I Hate My Job So Much! What To Do When You Hate Your Job (But You Can't Quit)

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Ugh, I hate my job so much it gives me anxiety!

Can you relate to me?

Do you hate your job but can’t quit?

Are you constantly going nuts and saying “I hate my job but I need money!”

Yeah, I get you because it’s a tough situation and like me, I bet these thoughts go through your head A LOT:

“I want to quit my job but I need money. What should I do?”
“I hate my job and my life. What can I do to change this?”
“What to do when you hate your job but can’t quit?”
“How do you deal with a job you don’t like?”
“My job is making me miserable. Should I quit?”

In my particular situation, I hate my banking job!

Well, I want to tell you that you are not alone!

According to a report by Gallup, 87% workers worldwide are emotionally disconnected from their workplaces.

Yep, that includes me!

I Hate My Job But Need Money!

For the past few years, I’ve gone straight home to yell, scream, and cry because I felt stuck at a day job that I absolutely hate.

I admit I hate work and I hate going to work!

It didn’t matter how many jobs I switched or how much I got paid. Yes, like most of you, I need the money desperately, but I can’t help but to feel miserable and sad deep inside.

Not to mention, I hate having to answer to a boss, especially those who are disrespectful and think they are OH ALMIGHTY, but I know they’re not; they’re just… UGH!

Oh yeah, and I know it’s easy for people to tell you: “If you hate your job so much, you should just find a new one.”

Yes, I agree this works for people who want change and a new challenge at a new job. But for some (you know who you are), this won’t solve your problem.

I know that dreadful feeling you face when you’re at a job you hate so much (or any other job).

It can really sap the energy out of you! But I want to tell you that you don’t have to feel this way.

How I Quit The Job I Hate!

I originally wrote this post as if it was a daily diary to vent and let out my emotions. You can continue reading it to see the original content. Here is an update since then…

UPDATE: I finally quit my job! It took me a year to prepare both mentally and financially to quit the job I disliked.

I initially started this blog as a side hobby to learn how to make money online. To my surprise, I was able to quit my job to become a full-time blogger earning an annual salary of over six-figures within 1 year after following the tips I wrote for you below. I sincerely hope this will help you too!

In fact, when I was still working at a banking job that I absoolutely dreaded, I was sharing FinSavvy Panda’s blogging progress through my blog income reports (still at my job during that time) to show people that it’s possible to start a blog to and leave the job that’s giving you stress or anxiety.

You know, there was a time when I thought quitting my day job was just a far-off fantasy. Fast forward to now, and it’s a dream come true.

I can still vividly remember the excitement of making my first $1,000 from blogging, starting out fresh in the game. Now, on any given day, I’m making over $500 in a single day (equivalent to $15,000 per month) – just from my blog.

Take a peek at this screenshot below. It shows only a slice of my earnings of $500 a day – specifically from affiliate links. It doesn’t even begin to cover other revenue streams like display ads, partnerships with other businesses, or sales from my own digital products.

But hey, don’t just take my word for it. Have a look at one of my income reports where I’ve detailed how I managed to earn $27,000 in just one month. Seriously, how awesome does that sound? I know this could be you too if you are willing to start a money-making blog and put in the work!

And you know what’s crazy about quitting my job?

Once upon a time, the thought of earning $1,000 online in a day seemed totally out of reach. But it turns out, with a bit of stubbornness, hard work, and determination, even something as ambitious as making $1,936 in a day is not impossible. Quite a journey, huh?

Now you can read all of the below for an action plan for those of you who are thinking, “I hate my job but what should I do?”

These are the things I did while I was still stuck at my 9-5 job.

PIN (OR BOOKMARK) THIS PAGE: I’ll be updating this post so make sure to pin this image HERE and save it to your Pinterest board. That way you’ll be able to come back to this page and help you deeply answer the question “should I quit my job if i hate it?”

What To Do When You Hate Your Job

So, you’re probably now asking, “What do you do when you hate your job?” and “How can I get out of my job?

Here’s what I’ve been doing to help me cope with a job I hate but can’t quit (yet).

Ask yourself: Why do I hate my job?

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It’s hard to solve your problem when you don’t know why you hate your job. The first step is to figure out the root cause by asking yourself why you hate your job so much.

