5 Ways to Serve Well in a Job You Hate

Gratitude is a discipline associated with living like Jesus. It involves making the most of what you have so you can make the most impact. Unfortunately, it becomes increasingly difficult to remain thankful in a situation where you are continually tested and tried, bruised and battered, hopeless and discouraged. 

I’m not talking about persecution; I’m talking about the soul-sucking task of working a job you hate.

We’ve all had jobs we’ve hated with a passion at some point in our life. We know all to well how hard it is to serve in these areas when we just want to be somewhere else.

But the truth is, if we are to live like Jesus, we must affect change in these areas of life.

Bad jobs are not times to pay our dues and simply skate through; they are times we can learn from and make an impact.

They are times that if we utilize well, can pave the way for better opportunity in the future.

The key is, using this bad job to refine your heart and character.

If you want to leave your job with your character refined, here are 5 ways to serve well in a job you don’t want to work:

1. Create healthy boundaries

When you’re working in an organization, there possibly exists work that you would like to do more of in the company. If this is so, it’s time to start doing this work, and do less of other work, by creating boundaries. Define what you want to be doing, and say no to the things outside those parameters. When people ask you to do a task, learn to say no if it’s not what you want to do.

You might believe you would get fired if you start saying no to things. Many of these situations depend on the job. But in many cases, co-workers appreciate when a person draws boundaries. It also clues them in to not ask you to do everything.

Say no and you’ll be saying yes to better opportunity.

2. Rest appropriately

Jesus understood that rest was key to their mission. When crowds would come and keep them busy, He would often respond by drawing the disciples away to rest.

In our culture, we don’t value rest as much. We value hard work and production, thinking that resting is lazy.

However, if you’re going to be a force for change in your job, you must value rest. You must work hard to get a full 7-8 hours of sleep. You must follow the natural rhythm of your energy throughout your day. You must utilize naps if you feel yourself waning. The best way to serve well in any difficult circumstance is to protect the asset—namely, yourself.

3. Practice patience

If you’re working a bad job, chances are you’re working with bad people also. When I think of this, I can’t help but think of Jesus who was working with the disciples. He drew them into His ministry, and yet, they had no clue what they were doing.

Yet, you know what Jesus did? He practiced patience with them. Though it was vital that the disciples understood what He was talking about, He was patient, giving them the space and time to grow. Jesus knew that if He was going to enact true and lasting change in their lives, it would be slow, as most change often is. So, Jesus was slow with them, giving them as much grace as possible.

When you’re working with your difficult co-workers, show them grace. Don’t try to suddenly change them. Settle into the slow pace of change, and stretch your heart to offer them grace in their continued faults.

4. Do your job when it doesn’t interfere with life

Many people hate their jobs because it takes away from valuable family time, or time that they enjoy elsewhere. If this is the case, the solution is simple: do your work when it doesn’t interfere with life. Wake up early and do your hard and important tasks then. Schedule it when it doesn’t interfere with your family or friends time.

But most importantly, make sure you have a life that you don’t want work to interfere with. Cultivate your life outside of work so that it offers life and joy to your work-weary self.

5. Surround yourself with encouragement

When you’re working a bad job, chances are, you’re not the only one who thinks it’s bad. Your co-workers also believe it’s bad. As a result, they complain.

If you complain with them, you won’t be fostering the thankful heart you need to make the most of your opportunity. Instead, you’ll grow bitter.

The best way to battle this and emerge from your job with even better character is to surround yourself with people who counteract this negativity. In other words, find people who encourage you in your work. Let them motivate you to serve well where you are.

The reality is, Jesus worked in hard conditions, but it didn’t result in Him abandoning His character. Living in His example means cultivating gratitude and making opportunities for change, wherever we are.

So start your day practicing gratitude, and watch as your situation folds into an opportunity for change.