If you’re getting the Sunday blues every week, take heart.

With the U.S. labor market looking tougher and tougher, many people are feeling stuck in their jobs, unable to find something better and wary of leaving a steady paycheck – even when they’re not happy. In August, as long-term unemployment reached its highest level since 2021, one survey showed the average worker’s confidence in other job opportunities fell to its lowest point ever (the survey started in 2013.)

But staying put doesn’t have to mean staying blue (or worse, “quietly cracking.”) Here are five ways to make the most of a job you don’t like — and come out stronger on the other side.

1.   Look within (other areas of your company.) Just because you’ve decided to stay with your employer, doesn’t mean you have to do the same work. Vanessa Stasco, managing director at recruiting firm Ikon Search, suggests asking for a different role or project to re-inspire you. “Think about what you would like to do to diversify your day-to-day and add more value,” she says. Eliana Goldstein, a professional career coach, points out this can have other benefits too: “Connect with a member of a different team and ask to shadow them,” she suggests. “Getting exposure to those teams and new workflows can help when feeling stuck — and create some new internal visibility.”

2.   Invest in yourself. Use this time to prepare for your next move, even if that’s a ways away. Update your LinkedIn, take a certification course, or sign up for a workshop that builds new skills. Just make sure you choose things that will actually help you in your next role, Goldstein says. “Figure out the gap between where you are right now — and the skill set that you have — and the skill set needed in that next role,” she says. “This way, you can make sure you’re not just throwing a bunch of new skills on your resume.”

3.   Add spark to your schedule. If your day-to-day work feels uninspiring, consider adding something that excites you. Whether it’s a creative hobby, a side hustle, or volunteering for an important cause, investing energy outside the office can reinfuse balance and passion in your life. Meanwhile, take stock of the positives your company still offers you, whether that’s stability, benefits, a manageable schedule or a nice boss. Shifting your attention to what you’re grateful for can help you see opportunities where you once saw dead ends.

4.   Build a network. Reach out to old colleagues, connect with professionals in your field, or join an industry association. Expanding your circle can not only create future opportunities, but also provide a support network when you need a morale boost.

  “Just the physical act of starting to have conversations, meeting new people, and building relationships creates action and motion,” Goldstein says. These chats might remind you that you’re not alone — and that your options are wider than they seem. Stasco also suggests connecting with recruiters who specialize in your field (or the one you’re hoping to get into.) “Not all jobs are always posted, so don’t hold back if you do not see a posting.”

5.   Adopt a quality-not-quantity approach to your job hunt. Applying to every job can lead to burnout, frustration, and self-doubt, says Stasco. Instead, focus on where you can get a referral, which can increase your chances of landing that first interview ten-fold, according to Goldstein. And remember: “You have a job and that is the best time to look for another one,” Stasco says.

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