Here are some common reasons why you hate your job:

the people you work with are toxic.
my job is giving me so much stress and anxiety.
I hate working because it’s not what I like to do.
you are being micromanaged and controlled.
your work is not appreciated and no one respects you.
you are underpaid and overworked.
there are no opportunities for growth or promotions.
the work is not challenging.
your company’s values are not in sync with yours.
there is no work-life balance.
the stuff you’re doing is just not what you expected.
you are lacking passion and fulfillment.
you just know that you cannot answer to man. (you want to be your own boss).

If all of the above is how you feel, except for the last point, then beefing up your resume and changing jobs may solve your problem.

However, if the last point also applies to you – like me – switching jobs will probably not help. This is where you need to do more digging and search for answers about yourself.

Oh, and if you hate working because it’s not what you like to do, then you may want to consider trying out some lucrative passive income ideas. This may apply to those of you who hate your new job. I had a few readers telling me, “I hate my new job after 2 days of working”. That could just mean you hate working, so no matter what, you’ll hate most jobs unless you learn how to make money passively.

How to be happy at a job you hate

Thinking outside of your job, spend a few moments to figure out what makes you happy.

What do you love to do?

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I know this sound so cliche, but I cannot stress how important this is!

I admit that I ~~had~~ still have trouble figuring out what I love and want to do for the rest of my life.

We’re often asked the question, “What are your passions?” but we scratch our heads because we never seem to have the answers.

Don’t worry, I was there once. And to be honest with you, I still don’t know 100%. However, I’m able to answer this question better than before.

With that said, I want to help you search for your answers too.

What I’m about to say might be different from the general advice, but following the steps below helped me figure out what sparks joy within me.

This is how to stay happy at work despite hating your job. It’s what helped me cope with the current job I hate and I hope you’ll be inspired to do the same as well.

What do you do when you hate your job

After asking yourself why you hate your job, it’s time to do some internal research.

That means learning more about yourself and finding your purpose.

This free personality test may help you search for some answers — I have to admit that I didn’t really know myself that well prior to taking this test!

If it weren’t for this test, I wouldn’t have discovered the opportunities outside of the 9-5 (or today’s 9-9) traditional jobs that I hate so much!

Don’t let social norms dictate who you are

I have to say, though, you’ll have to be 100% honest with yourself when you take the personality test.

Don’t try to force your answers to what society thinks you should be. That will just lead you back to confusion, unhappiness, and potentially stuck at the job you hate forever.

Using myself as an example, when I first found out that I’m an INFJ (one type of introvert), I was flipping out and thought it was the end of the world!

I was quite upset and mad about it.

Why?

Well, I didn’t realize this, but I wanted the results to tell me that I’m an extrovert.

For goodness sake, the job that I’m in is dominated by more extroverts than introverts (at least that’s how it seems on the surface)!

Perhaps there are many introverts who disguise themselves as extroverts because they subconsciously think that is what’s going to make them become more successful, make more money, and hence become happier.

Despite knowing deep inside that the personality test results were pretty accurate, I still redid the test over 50 times because I couldn’t accept myself.

The results kept screaming out, in Nelson’s laugh…

“HA-HA! Loser, INFJ, INFJ, INFJ…”

I realized that my self-denial was making me become close-minded, which clouded my vision and prevented me from seeking other opportunities.

With that said, it was time for me to be 100% honest with myself…

Embrace yourself!

This may mean letting go of your ego and accepting who you really are.

Doing that may open more doors to other career opportunities that you would have never thought about.

It’s time to look for other career opportunities — whether it be finding a new job or looking for non-traditional work from home jobs for introverts.

Being 100% honest with yourself can lead you to opportunities that you never thought would be possible.

That’s when I finally told myself that I need to accept the facts and embrace who I really am.

You also need to train yourself to become open-minded to new possibilities and be ready for some change!

🌟 UPDATE: I NEVER in my life imagined that I would transition from a traditional day job as an analyst at the bank to start a profitable blog and become a full-time blogger!

Trust me, I’m NO expert and I started with absolutely zero experience just over a year ago!

There are a ton of things I still need to learn, but I never felt this excited about working from home and being able to earn a full-time income online!

Discover Other Potential Career Opportunities

Once I accepted my results from the personality test, I endlessly searched about my personality type and read EVERY SINGLE article and blog post I could find on Google and Pinterest!

I highly recommend you to do this too.

Search for answers to find out more about your personality type. This self-discovery could help you learn more about yourself, and potentially what you may enjoy doing.

I found this to be especially true when I was reading about my personality trait under the jobs and career sections.

