Look for the silver lining AKA “make the best of it”.
There have to be some things about what you do all day that interest you. It may be one or two of your twenty duties, your coworkers, interactions with a few clients that brighten your day or maybe it’s going out to lunch. There has to be SOMETHING you sort of like, right??? Look forward to those things. Put emphasis on this aspect of your work day. I think about the unemployment numbers a great deal these days and it is stunning. Too many good people are sitting on the sidelines. Be positive about where you are and keep posted on this series, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Find a challenge.
Chances are, you’ve been working there long enough that you see some things that need to be fixed. Maybe you realize that your experience at work could be better if someone gave some attention to a particular area, process, team or coworker. Well, what is keeping you from handling it yourself? If not directly, indirectly, could you challenge yourself? Even if it was outside your responsibilities? Even if you’ve only worked for others one week, you know that your boss is not going to recognize everything you do, so why wait for recognition. Challenge yourself in that area of need. If nothing else comes of your success, it will be a feather in your cap that you can discuss at your next job interview.
Change your approach.
If you are not happy at work but you can’t simply walk out, take on a new perspective. No matter what it is you do for a living, there was something that interested you about the job. We all have choices when it comes to work regardless of your background. The majority of us work in the service industry and if you are client-facing, you understand what it feels like when you’ve been appreciated by a customer for being helpful. Think about that for a moment. We get opportunities to interface with people we may not have ever met otherwise and have a positive impact on them if only for a few moments. That can be powerful. Find substance in what you do. Think about the impact you have in your role at work. Be engaging, be smart, show your talents, and share your gifts. 
Darice Rene is Bizrighter. With a passion for business and leadership, she publishes getting through the work week, (www.bizrighter.com) a blog that brings attention to the legions of unhappy employees at work. As someone who has held far too many “jobs”, she’d like to take some of the dread out of Mondays through comedic, sarcastic and sometimes harsh reality.
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