Too many of us dislike what we do but we continue to do it year after year. The reason is simple: we need to make money to live. I understand that we all have bills to pay and keeping a job is of the utmost importance, especially in an economy like this one. However, I think we become too complacent and accepting of the premise that we can’t find something better. We come up with this reason and that reason why we think no one would ever hire us for a better job and because we never try, we end up staying at the job we dislike.

Not everyone can be or will be successful in finding a job they like that pays enough to make ends meet. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try. I worked hard learning affiliate marketing WHILE I had a full time job. I came home after work every day and put in additional hours in front of the computer writing for this blog and others. It wasn’t particularly fun but I sensed that I needed to do it so that I could be happier down the line. I was willing to sacrifice early on in hopes that it would pay dividends later.

I see people who constantly complain about their work situation yet they NEVER do anything about it. I don’t understand that mentality. You only have one life to live and that means it is up to you to go out there and make your situation better. At the very least, you should try.

Complaining about your job or your work situation isn’t going to make it better and it will annoy everyone around you. Get out there and explore what your options are. Learn new skills, apply for different jobs, and work hard to find something better or more enjoyable than you have now. It won’t be fun. But sometime later in life you will be very glad you did.

No matter what you do for a living, no matter how much money you have, and no matter how good your health is you are in some way being affected by this economic situation. Even if you are not personally suffering, it has to affect you to see the worry in others.

At this time so many people are going in to work everyday not knowing whether it will be their last. When supervisors and bosses continually have closed door meetings, you know that can’t be good. The work stress caused by worrying about your job, your house, your bills, and pretty much everything else has to be taking it’s toll on a lot of people.

Those of us that can put blinders on in times like these are lucky. Some people let everything around them influence them and yet others have the ability to block things out. There is no definitive proof that stress is bad for your health but anyone who has ever suffered from it knows that it has to be bad for the body.

Additionally, all the indicators say that things are going to continue to get worse before they get better. You can get a wide variety of opinions on this subject all the way from those who think we are almost at the bottom of this crisis to those that think the end of the world is right around the corner. I doubt the world is ending but it sure seems like there is going to be more rocky times ahead.

I don’t get many return readers here anymore as all the traffic to this blog comes from the search engines. But if you do find this post, what are you doing to deal with this high stress level? How are you coping with the carnage we see all around us?

More than ever in 2010, it is a good idea to hang on to your job because it may be impossible to find a new one. This might mean that your boss has extra influence and power over you. Or, it might mean that your boss could be on the firing line as well. No matter whether you are manager or a regular employee, it is an extra stressful time.

So what are your options if you hate your manager and he or she is making your life miserable? Are you being overworked? Are you not getting credit for the good job you are doing? Even worse, is your manager taking taking credit for the job you are doing? Is your manage insensitive and mean? Your first option is to fight back and let your boss know what your gripe is. If you hold your own and try to assert your rights, you always run the risk of getting on their bad side and then being the first one to be laid off if it comes to that. This is why it is such a sticky situation right now. Do you do what is right and stick up for yourself and possibly risk losing your job somewhere down the line?

Even though sticking up may be the morally “right” thing to do, it just might be too risky right now in the midst of this financial crisis. I would guess their are many people in this exact situation that want to speak up but are in fear of losing their job if they do. Being one paycheck away from losing your car or losing your home leaves a person with few choices. Option number two is to swallow your pride and try to work through the bad times as best as you can. Lean to “manage” your manager if you will. This is probably what most people who hate their managers are doing right now. If you desperately need your job, and who doesn’t, you just can’t put it at risk. This is going to be a long, tough year in 2009 for these people. Just remember, the bad economy won’t last forever so you just have to stick it out.

Option number three is to of course fight back and let the bad manager know what is the problem. Those people who are fortunate to have a second job or second income of some type might be able to do this even though it might put them is some jeopardy. If you hate your manager enough, this is the route you will probably take. You might go directly to your manager and if you have already done that, you have to go above them. Going to your manager’s manager is really risky because you will be complaining about the person they hired (your manager). Managers like to cover each others butts and this is the unfair part of the workplace. It is often hard to get a fair shake if all the managers are busy covering each other’s behinds.

Whatever you decide to do, you should give it some serious thought before you do it. Any excuse you give your manager to lay you off or fire you just might be what they are looking for. If you go to work everyday saying “I hate my manager“, you need to step back and try to figure out what is the best plan of action for you. Keeping your job should be your first priority and you must do everything you can to keep it.