I spoke to an LYJ jobseeker yesterday about making the best of a situation that is not working for her. Here are some of the ideas I jotted down about how to do this:

1. Ask yourself, “If there were 3 things that could change about the job at hand that would bring immediate relief, what would they be?” Then brainstorm solutions. If, for example, you are drowning in administrative work, then perhaps one solution is to hire an intern or assistant to help you. Or it could be that leaving early once/week to go to a yoga class would help you keep your sanity.

2. Similarly, answer the question, “What have I not been communicating?” For myself, if I’m unhappy, it’s usually because I need to speak up about something that I’ve been avoiding. Most recently it related to not having clarity about my focus. Once I had the courage to speak to my manager about this, the situation improved. You can talk to a good friend or trusted adviser about how to communicate your needs to make yourself happier.

3. Make a daily gratitude list of 5-10 things you love/appreciate about your current situation. It can be anything from I love the easy commute, there’s a big kitchen, I have a sunny window, the steady paychecks, my co-worker Bob and our lunches together. This good feeling can help you start each day off in a positive state of mind, and keep you there while you look for something else.

4. Do this exercise: Write a letter or note to yourself from your boss, manager or co-worker who is causing you grief. The contents are, “What does (insert your own name) not understand about me.” You may gain interesting insights. When I did this, I discovered that my boss’ micro-managing was really not about me, but was based on fear. This didn’t mean I needed to stay in the situation, but did help me have more compassion for her.

5. Start aggressively saving so that you can have 3 to 6 months of living expenses saved up in the event you need to walk away. Just knowing you’re working on this savings (some call it the FU Fund) will bring comfort.

6. Make a commitment to yourself to NOT burn any bridges. This, perhaps, is the most important one on the list. From experience of doing both, I can say it feels better to hold your head high and leave with grace and poise rather than anger, even if you’re seething underneath. Some of my strongest allies have come from situations I needed to leave, but was sure to keep the relationship strong and full of gratitude. It’s not easy to do, but it can be worth it.

What suggestions do you have for making the best of a bad work situation?