Are you dreading Monday morning?
It’s fine that it’s hard to wake up. Your body may be telling you it wants more rest. But it’s not fine if you dread going into work.
One of the best things to do is a deep dive into WHY you’re dreading going in before just assuming you need to change jobs.
It might be your boss. Or your company morale. Or the culture, local economy, your commute, a customer, a coworker or frustration with systems or processes in place.
Go deeper: what about it is causing the dread? If it’s the commute, what about it bothers you? Is it out of your control? What if you get lost in an audiobook each day with some noise-canceling headphones? Would that make the commute turn into a little oasis? There are things you can control and things you can't. What if your commute became your chance to invest in yourself with audiobooks or self-paced training videos (if you're driving, don't do the video!)
If it’s your customer you dread, do you have a manager that you can talk with? Do they understand that this customer is creating so much stress that it’s causing you to dread coming in? If you’re thinking “I already told them”, don’t assume they heard you clearly, or that they understand the impact. Give them an opportunity to listen again. If they say, in effect, “sorry, this customer is too important for us, so your dread is something you’re going to have to deal with” then you probably have your answer about whether your employer is a good fit. People don't alway have the luxury of only working for companies that value their employees above their customers. But that would be sign that it's time to look.
Go deep - don't just settle for dread. Ask "what would need to change for me to look forward to this morning? Maybe it's having time for exercise. If you're dreading sitting at your desk all day, consider asking for a standing desk. Or flex work locations. We're in a new era where talented people dictate much more about their working environment than before.
Go deeper on the dread, really analyze what’s behind it. You may find the tools for improvement are more reachable than they appeared. You’ll know if it’s working each morning with how you feel approaching the day.
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