How Staying in a Graduate Job You Hate Affects Your Mental Health

There’s nothing worse than being in a graduate job you hate, so check out our new graduate jobs and internships if you’re thinking of handing in your notice to begin a new journey.

As we spend hours of our day at work, being unhappy will soon have an impact on our mental health. In fact, it would be better to walk away and be unemployed for a short time than to face constant worry about how you’ll face the day ahead.

If this sounds familiar, you may be struggling with several symptoms, including the following:

• low levels of engagement and productivity
• irritability
• heart palpitations
• feeling anxious
• feeling defeated
• withdrawal from social situations
• changes in sleep or eating behaviours

These are all signs that you’re in an environment you don’t want to be in – and now’s the time to make a change to prevent your health from being further affected.

Even if you have only just started a job, you’re within your rights to walk away. In doing so, you may just find a graduate job that ticks your boxes and gives you satisfaction.

Here’s how staying in a graduate job can affect your mental health:

Stress

Being unhappy in your job may cause you to experience extreme stress. You may feel the need to hide your feelings at work in the fear of being judged by your boss or your colleagues. It’s natural to not want to socialise or feel irritable as you force yourself to get through your daily duties.

Not only will you suffer immediate symptoms of stress such as physical symptoms like headaches, irritability and shaking, but your general health may also be affected and lead you to suffer further illness.

Feeling drained

Constantly feeling anxious and angry is bound to leave you drained and sluggish. Not only will it impact your and motivation, but also, the enjoyment of hobbies and socialising outside of the workplace.

What’s more, it’s common to suffer from insomnia when extremely anxious. Waking up regularly during the night is bound to leave you feeling completely exhausted the following day. You should be getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night to keep your energy levels high and ward off illnesses.

Low self-esteem

The longer you remain in a job that makes you unhappy, the more you will lose your passion for the role and the industry. Sometimes, it’s not the sector that you’re not cut out for, it’s the company itself. Constantly fighting against difficult bosses or unfair workloads will only diminish your self-esteem in time and cause you to question your skills and talents.

The bottom line

No job is worth risking your health and happiness. If you’re constantly going to work feeling anxious, shaky, or tired, it may be time you called it quits for the sake of your well-being. Why not check out new graduate jobs and internships so you can hand in your notice and start a new, positive journey?