To ask WHY you work

This for me too.

Five years ago and through the first half of my career, I would say I worked for learning, challenge and money. Now I just work for money. I wouldn’t be at leisure if I stopped working for money but I’d do something much more purpose driven and creative - like write books and make films and serve in social advocacy/ community engagement roles , which don’t tend to bring in enough money to be my ‘work’ and I have squeezed in around the edges for the last twenty years.

I only work for money. I do interact with a lot of people, which can sometimes be fun, but if I wasn't working I would find another way to do that on my terms.

I can't imagine not working. I love it, and I'm temperamentally unsuited to not having a lot to do.

Self respect and so as not to starve.

Yes - I agree with you. Fortunately my husband is very hands on and everything is s pretty equal apart from feeding the baby.

I will go back to work, partly because I have to in order to maintain our quality of life. Also, I’ve trained for a long time to get to where I am in my career and it would be very difficult to return after a break. So I’ll keep going so as not to throw it all away. In an ideal world I’d go very, very part time and then maybe increase hours once they are all at school.

But if I won the lottery, I’d either quit or perhaps do one day a week. 😂

Im in my 50's. Not in the UK.
When DH retired we moved abroad.
Theoretical I dont need to work, as in we could technically survive on his pensions/ investments. Tried it forr 6 months and hated it. I now work p/t and really enjoy it, plus the money is a nice cushion. I know Im in a very privileged position. Before that I worked F/T plus bank shifts purely for the money - for luxuries like food, mortgage and heat.

To pay the bills.

I only work part time around children and would still much rather not be there. I can think of a hundred more interesting things to do with my time over sitting at a desk making money for my (already hideously wealthy) boss.

My DM never worked a day in her life after her children were born. She looks ten years younger and seems far happier than the women of a similar age I work with. Spends her time gardening, volunteering, spending time with friends and family, going on holiday, pottering around the shops, doing the crossword. Sounds wonderful to me.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. On their death bed, nobody wishes they spent more time at work.

For money but also for structure. I find the routine is good for my mental health. I WFH so don't feel rushed at all but I do keep to a schedule and it works for me..

In general, for purpose, achievement and socialisation.

Specifically for the job I'm in, for money.

I am in the incredibly fortunate position to not need huge sums of money (no mortgage, house owned out right, no kids)...

I still need money of course, theres two of us and himself is my full time carer (because I am also incredibly unlucky to be disabled with a life limiting condition and chronic illness)...

But... on the lucky side again, I get to do things I absolutely love, and get paid reasonably well for that, it's varied (writing, illustration, advising/consulting) and interesting, much of it I would and in the past, have done for free as a hobby really.

I couldn't not do something, I can't just sit about, the ADHD means I am always looking for things to do and am generally doing several things at once!

I definitely feel better if I have either made/produced something tangible, or I have helped someone.
If I won the EuroMillions tomorrow, I'd be doing exactly as I am doing now.. just in a more accessible and probably bigger (for all the stuff!) house.

This for me too. My work is important and gives my life meaning and purpose. I won't be able to do it forever but I'll do it while I can.

Im 31 so nowhere near retirement. Work in corporate.

I work because I have to. So I can afford my house and food to keep my alive. Any extra I use for holidays and nice things.

I don’t do overtime. I don’t socialise with colleagues. I don’t go “above and beyond”. I don’t have any career “goals”. I don’t bring work home. I don’t think about work or talk about work when I am not in work.

Out of necessity. I’d quit in a minute if I won enough on the lottery and I wouldn’t miss it at all.

Money. To contribute towards supporting my family, and because the things I like to do in my free time aren’t free.

I like my job enough, I’ve reached a senior level and unless i get booted out of the door it might be what i do until retirement. But I wouldn’t choose to work if I didn’t have to.

Because I like work. I find it fulfilling and it grounds me. I went back when dd was settled in school because you can only polish so many times and the kitchen doesn't talk to you. I was 43.

I haven't needed to work for money since DS was about two. He's nearly 31.

I'm going part time in a few weeks. I'm 65 and very worried about not going to work every day.

Can I ask what job you do please? This is an area I'd like to get into

For money although not much of it.

I like the people I work with a lot and the fun we have together.

My job isn't particularly purposeful but I like the variety and challenges it throws at me (most of the time).

I like mentoring colleagues too.

But would I do it for free? No way.

So I can keep my nice home, give my children a secure upbringing and pay for stuff that is more fun than work like holidays!

I’m sure for most people it will be for money. However some people just enjoy their work. My in laws are both nearly 80 and still work part time even though they’re wealthy, because they enjoy what they do.

Money. If I won the lottery I’d travel the world.

Because I don’t want to clean my own house and I wouldn’t be able to pay the cleaner. Or buy biscuits.

For money.

I really enjoy my job but if I didn't go to work to earn money, I would end up filling my time with voluntary work to avoid being bored shitless which would simply be working without earning money.

Filling your time doesn’t always mean having a sense of purpose / fulfilment though.

My job means that people with a lot of money don’t get ripped off. If I didn’t have to be paid, I’d like to do the job but for free people who don’t have a lot of money. That would still be working, I just wouldn’t be paid for it. I also teach the next generation of students to do what I do. In theory I could do that for nothing, but why would I? As is is half my salary for the teaching work goes in tax because I’m a higher rate taxpayer, so effectively I’m doing it for half price and the government has more money because of it.

I could fill my time doing things I found fulfilling but it would inevitably still mean people relied on me and I’d simply be doing someone else’s job for free.

Same here. I wouldn't miss work in the slightest!