Using my personal results as an example, it says INFJs are creative creatures and would do well and find meaningful work as psychologists, designers, artists, professors, life coaches, or authors (including starting a blog).

Again, all of these career opportunities NEVER crossed my mind because my vision was clouded by my parents’ and society’s expectations.

They all told me that I should graduate from business school and climb as high as I can in the corporate world.

And look at where I am now…

Bouncing from one corporate job to another and hating it with a passion!

I’m just not a fan of corporate work or corporate politics… I just like the idea of financial freedom so I can live life with purpose and spend more time with the people I love.

With all that said, this is why I started a blog in addition to flipping furniture as a side hustle for extra money.

Again, starting this blog was out of this world for me because I never considered myself a writer (I still don’t). For crying out loud, I failed grade 11 English, LOL!

I couldn’t tell you how much happier I’ve become. I’m currently writing for my readers while making extra money on the side.

On top of that, being able to write on this blog is helping me cope with a job I hate but can’t quit (yet). ♥

I hope this inspires you to start your blog too.

🌟 UPDATE: Just one year ago when I wrote this post, I was still at a job I hated.

I tried a ton of side hustles to make extra money. I even tried earning cash with some of the highest paying online surveys, but I found blogging one of the most enjoyable and profitable! And what I realized is you DON’T need to be tech savvy nor the best writer to start a money-making blog!

At the time of this update, I’m making over $20,000 per month blogging. I officially started this blog with no experience and was able to quit my job within 12 months!

Sign up to my FREE 7-day e-mail course here and I’ll teach you how to start a money-making blog from scratch!

I hate my job but it pays well

Now, some of you may be thinking “I hate my job but it pays well”.

If you had to take one person’s advice, take it from the billionaire, Warren Buffett.

While I was searching for new career opportunities, I stumbled upon this quote, which I put a lot of thought into.

Again, the personality test helped me figure out which career could be the right fit for me based on my personality results.

“Take the job you would take if you were independently wealthy. You’re going to do well at it.” — Warren Buffett

Here’s a quick video clip of Warren Buffett’s career advice, tap dancing to work…

For me, I gave flipping furniture and blogging a try AFTER figuring out my personality type.

As I got into learning more and more about it, I realized that those hobbies and potential career opportunities sparked my interest!

Whether you love cooking, crafting, cleaning, crunching numbers, talking to people, making people laugh, playing with kids, or [whatever it is], you need to figure out what you enjoy.

While I was trying to learn more about myself, I had to stop thinking about what jobs my parents wanted me to pursue. They wanted me to become “successful” and their definition of success meant high-paying jobs in accounting, banking, law, medical, etc.

Overall, I stopped caring about what my parents wanted. I also stopped caring about what society defines as “right” or “successful”.

via GIPHY

Quit your job to chase your passions?

And NO, I’m not telling you to quit your job now to blindly chase your passions!

I know you have financial obligations and cannot afford to quit your job.

Spare some time to take the personality test and do thorough research based on your results.

Those results may help you think about how to leverage your skills and interests to make money.

As you get closer to finding your answers, set aside some time on weeknights and weekends to pursue these interests, hobbies, passions — whatever you want to call them.

That’s exactly what I’m doing with this blog and my furniture gig. I’ve spent time learning how to flip furniture and how to start a blog to make extra money.

I will tell you straight up that this doesn’t happen overnight. It took me over one year just to be here, and I’m nowhere near quitting my job yet.

But, I am taking small steps to get to where I want to be.

This self-discovery journey includes investing in yourself as well, another brilliant advice from Warren Buffett.

“The most important investment you can make is in yourself.” — Warren Buffett

Once you start investing your time, money, and energy into your hobbies and interests, you won’t even notice that times flies because you’ll be so focused on trying to make things work so you can quit your job soon.

Long story short, learn and study yourself as if you’re studying for an exam.

Try many different things to see what brings you joy. Start googling for more answers. That includes seeing if there’s a way to monetize your skills, passions, and interests.

You can also start reading self-development books for additional help.

By the way, you don’t necessarily have to be skilled as long as you have a strong interest in learning whatever it is that you enjoy doing.

You may want to invest in yourself while learning or picking up a new skill you find enjoyable that is, of course, marketable at the same time.

For me, I used my spare time to invest in a blogging education so I could learn how to monetize what I enjoy doing.

Are you chasing the wrong passions?

Here is a quick video by life coach, Shaina Leis, that I found VERY helpful when it comes to knowing whether or not you’re chasing the wrong passions.

