To have hated every job ive ever had?

Look, just because you hate your jobs doesn't mean it's ok to belittle everyone else who doesn't. It's a you problem.

I know, it's grim. And of course the people who get promoted to the top are the bobbleheads who get right into it and everything worsens.

Yes! There was a time when turning up and doing what you were paid for was enough. Not any more, you have to be passionate!

I find the constant interaction and pressure to deliver exhausting.

You mean people talking to you and expecting you to do your job? I doubt that you will find a role in which this does not happen, even if you work at home or go self-employed.

Also try to remember that only liars or idiots are passionate about some bullshit office job.

Doesn't make the slide shows any less cringe ofc.

This is why I work from home. Jobs get on top of you cos people are mostly awful but if they're far away it's not so bad.

I know cs tries to enforce 3 days but you can probably do a lot less depending on your actual job.

Others have already suggested it, but I cannot stress enough how much dropping to 4 days helped me in this same situation. Not compressing (although even that would help), just dropping hours. With Monday being the day off, which means your weekend isn’t ruined by Monday dread.

Do the maths and if you can afford it at all just do it. It is so so so worth it. Has completely changed my life and outlook for the better. I hesitated initially because it felt wasteful paying for nursery on Mondays when I was off work, but it’s not wasteful at all - it’s the best use of my money I can think of.

At times I have only worked 3 days which was even better but I couldn’t make the finances work long term.

I’m years into this pattern now and would never go back to full-time work.

Public service was the worst for me. Sorry. Very very toxic and jobsworthy. Lots of public money being wasted in huge amounts.

I understand that not all roles are like this but it’s good to have a balance of experiences on a thread.

Then go non corporate. I've spent my career in public service, at least you feel like you're doing something valid and not just making more money for rich people 🤷‍♀️

Me too.
I hate work.

My weekends are busy doing things i love, but i now resent that because it makes them go too quickly. From Sunday morning the feelings of dread and anxiety are creeping in

Absolutely the same. 100%. I felt like this even when I worked 3 days a week - in fact I think it was worse because I had to squeeze so much work in to those 3 days. I didn’t sleep properly for 2 years due to the worry.

I don’t know what the answer is but I’m with you OP

I was like this until I landed a job teaching adult learners, I absolutely adored that job and put my all into it. Was made redundant 3 months later when the company went bust (deliberate action of the CEO) and now I am back to square one. That's a nice story, isn't it?

I hope you find something you love OP. 🙂

You're not alone, I promise. Lots of people have similar feelings to you. I think a lot of people make peace with jobs they can stand to do at a pay point that suits. I genuinely like my current role but I've definitely "made my peace" with past ones. I still have some stressful days and get nervous if I've been out of office for a bit. But overall I like my job.

I am not one of those people who climb the walls if they're away from work for more than an extra day though. I can always find something to do to entertain or occupy myself and I genuinely would have been happy at home in the 50s - my mental counter to this to keep myself in balance is that I also appreciate my pay cheque.

I actually think schools have a lot to answer for. The emphasis on finding what you want to do can be really overwhelming. I never got any real careers advice at school. I was quite high achieving but I was never completely sure what I wanted to do and they didn't quite know what to do with me other than pass me along to become a riddle to a university instead! I'm not unambitious but not having a direction did not help me.

I think for most people in this position they have to learn to suck it up, which is to say to reframe things so they recognise they don’t have to love work; to keep a job in the 9-5 zone, to be grateful that work gives them the house and activities they love, and that every day they only have to work till 5. It’s like washing dishes and clothes, nobody loves it but they have to get done, and the people who don’t do them live in shitholes. Out of those who don’t manage to do this, a very few discover their passion and bust a gut to make a success of that, some are supported by a partner but most probably end up unhappy and not very well off.im being blunt but honest.

Following! I am very similar. Although I blame the industry I worked in (which I’ve just left) so am looking for a new role.

Its taken me a long while to realise self worth doesn’t depend on how happy or successful you are at work (which my parents and grandparents instilled)

I was also brought up believing that only successful and worthy people stayed in jobs for years and years. Which is absolutely nonsense.

Only problem is that I worked in such a dreadful industry I can’t remember what I enjoy or what I’m good at

I'm absolutely like this, even in a job I trained for which I have high interest in. I used to cry in the car every day driving to work, could never get to work on time and couldn't cope with the office politics. I am now self employed which in some regards is easier as I can crash on the bed if needed, but still have anxiety.

Actually no. For most of us it's fine, we enjoy our jobs ok but don't love them, or easily tolerate them. Lots of us don't find it particularly stressful or depressing. We enjoy our colleagues and/or can be proud of our work. We find work that interests us. Some days are easier than others

This notion that a handful of people absolutely love their jobs and everyone else is miserable and depressed hating this is just silly.

I feel the same. I so wish I could be a stay at home mum. I have never been happier than on maternity leave. All anxiety, low mood, stress etc gone. I love pretty much every day and wish staying with my kids permanently was an option.

It is, just takes a lot of time and effort. It took me two years of working on my art business to see enough income to drop a day at work. My friend is making a decent income by doing markets where she sells custom pet portraits and jewelry. Another friend just landed an illustration contract with a publisher. It's very hard and time-consuming but it can be done. You may just need to think laterally and pivot your art skills towards something which has wider appeal (surface pattern design, packaging design, stationery, greeting cards etc.)

It took me until my 30s to realise that for many, the idea of a dream job is unattainable and is just a corporate idea. Humans weren’t meant to work in an office 9-5. Unless you’re a doctor, or a vet or someone with a similar vocation where you know you’ve always wanted to work in that field, none of us ‘dream’ about work. I certainly don’t dream about managing projects or reporting financial figures back to partners. We put far too much pressure on ourselves to love our job, and it’s just not realistic.

I suppose it’s about trying to reframe your mindset. Trying to find a job that you don’t ‘hate’ per se, but can tolerate enough to clock in, do your job, and get paid at the end of the month. I don’t live for work, I work so I can spend the £ on the things that enrich me. Like trips away, materials for my hobbies, books, skincare and makeup I love, nice homewear.

One thing I’ve found that helps is working compressed hours. I work Monday-Thursday and have every Friday-Sunday off, and that extra day makes the world of difference.

I love my job most of the time but I am also hoping to transition to 4 day contract in April. The saving grace for me was finding a job which is 100% remote. I don't have to deal with office politics, I don't have to commute and this is removing most of the stressors. It is also very important for me to have complete autonomy. In the last 4 years I managed to land jobs where I have very little supervision and am basically free in how I manage my time and tasks. It's nice to be able to do that without additional pressures of being self-employed.

You need a new job! What are your interests? What would you like to do? What training could you do to get there? You can change this.

You are not alone! I have always felt like this. WFH helps me massively, I can't do office politics and being in an office has previously made me have a breakdown. I have an extremely busy life outside of work (horse owner etc) so work stops me doing what I want to be doing but at the same time enables me to do my passion in life.
I am late 40s now and DH and I have agreed that once mortgage is paid off + DD through uni (8 years) we will both downsize our jobs and just have small part time ones to cover bills etc. This makes it all more bearable as I can count down the next 8 years even though I can't afford to properly retire until I'm 67.

I have never known what i wanted to do so have just drifted into careers which I have no passion for.

Some of its also about reframing to make it more bearable. Can you focus at all on the bits you enjoy and systematise the other bits so they take less time?
What does the money that you earn by working provide for you? Eg security, holidays, treats? Admittedly with col that lost might be reduced!