If you are having difficulty keeping a job, you are not alone. Many people find it hard to maintain long-term employment despite their best efforts. Unfortunately, being unable to hold down a job has consequences, such as compromised financial stability and low self-esteem.
To effectively deal with this problem, we need to understand what psychological factors cause it. Once you understand what precisely prevents you from committing to a job, you can tailor a targeted intervention that can help you succeed in the workplace.
First of all, we need to understand what exactly prevents you from becoming successful at work. Here are some of the possible reasons.
Communication problems
Perhaps you have communication problems at work, which may lead to misunderstandings, conflict, and stress. Good communication and practical conflict resolution skills, in particular, help work more productively.
Developing communication skills is critical for success in the workplace. They include clear communication, active listening, and understanding nonverbal cues. There are many free resources online that can help improve your communication. In addition, you can work with a communication coach.
An experienced communication coach can offer a broader perspective of your problem, ask good questions, and keep you accountable.
Remember that you can be very polite and reasonable and still have communication issues at the workplace. It is entirely possible that the problem isn’t in you, but dealing with difficult people is also a skill you must sometimes learn to be able to continue working.
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Excessive stress and pressure
Almost any job comes with its share of stress and pressure, but if you are particularly sensitive, you may find it difficult to perform over time. It could be due to unresolved mental health issues or simply feeling overwhelmed by the workload and fast-paced work environment.
Unfortunately, it is hard to find a job that doesn’t involve any pressure; however, you could benefit from learning stress management techniques, such as breathing exercises, stretches, physical exercise, working with a therapist, and journaling.
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And you don’t have to wait until a crisis strikes; these relaxation techniques work best when practiced regularly before it becomes an emergency. Practicing these techniques regularly raises your stress tolerance threshold, so when a problem arises, you are much better equipped to deal with it.
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Lack of motivation
In today’s work environment, it’s difficult to succeed without motivation and commitment. Without motivation, even showing up at work on time can feel like a challenge. There could be many reasons why you struggle to motivate yourself. Some of them are:
- Feeling bored with your work
- Finding your work unchallenging
- Feeling undervalued by your employer
- Finding your job unfulfilling or lacking purpose
Try to discuss your goals and your employer’s goals with your supervisor to figure out how to align them better. Perhaps there are other opportunities within the same company, or perhaps you may need to find another job that aligns with your interests and values.
Personal problems
Sometimes our personal problems, such as family issues, caring for young children, health problems, addictions, financial difficulties, and even lack of sleep, prevent us from focusing on our tasks at work. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy solution; however, the above advice applies.
Learn relaxation and stress-relieving techniques, try to talk things out with the people in question, and if financially feasible, work with a therapist to help deal with emotional stress and improve your performance.
Reading and watching videos by coaches and professional counselors can also help in addition to being absolutely free. For example, Dr. Rami Nader, a registered psychologist from Canada, has lots of helpful videos on common mental health problems. Here is a link to his playlists. (Dr. Nader is not associated with Psychologia in any way.)
Incompatibility with job requirements
Finally, it is possible that your job demands do not align with your natural strengths or professional qualifications. If this is the issue, you could probably consider finding another job that fits you better or developing the required skills that will allow you to perform better and with less stress.
By identifying all possible reasons for your job instability, you can begin to address these issues and work toward building a successful career.
Summing up what has been said above, not being able to hold down a job is a common problem that can be caused by many factors. The following steps can help you stay employed or find another job that suits you better:
- Identify your personal strength and weaknesses and use them to your advantage.
- Build a circle of support.
- Work with a professional therapist or coach if possible.
- Learn relaxation techniques and use them regularly, even before a major crisis strikes.
- Improve your communication skills and learn to deal with difficult people.
- Address your personal issues, if any.
- Use free resources on the Internet.