In this time I learned that in long term the good always overcomes the bad.

But short term the bad can be strong. Enough to touch one’s physical and possibly even mental health.

My advice, if you find yourself in an unhealthy work environment and have a case where you really can’t go anywhere else, no other solution momentarily, stick with it, be strong. Set your goals, if you haven’t already, and know what you’re working for. Build your physical strength, because with it, you build mental strength and life’s energy. Strongly believe that the situation will turn in your favour and live as if it already has.

But better yet, if you can change the situation in any way (change your position within the company) or if you have any possibility to leave, do. Do anything and everything you can to change the bad situation, the last step being leaving. It’s not worth it. Not worth your precious time, energy, health and your life that you’re giving away to something and someone else in the first place.

As for my situation – I managed to switch position inside the company. The work itself is still stressful at times, of course, but work environment itself is 100 % better. Respectful, normal, human interactions.

I strongly believed the situation has turned in my favour (notice I’m using past tense – it already happened – and so it did) and worked towards it every day. I called for a meeting with head of HR and with the director, I presented them the reason for me switching position and presented myself as capable for the new position. My other way out was leaving which I also presented at these meetings. Honestly, at the time, I didn’t care which option they would go for, I was drawn out, but as soon as made my decision – switching or leaving, a large burden fell off. They chose the first option.

Something else happened too, two weeks into my new position, feeling like myself again – happy and full of energy, I got a call from the place I had worked prior to this company, in biology, asking if I was available to come to work with them short-term. This was proof to the fact that when one feels good – deeply, everything sets itself into place and doors start to open. I didn’t take the job, as I had just signed the contract and this-one was for a longer term than it would be at the Institute for Nature Conservation, also they didn’t have the option to wait for my 6-week notice at the current job, but it meant the world to me.

I went through many unpleasant days and now I’m enjoying very pleasant days and I’m grateful for all of it. And when times were very hard, I told myslef »I’m going to be grateful for this someday.« Even saying it was hard, let alone believing it. But I believed it strongly and things worked out. Grateful.

Did you have an unpleasant work situation? How did you solve it? What worked? What didn’t?