Be sure to watch it!

Action plan: How to quit your job

How do you plan to quit your job? When is your “quit” date?

First, look at the bigger picture and plan for your long-term goals.

Next, break them down into smaller goals.

Once you figure out why you hate your job and understand yourself better, it’s time to focus on your new “life goals” and slowly shift your negative energy away from the job you hate.

It could be that you’re looking for a new job, learning a new skill for a new job, or starting a business on the side.

Again, I’m not telling you to quit now when you have no money — you won’t be financially ready and that will likely cause more stress.

As usual, continue with your job and do what’s expected based on your job description while you’re preparing for an exit plan.

You’re still held responsible for your tasks and duties at work, so don’t show any negative emotions.

And definitely, DO NOT give any hints that you’re preparing to quit your job.

Remain professional about the situation so you avoid being axed. Trust me, you don’t want to burn any bridges or leave with a bad impression.

Efficiently use your time and energy to focus on your next big move. This is where you write down your plans and goals.

To make it more motivating, markdown your desired “quit” date on your calendar. Make sure this is realistic.

As time goes by, do quarterly and/or semi-annual reviews to see how things are going. It’s okay to tweak your plans and make adjustments.

How to quit your job when you have no money

Quitting your job with no money is no joke.

So, take the necessary steps to become financially secure before saying bye to your boss!

To do that, you must have sufficient financial resources. You might want to learn how to save $10,000 in a year by following a savings challenge plan so you can prepare for an emergency fund.

Without it, you will become more stressed than sucking up the job you hate.

Maybe some of you are lucky enough to have a support system such as family and friends. But what if you don’t have these resources to lean back on?

Here are some tips on how to prepare yourself financially before quitting your job:

Living frugally by avoiding waste and unnecessary spending. This will also help you build an emergency fund as a backup plan. It is recommended to build at least 3 to 6 months worth of living expenses. But the more the better.
Pay off as much debt as you can (especially consumer debt).
Prepare for financial independence by learning the legitimate ways to become a millionaire.

Keep Asking Yourself the “Why”

Two years ago, I went to see a counselor and went through several therapy sessions paid by my company.

Here’s one tip my counselor offered when we talked about how much I hated my job but couldn’t quit yet.

This is what he asked me. You can apply this to yourself as well:

“Ask yourself why you’re still at the job you hate. Why aren’t you leaving? There must be a purpose. What’s the end goal?”

I responded something along the lines:

“I’m still here because it can help me buy a ticket to financial freedom while being able to pursue my other hobbies on the side. I know that switching to another job will not solve my problems because I have a goal of becoming so and so (not sharing that part yet). If sticking around for a few more years can yield huge payoffs for my family’s future, I’m more than willing to sacrifice a little bit today.”

He told me to always keep this “why” in mind because it will make the job I hate much more tolerable. He said as long as you know what your life goals are, and how to get there, this “why” should serve as a motivating factor.

I Quit My Job To Blog Full-Time!

After keeping my “why” in mind and working towards my goals, I was able to move on to new and better things!

Again, it never crossed my mind to quit my job this soon!

When I started this blog, I liked the idea of making an extra $100 to $1,000 as a start. Making extra money definitely helped a lot because it allowed me to save money as I was preparing to quit my job.

If you’re interested, you can start your blog for as low as $2.95 USD per month when you sign up through my easy step-by-step tutorial here. That’s over 60% off regular pricing! Plus, get a FREE domain name ($15 value) when you sign up through my tutorial.

This low price is exclusive to Finsavvy Panda readers!

Starting a blog was the best decision I made last year because it actually allowed me to work towards my goals and quit the job I hated!

FAQs About How To Quit The Job You Hate

When I initially wrote this post, I felt alone in my feelings and had no idea that there are so many other people out there who really hate their jobs so much!

I received thousands of emails from my readers over the years where they expressed their frustration and anger towards their boss, coworkers, and the overall environment of their job. Some were low pay and others had a job that pays well. Either way, so many people asked me the same questions, so I decided to answer them in this section to help you out.

1. What to do when you hate your job and you can’t quit?

Yes, that’s a tricky situation, but not an uncommon one. I know because I was once in it prior to starting this blog, which gave me the option to quit my job.

