5 Things to do today if you hate your Job

During the middle of 2019 I hit a low. I was miserable! I was signed off work with anxiety and depression, prescribed antidepressants and having therapy.  After a period of time out of work, I started to have absence review meetings with my manager, and it was through these meetings, along with the therapy that uncovered the harsh truth, that the source of my unhappiness was my job.  So I did the only thing I could control. I quit!

I took some time out.

But then I realised, I had no plan, no income, no structure, no routine and no idea what my next move would be.

Then the unimaginable.  Covid and a global lockdown.

No job and no money.  It was a new low, even lower than hating my job! In hindsight, if I had known then what I know now, I’m not sure I would have quit with nothing to go to. But what I do know is that I never want to be tied to doing anything in life that makes me unhappy because of finances.  I believe that money doesn’t make you happy but the choices that it gives you can make you the happiest person in the world, and that is worth working towards.

So what is my lesson from this period of my life? Take control of your own situation and always work towards something better rather than running from something that’s not serving you. It’s fine to walk away from something or someone that is not serving you, but always make sure you are landing in a better place.

Here are my top tips and lessons for what I would do differently had I known then what I know now.

Number 1 - MINDSET

Before you think about handing in your notice, take a minute. The most powerful thing you can do when you hate your job is to get really clear on the root cause. Your instinct might be to hand in your notice and feel that instant relief (like I did), but without understanding whyyou’re unhappy, there’s a real risk you’ll recreate the same situation in a different setting. It took me a long time and a lot of hard work to land back on my feet.

Start by asking yourself: What exactly do I dislike?

1. Is it the work itself, the people, the company culture, or the broader industry?

2. Do I feel unfulfilled, under-challenged, disrespected, or simply bored?

3. Do I resent the hours, the lack of flexibility around family life, the lack of purpose, or the fact I’ve outgrown the role.

Hating your job is often a symptom, not the root problem. That’s why this stage is all about getting clear on what the actual problem is. Maybe your manager micromanages. Maybe the company’s values clash with your own.  Maybe you’ve taken a job for security that stifles your creativity and you feel trapped.  These things matter.

By doing the inner work now, you’ll stop yourself from leaping into another ‘wrong’ fit. Instead, you’ll move forward with intention, building a career or hybrid path that works to your strengths, your values, and your lifestyle.

Number 2 - AUDIT YOUR FINANCES

This is very much about understanding how much you need or want in reserve to be able to walk away from your job.  You want to have a buffer to make sure you have enough in the bank to cover your living costs if you walk away from your income stream.  The stress of not knowing how you are going to pay your mortgage/rent and other expenses is just as, if not more stressful, than staying in a job that you hate.  It’s also another reason I feel so passionately about building multiple streams of income, so you are not just reliant on your job.  It gives you so much more flexibility.

Start by doing a full financial audit. What are your monthly expenses? What’s your absolute minimum for survival?  Include everything, rent or mortgage, bills, food, debt repayments etc? Then ask: How much would I need saved to give myself breathing space if I decided to leave this job tomorrow?

I call it your Freedom Fund, a savings buffer of three to six months’ worth of living expenses that sits there, quietly giving you power. It’s not for holidays or emergencies. It’s for moments when you realise, “This job is damaging my health and happiness, and I need out.”

Truthfully, I didn’t have this fund when I needed it most.  And I’ll be honest: being unemployed with no cushion was just as stressful as being in a toxic job, except in one scenario, at least you’re still getting paid.

So if you’re feeling stuck, don’t just dream of escape. Start preparing for it. Open a separate savings account. Automate a small amount each month. Even £100 a month builds momentum. Because nothing feels better than knowing you have the freedom to choose whether you stay or go.

Number 3 - WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE DOING?

It’s easy to get stuck focusing on what you don’t want, the job you hate, the boss who drains you, the tasks that bore you to tears. But at some point, you have to shift your attention from escape mode to future mode (this is where coaching comes in and is extremely powerful, a shift away from the negative and into the positive thinking side of your brain!).   

Ask yourself: If I could do anything, what would it be?

It might feel overwhelming at first, especially if you’ve spent years making safe choices, living by someone else’s expectations, or feel like you only know how to do what you’re currently doing because you’ve been doing it for so long.

