Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think every workplace has at least one eager beaver who lives for work and has nothing else going on?

113 replies

SnugShaker · 04/08/2025 17:14

There’s always that one person who comes in early, stays late, volunteers for every extra task and seems to have no life outside of work. They act like the office is their whole world and they almost seem proud of it. Meanwhile, the rest of us are just trying to do our jobs and go home.

I get that some people are ambitious or genuinely enjoy their work but does anyone else find it a bit… weird? Like, is it dedication or just a lack of anything else going on?

OP posts:
Original poster
SnugShaker · 04/08/2025 17:34

MushMonster · 04/08/2025 17:25

I think you are wrong in assuming they have no life beyond work. Some, maybe?.. but I would say many people like this do want to progress, they are conciencious and hard working. Plus, private.

I’m sure some of them are just private, conscientious and ambitious. But I guess I’m talking about the ones where it feels performative, like they want to be seen as the most committed or subtly shame others who aren’t doing the same. If it’s genuine and self-contained, great. But when it spills into workplace dynamics or becomes the unspoken standard, it starts to feel a bit much.

OP posts:
dynamiccactus · 04/08/2025 17:28

SnugShaker · 04/08/2025 17:24

I’m not saying they have boring lives by definition, just that sometimes the extreme work focus looks like it comes from not having much going on outside. And I do care, only because it can shift the tone of a whole workplace, where suddenly staying late or doing the most becomes the unspoken norm and the rest of us looks like we’re slacking for wanting balance. It’s not about judging their whole life, more about how it affects team dynamics.

Show quote history

If it affects team dynamics it's the fault of the manager.

But I do get where you are coming from with that because I have a colleague who never seems to stop working. We are at different life stages and she wants promotion but it reflects badly on me if I don't put the same level of effort in.

She does definitely have a life outside work though including a child, a dog, and a horse. I don't think she ever sleeps...

TheChosenTwo · 04/08/2025 17:27

We have someone in the office a bit like this.
She’s the most dedicated worker I’ve ever known but doesn’t cope well under stress and pressure and she’s always volunteering first to pick up any extra work and then has a meltdown if you ask her for the work she was doing for you because ‘I have too much to do’.

before you ask why she’s doing work for me and why am I not doing it myself, it’s mostly finance stuff which most of us don’t have access to and is a part of her job role!!

She’s nice enough but quite tiresome.

MushMonster · 04/08/2025 17:25

I think you are wrong in assuming they have no life beyond work. Some, maybe?.. but I would say many people like this do want to progress, they are conciencious and hard working. Plus, private.

Original poster
SnugShaker · 04/08/2025 17:24

Bluetoothpaste · 04/08/2025 17:17

Some people just really enjoy their jobs and are naturally conscientious.

It doesn’t the mean that they have boring lives or that your life is more interesting than their’s

People choose to spend their time in different ways, I’m not why you care?

Edited

I’m not saying they have boring lives by definition, just that sometimes the extreme work focus looks like it comes from not having much going on outside. And I do care, only because it can shift the tone of a whole workplace, where suddenly staying late or doing the most becomes the unspoken norm and the rest of us looks like we’re slacking for wanting balance. It’s not about judging their whole life, more about how it affects team dynamics.

OP posts:
3678194b · 04/08/2025 17:23

Yep I agree that the ones I've know like this have been on their own/lonely/no kids or whatever. And often in low paying and low status positions.

Then you get the other extreme who regularly call in sick, coming in late, leaving early etc.

YesItsMeYesItsMe · 04/08/2025 17:22

Mine doesn’t! :) I’m the one who would come in early but that’s so I can prep and get situated and have some time away from my kids! And get in the right headspace after a horrendous nursery drop off, usually. All of our staff have LOADS going on outside of work. We’re all music teachers with loads of projects going on outside of work. My kids don’t let me sing or play much at home!

MrsTerryPratchett · 04/08/2025 17:20

I’d take a couple of those over people who are workshy, incompetent and always late. I have a couple of those and they are terrible for morale and teamwork.

DancingLions · 04/08/2025 17:20

I've known people like this and it's generally been because they hate being at home and/or are lonely. (Taking aside those who are doing it from an ambitious perspective).When it's just to avoid going home, I find it quite sad. I love going home! I feel sorry for people who don't see home as a happy place, for whatever reason.

ForFunGoose · 04/08/2025 17:20

We’re all different and you should climb down off your pedestal before you fall.

Gmala · 04/08/2025 17:20

I agree with you and they're always the ones obsessed with what everyone else is doing and write the 'my colleague was 3 minutes late today and it had zero impact on me AIBU to tell our manager' posts.

tooloololoo · 04/08/2025 17:18

Bluetoothpaste · 04/08/2025 17:17

Some people just really enjoy their jobs and are naturally conscientious.

It doesn’t the mean that they have boring lives or that your life is more interesting than their’s

People choose to spend their time in different ways, I’m not why you care?

Edited

This

Bluetoothpaste · 04/08/2025 17:17

Some people just really enjoy their jobs and are naturally conscientious.

It doesn’t the mean that they have boring lives or that your life is more interesting than their’s

People choose to spend their time in different ways, I’m not why you care?

Swipe left for the next trending thread