90% of the misery is coming from 10% of your work. And that can be the beginning of change. When you can focus you have more power to make change.

My Boss is a Nightmare

This one is so big I wrote a book about it, and I make no apology for simply suggesting that you read my book. It's tightly focused on techniques that work, without drama, confrontation or risk. It's downloadable and it's not expensive (£4.50 at the time of writing). Whilst the title focuses on bosses who lie, the techniques are applicable to generally difficult bosses. Download yours now here.

I'm Bored

First, use the be specific technique to narrow down what's less interesting. Then speak to your boss about doing more challenging things. Show your boss how giving you more interesting things to do can give your boss more of what they want (generally less stress and more recognition).

I am Not Progressing

Progression might be about pay, promotion or something else. I you have one, use your job spec to fully understand what they want from you. If you can provide it, then do so - if you cannot, then bring logical reasons to your boss. Use your performance review process to register your accomplishments. Where possible, use numerical measures of what you have done to combat inaccurate perceptions. Ask your boss leading questions like "What would I need to do to get X?". "Help me to understand why A got promoted and I didn't". This is a complex situation - there's far more about it in my book.

Stress!

Firstly, work out exactly why you are stressed. Common reasons are over-work, endless unrealistic deadlines, or performance anxiety - which goes to being asked to do things you're not comfortable doing. When you are clear about the cause, work with your boss on removing it, but always from the viewpoint of how solving this problem will give your boss and your company more of what they want. This is called goal congruency - and it's a very powerful and widely useful technique - and yes - a lot more in my book.

This Just Isn't for Me

If you're sure then there is only one sensible course of action and you know what it is, but you're probably afraid. I don't blame you, but shine the light of reason on your fear. Flush out the nightmare scenarios and use your rational mind to see them more accurately. What can you do to minimize risk? Recognise the real choice you're making when you hunker down and stay put - perhaps decades of wasted life against the instability and the unknown of getting out.

Yes, but...

The trouble is that - sometimes, it's not that bad, and the angst or anger subsides, so you leave it a while. Perhaps a long while. Until it bites you again, but this time you're another year down the line.

You know why fairgrounds rides are such fun? It's because you faced a fear and did it anyway, and after it was done, you understood something new - that the fear was irrational. You can do the same with your job.

I hope you can find the resources - courage, determination, control, and so on - to make progress with your life at work. If you need help - that's what I'm here for. The book is a quick easy first step, but I can offer you a £10 initial phone consultation if you want to explore phone coaching, or E-coaching starts from £40.

You don't have to be great to start,
but you have to start - to be great!

And that's right here

Chris

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