Work apathy: possible causes and how to overcome it

Work apathy is one of the most common psychological phenomena linked to discomfort in work contexts.

In fact, it is so common that many people have come to normalize their existence, as if it were an inevitable consequence of having to work for a living. But the truth is that it is not, nor should it be, taken as something natural and intrinsic to any paid job.

In this article We will see what are the most common causes of work apathy and how to combat it.

• Related article: "Psychology of work and organizations: a profession with a future"

What is work apathy?

Labor apathy is, in a broad sense, the lack of interest and motivation for the job we are in and for the activities to which we are exposed. It is far from being a psychological disorder, but it is an experience that weakens you emotionally and that we must take into account to ensure our quality of life.

Work apathy has effects at the micro level and also at the macro level. As for the first of these categories, gives rise to psychological alterations (not necessarily psychopathological) that damage the quality of life of the person

She feels unmotivated about her job. Some of the most common forms that this emotional exhaustion takes are the following:

• Demotivation makes the person more vulnerable to procrastination.
• The idea of ​​wasting months or years of life encourages the appearance of depressive-type symptoms.
• Efficiency and productivity problems caused by procrastination reinforce work stress.
• The fact of associating work with an unpleasant experience limits the possibilities of connecting with the rest of the team.
• Labor apathy makes it more likely that the work performed will be of poor quality, generating conflicts and limiting the possibilities of promotion in the company.

Regarding the macro level of the effects of work apathy, we can observe a series of problems that occur in the relationships that the person maintains with the rest of the staff, as well as in the department and/or organization as a whole. The most frequent are the following:

• Bad work environment.
• Reduced ability to detect errors (the unmotivated worker “sticks to the script” and tends not to question anything).
• Stress and upset contribute to poorly managed frustration, leading to more avoidable arguments.
• The organization loses the opportunity to take advantage of the talents of the worker who are not being used in his current position and that he does not use because he is limited to meeting the minimum requirements (a cost of opportunity).

Thus, job apathy is double trouble. On the one hand, it affects the person who suffers it in their own flesh, causing emotional discomfort and indirectly contributing to the appearance of psychological disorders. On the other hand, it affects the organization in which that worker works, since It reduces the ability to adapt to market pressures and makes it easier for a bad climate to arise labor.

• You may be interested: "Types of motivation: the 8 motivational sources"

Possible causes of this problem

As to causes of work apathy, can be very varied and partly depend on the particularities of each individual, but in general the following stand out.

• incompatibility between values personal and organizational values.
• Absence of a Human Resources function dedicated to detecting and promoting the talents of workers.
• Work overload (makes it impossible to have a global vision of what has been achieved and associates work with the experience of discomfort).
• Lack of stimuli in the workplace (to be used during breaks and moments of rest).
• Lack of incentives for achievements in the medium and long term.
• The skills of the worker do not correspond to the particularities of the job
• Poor time management that causes work to accumulate and/or there are times when there is little to do.

• Related article: "Personal Development: 5 reasons for self-reflection"

How to face and overcome work apathy?

Here are some general tips that can help you.

1. Detect the main problem

As we have seen, the causes are very varied, but understanding what are behind the problem is necessary to solve the situation. Therefore, the first step is a stage of observation and self-observation, trying to avoid biases and preconceived ideas. Only in this way can we alleviate measures that fit the nature of the problem.

• You may be interested: "Self-knowledge: definition and 8 tips to improve it"

2. Do not give up social life at work

The social life we ​​maintain with co-workers through informal relationships they can help contextualize and add value to what we do. For example, they give us the possibility of knowing what others appreciate about our way of working, and even a healthy competitiveness may arise. In addition, group identity always helps to give value to what we seek to achieve as a team.

3. Manage time better

It is very important to always keep a detailed schedule that includes rest periods. In this way we minimize the risk of postponing the tasks to be carried out, something that it will make the work experience something much more fluid and that will be more satisfying, preventing us from reaching the conclusion that we will never be able to provide what the company needs (when in In reality, we just needed to adopt a more efficient work routine that would force us to always work hours extra).

4. Talk openly about our interests and future plans

The Human Resources departments can take this information into account to recommend certain promotion paths or even to create ad hoc jobs adapted to what we are looking for, if we show signs of being good at something.

5. Apply self-reward routines

We do not have to opt only for the incentives given by the company; we can also test ourselves and create a simple system of symbolic rewards that allows us to monitor and assess our progress. The ideal is to propose goals for weeks, months and years ahead.

6. Losing fear of the idea of ​​changing jobs

We don't have to be forced to try to make our current work like us. Sometimes the incompatibility between us and the work we do at a certain company is so fundamental that the best option is just go another way.

Are you looking for professional psychological assistance?

If you are interested in having psychological support for problems related to work or professional projects, I invite you to contact me.

My name is Thomas Saint Cecilia and I am an expert psychologist in the cognitive-behavioral intervention model, with which I help adults, adolescents and companies. The sessions can be done in person at my office, or through the online format by video call.