joining an internal committee that has been tasked with creating a new process or product is a fantastic way to kick your office slump to the curb author levit said so is sniffing out opportunities for professional training and development programs she added same goes for investigating whether its possible to make a lateral move to a new position or department or whether your employer offers a job rotation program where you sample different positions at the company for several months if you dont see any immediate opportunities make a case to your manager for creating your own levit suggested but she cautioned do not approach your boss from the perspective of being miserable and do not sound like you are complaining because this will prompt the response youre lucky to have a job instead levit said say that youre looking for more ways to contribute to the organization during what you know are tough times then propose two or three ideas for broadening your responsibilities and be sure to make the case for how each will benefit the company other ways to reduce your office angst take up a new hobby hit the gym might i suggest a rigorous kickboxing class or spend extra time with friends and family take a little me time the more fulfilling your life is outside of work the less the way you feel about your day job will matter levit said robin an information technology worker in new jersey who asked that her real name not be used concurs to improve her quality of life she negotiated a flexible work schedule that allows her to avoid the rushhour commute i get in very early and leave early said robin whos biding her time until the market improves and shes able to find something else i usually work through lunch i was also able to wrangle one day of telecommuting a week which does help immensely in other words less time at the office fewer headaches researching your next career move can also help ease your workplace pain break the necessary sleuth work into bitesized pieces 15 minutes here 30 minutes there so youre able to keep the momentum going throughout the workweek before you go to bed at night levit said do a selfassessment of your values how you like to work and what youd be compelled to do even if you never got paid on your lunch hour research careers and industries that map to your skills and interests start with the internet and work your way up to picking peoples brains taking relevant classes and scheduling informational interviews by the time the job market improves youll be that much more prepared to nab a new position or start fresh in a new field focusing on someone elses needs or problems can be a wonderful way to stop dwelling on your own to that end levit recommends mentoring a younger colleague at your company or in your industry see if