What has your worst work experience been? Who was that boss who gave you such a terrible time that you didn’t felt lost? What’s that one work experience that you can’t say out loud because if you would, you would sound like you’re making up stories? What’s that work that you quit without having a plan B? Where’s that place that you worked at and it made you quit the entire industry and it had you completely change your career path?

We all have that one place. We all have that one boss. I remember early on in my career having a stand-off with one of my bosses. He had this unmatched talent in being an unpleasant person. He had honed his skills in being unlikeable for years and I was in awe at how little I would be bothered if he was hit by a truck as I watched. I would probably even have paid for the truck to be serviced. One day I said enough was enough and there was a passionate exchange of words that will only be written in my biography.

There are many men currently caught up in this situation right now. Even though in many ways workplaces have evolved and things have gotten better, for some people their workstation is still a place that they dread. I’ve seen the online space open up the discourse on how terrible some workplaces are and in some cases, it’s horrifying.

Someone this week asked me what they should do about their toxic work environment and I was stumped. What advice do you dish out in these economically tumultuous times, and with a gazillion bills to pay?

If I was to follow the online experts, I would say just quit. But this is advice I would take on with ten pinches of salt because sometimes it’s not the solution. Not right away anyway.

Yes, I know netizens will ask you to up and leave to protect your mental space but I say you should consider your financial position and the options available to you. Being able to pay rent so you don’t end up homeless, being able to afford food, and having running water and electricity are the underrated basics of a healthy mental space.

Most people don’t have the luxury of just upping and quitting their jobs because the world doesn’t work that way. Your bills and responsibilities don’t care about what you feel and what you’re going through and that’s the harshest part about life. I have spoken out about how people should be better bosses but let’s face it, the bosses from hell are not going anywhere soon.

One needs to figure out how to better balance between their sanity and the financial pressure in this economy where losing your job might have you job hunting for a year or two.

If you’re going through an experience with a bad boss a lot of what you have to do is mitigate the damage as you figure out your options for the future. You can learn how to ‘manage’ your boss better, where applicable, and figure out what their triggers are and how to address them before they come up. You can also figure out your little oasis in your workplace as a way of keeping anchored and as a way of finding purpose. Focus on the things that make you happy about your job and find a way to remember why you’re working and what you’re aiming to achieve.

Most of us are working for money because it will help us achieve other things in our lives and it’s a means to an end. Having a support system that you can vent to after hellish workdays is a plus. Think of people who have your back and refer you to opportunities and encourage you because job hunting is tumultuous and emotionally draining. If you get rejected enough times, you’ll start seeing it as a reflection of yourself and taking it as a personal failure. You’re working in a system that wasn’t designed to see you succeed.

To men going through tough times at work, I honestly wish you had the privilege of being able to lodge complaints and protest and quit your workplace and if you do, power to you. But for those who can’t, hold on a little longer, and hopefully, life will throw you a chance.