When I was stuck at a job that I really couldn’t stand, quitting wasn’t an immediate option. But these are the short-term things I did for some quick wins to feel better while working towards my goal of quitting the job I disliked:

Find out your “why”: Pinpoint the reasons why you dislike your job. Is it the workload, the people, the environment, or the nature of the work itself? Once you understand what’s bothering you, you can start addressing those issues. For example, I tried to reflect on why I really hated my job. Not on the surface level but on a much deeper level. For me, it was because I couldn’t stand politics and I’m not good at playing the game. It also irked me how people behaved in an environment – selfishness, fakeness, and ingenuine people really grind my gears! It was destroying my mental health, so I took a stab at starting a blog where I can attract like-minded people who share similar values as me.
Look for support: Talk to a close family member or friend that you trust about your feelings – a mentor, friend, or family member can provide a fresh perspective and potential solutions you may not have considered. For me, I talked to my husband because he gets me the most and he was able to provide me with unbiased non-sugarcoated advice.
Focus on the positive: Try to find something you enjoy or appreciate. Maybe it’s the colleagues you get along with or certain tasks that you find satisfying. Focusing on these can make the job more bearable while you’re making an exit plan. I personally had a few coworkers I got along with and going for a walk or coffee break with them really helped my mental health.
Pick up a new skill: Use this time to build new skills or improve existing ones. These can enhance your CV and may open up opportunities for different roles, either within your current organization or elsewhere. This is why I started a blog and learned how to make it profitable, so I could quit my job without stressing about money.
Plan your exit: You may not be able to quit your job now, but you can certainly start planning for a transition. Update your resume, network, and start looking for opportunities that align more with what you want from your career. Again, for me, I started a blog and that was part of my exit plan.

I want to remind you that this is just a phase and it won’t last forever, so stay positive. It’s hard, I know. But accept the fact that there will be bad days. As you navigate through this, remind yourself of your bigger goals and aspirations. Your current job does not define your entire career or potential.

2. Should I quit my job if I absolutely hate it?

Sure, walking out of a job that makes you utterly unhappy can be tempting. But it’s really important to sit down, take a breath, and look at the big picture first. How’s your financial cushion looking? Have you scouted out other job opportunities? Have you tried to tackle whatever’s making you loathe going to work each day? At the end of it all, remember, it’s your peace of mind that’s most important.

I’ll share a bit of my own story here. I remember when I finally called it quits, it was in a month when I’d made $6,400 from my blog. My earnings were on a steady climb, from $2,700 to $4,000 and finally to $10,000, and now $15,000 and up per month.

Sure, there was a risk of everything going south – imagine my blog not earning even a single penny the next month! But I had prepped for that, I had a safety net, a savings plan that I could fall back on. So even if things went south, I knew I had my emergency fund as a backup.

3. What to do when you hate your job but need the money?

You’re stuck in a job you can’t stand but the bills aren’t gonna pay themselves, right?

In situations like this, I usually suggest picking up a second job, a side gig, or getting a bit creative to pull in some extra cash.

You might be amazed, but often, these side hustles or second jobs can pave a way to something you genuinely love doing, maybe even blooming into a full-time career!

As you may already be familiar with my story, blogging for money started off as my hobby, a fun little way to earn some extra change while keeping my regular job. I didn’t have grand plans for it, but guess what? It blossomed into a full-time gig that brought in a legitimate income. Full-time blogging, a hobby turned career – now, how amazing is that! 🙂

Summary on what to do when you hate your job

Well, there you have it — my approach to dealing with a job you hate but can’t seem to quit yet. It will take time, but the most important part is getting started.

Here’s my recap:

1) Ask yourself why you hate your job. Determine the root cause.

2) Do you know what you enjoy? What is your life’s purpose?

3) Whether you know your passions or not, take the free personality test to find out.

4) Research more about your personality trait and find out which careers match closest to your type. A lot of this has to do with self-discovery. Starting a money-making blog opened many doors and opportunities for me!

5) Take Warren Buffett’s advice:

– Take the job you would take if you were independently wealthy. You’re going to do well at it.
– The best investment you can make is in yourself.

6) Create an action plan (and goals) for when and how to quit your job. Make sure you do periodic reviews and adjust accordingly.

7) Create a financial plan (and goals) for when and how to quit your job. Like the action plan, make sure you do periodic reviews and adjust accordingly.

8) Keep asking and reminding yourself the “why” question. This should serve as your motivation.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, don’t forget to share it on Pinterest! 🙂

I Hate My Job So Much! What To Do When You Hate Your Job (But You Can’t Quit)

I Hate My Job But Need Money!

How I Quit The Job I Hate!

What To Do When You Hate Your Job