So start small. Reconnect with your younger self:

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?

2. What interested you before someone told you it wasn’t a good idea?

3. What activities made you lose track of time because you were enjoying it so much?

Now fast forward:

1. If money were no object, how would you spend your days?

2. What kind of work would you choose, not just tolerate?

3. Who would you be helping? What skills would you be using? What would you be creating?

This isn’t just a feel-good exercise. It’s about gathering clues. Passion often hides in our daydreams, our hobbies, the parts of life we don’t get paid for yet. And from those clues, you can start building a more intentional career plan, one that leads you away from burnout and toward something that gets you out of bed in the morning.

The more you understand what motivates and excites you, the easier it becomes to spot the right next step or to create it for yourself.

Number 4 - START BUILDING A SIDE INCOME STREAM

This is the bridge between dreaming of something better and taking real, empowering action.  If your current job is draining the life out of you, one of the most liberating things you can do is start generating income from somewhere else. Not only does it ease the financial pressure of building your freedom fund, it also ensures that you have income from another source should you walk away from your role.  It gives you a sense of control again, taking the power away from your employer and putting it back into your hands. You’re no longer entirely dependent on a job you hate.

This doesn’t mean you need to launch a six-figure business overnight. It means taking stock of the skills, talents, and interests you already have, and finding smart, simple ways to monetise them, even in small amounts at first.

Ask yourself:

1. What do people already come to me for help with?

2. What skills do I have that others are willing to pay for?

3. What services or products could I offer that would work around my current schedule?

Whether it’s freelance writing, coaching, tutoring, consulting, or selling digital products, you have more options than you think. I feel so passionately about this and whole heartedly believe that everyone has a skill set that can be sold.  If you can sell your skill set through your CV to an employer and have them pay you to do a job, then you can more than likely take those same skills and sell them on a freelance basis.

The goal here is simple, increase your income so that your exit becomes a real option, not just a daydream.  Every pound you earn outside of your nine to five, is a pound closer to quitting on your terms, and proof that you’re not stuck.

Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to reinvent the wheel, it’s to plug into a system that already works. That’s working smarter, not harder, and that’s exactly what building a side stream is all about.

And if the idea of starting a business, creating digital products, launching an offer, or building a funnel sounds daunting, there are ways to build without starting from scratch. It’s how I started, I had no idea how to start online, so I went looking for an affordable basic course. As I’m growing I’m learning and investing beyond what this course teaches however it got me started which is why I recommend it, I needed help and insight into how to build a personal brand and grow an audience, and this course gave me that.

You can check it out here → Ultimate Branding Course

Side note - This is an affiliate link meaning I earn a commission on sales from this course. I also want to be super clear here that this course is set up to teach people how to resell the course through Affiliate Marketing (which can also be your side gig if you want a done for you product to sell), however I used it to learn how to position and brand myself and to learn how to set up the tech so it’s simple and user friendly. As a bare minimum it will give you a product you can start earning from the moment you buy it.

Number 5 - Get clear on your exit timeline.

Here’s the truth: if you don’t set a date for change, it probably won’t happen. Without a clear goal or timeline, it’s easy to stay stuck in the same job, with the same frustrations, telling yourself you’ll leave “someday.” But someday is not a strategy.

Once you’ve audited your finances, clarified what you want, and started building a side stream, the next step is to ask:

When can I walk away from this job?

That timeline might look something like:

• 3 months from now, once you’ve built your Freedom Fund

• 6 months, after you’ve launched your side gig

• 12 months, when your exit is part of a bigger lifestyle shift

Whatever it is, write it down. Then reverse-engineer the steps you need to take between now and then.  Because when you attach a date to your plan, your progress becomes measurable. Your motivation increases. And you stop feeling powerless.

This isn’t about being reckless. It’s about being intentional. Giving yourself a clear endpoint not only creates urgency, it stops the daydream and creates a reality.  That there is a way out. And that you’re working towards it, week by week.

If you don’t have a clear goal in mind for when you want to be able to walk away, you will never get there and you will still be as unhappy in 6 months time as you are today.

If you need help with creating an exit strategy get in touch to see how I might be able to help.