“New Job Blues ... Now What?”

If you're among the millions of Americans who have already found a new job and are wondering how to cope with the overwhelming stress of that big, scary change, then this blog post is for you. Pop quiz: What's harder about a new job than one you've been doing for years? Brace yourself – your answer is "the culture" and it's serious. New employees never fully understand the work ethic and work environment until they've been through it themselves. The experiences I shared in this blog post are not unique — hundreds, if not thousands of people have had similar ones.

The questions are wide-ranging and complex. For example, should you consider moving to another city? Should you consider taking another job? I have friends who left their jobs because they couldn't find work that made them happy. Many of those people moved on to other careers, only to find the same problems in their new jobs.

I believe that, just as with friends and family, our work environments may not always be the best fit for us. However, I also believe that job security is important — especially since nearly all of us tend to be lazy (or at least less motivated) when we're comfortable. So what's a person to do? Just in case you're wondering, here are five tips that I've learned along the way:

1. Get organized.

I'm not saying this just because it sounds good. Organizing your thoughts and work processes really does help when you're feeling frustrated or stressed out. For example, I once had a boss who kept promising to be nicer but then never changed her negative behavior — the result was that my co-workers soon started feeling angry and resentful toward me (and they took out their frustrations on me behind closed doors). The best way to avoid those problems is to make a plan, set goals, and work hard to accomplish them.

2. Learn the culture.

The best way for new employees to figure out what's happening at work is if they ask questions. That doesn't mean that your co-workers are just being rude and rude people all the time – it just means that you'll learn the nuances of work culture much faster if you pay attention and keep an open mind about your surroundings. You'll also be able to figure out who you can trust in your workplace and who might actually be your friend – essential pieces of information when trying to feel more at home in a new environment.

3. Take ownership of problems.

The best way to solve a problem is to first accept that it's your problem. I know, I know – you're thinking, "That doesn't make sense." However, let me ask you: Where does stress come from? The answers are actually pretty simple: We worry about things that we don't have control over and we forget the things that we do. If you remember this advice, then it's much easier to sort out the problems in work and home life.

4. Ask for help when you need it.

Asking for help is good — if done correctly. The goal is to save time by spreading information as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, there are some people who like to act like they're special. They want to be the lone wolf that keeps everyone else at work confused, because they won't be able to solve the problem if it involves more than one person. If you find yourself in this situation, just remember that those kinds of people tend to bring everyone down with them.

5. Take time for yourself.

When we're feeling overwhelmed with stress or anxiety, it's OK to take a break from work and basically hide out somewhere where no one can find you (unless your new job is as a cat burglar). Go to the nearest Starbucks and blast some music in your car, go for a walk around the block, whatever it takes to relax and get back to normal.

The point is that new jobs are stressful and you're allowed – nay, expected – to feel negative emotions. If you can't control them, then find a way to get away from the stressor and let everything work itself out for a while. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel once normalcy has returned to your life.

Be well!

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“New Job Blues ... Now What?”

“New Job Blues ... Now What?”

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