Many people are working jobs they don’t enjoy. They’re bored, they aren’t working on things that matter to them, and are possibly even miserable. They lack the freedom and control necessary for daily happiness and self-esteem.

In this article, I’m going to describe five reasons why your job is so rough, and then a few solutions to help. My hope is that by describing them here, you will have more power in your situation, and the confidence to change it.

1. You don’t decide your schedule. Maybe you’re a morning person; maybe you’re an evening person. It’s not that you’re lazy or you don’t want to work, it’s just that you want to work when you choose to. However, you can’t always work when you know you work best. So each day you wake up and hear that alarm as a reminder you are on someone else’s time.
2. You don’t decide what you wear. Few people are happy to be stuck wearing a tie every day. I’ve heard even worse from a friend who used to be stuck in a dead-end job. Now he’s working on his own terms at a startup. This lack of freedom is another killer of the human spirit.
3. Your boss is not who you want to become. It’s hard to show up to work for a boss you don’t respect. If you look at your boss and don’t want to be them — what are you working towards? Speaking with them only leads to frustration, especially since they are your direct superior.
4. You leave feeling drained and exhausted. Maybe your co-workers are difficult or unenjoyable to work with. If you work on a team with people who make your life difficult, it doesn’t matter how positive you try to be yourself. At the end of each day, you’re left feeling exhausted and drained. Thankfully, I work with the most brilliant and considerate team I could imagine. And I hope others can find these teams as well.
5. You can’t change anything. You want to make an impact and help your company, but you can’t. It’s hard to be stuck in a situation where you can’t change the rules, and you wonder why you’re there anyway.

If you want more freedom and a happier work life, look for a job you enjoy with a team or company culture that doesn’t have these conditions.

How to Fix It

It’s important to know that most companies really want you to be happy. Most companies care about you and don’t want you to leave. As an employee, you hold far more power than you realize. So if you’re unhappy, share this with your boss. Work with your manager to figure out terms that are better for you.

1. Schedule an appointment with your boss or higher up. Mention that you have a few things you’re unhappy with, and you’d like to have a private conversation. This message will get any boss’ attention.
2. During the meeting, share your feelings. Not just your opinions, but your experiences and emotions.

Simply by doing this, you”ll feel better because you are sharing honestly. You’re being proactive about making changes. You’ll also notice that if your company is worth working for, they will make changes to improve your happiness. As an alternative, you can become an entrepreneur, but this certainly isn’t for everyone.