Does anyone else hate working no matter the job?

I never minded work was a bit of a workaholic as long as I was in charge.

Why would changing jobs have to mean a drop in salary? That's not normal.

I like my job, no stress, proper work life balance, amazing boss, colleagues etc.
But if I had a choice I wouldn’t work. I’m 57 and have worked FT since I was 16.
I’ve had enough now.

I’m mid 40s and I’d definitely like to drop down to 4 days a week if possible. (I mean 1 day a week would be lovely). But I’m also grateful to have a job, as much as I moan.

I hate to break it to you, but you are in charge of your own life and no one is going to come and rescue you. Start with a plan of small steps you can take to work towards the life you want.

I feel exactly the same as you. I’m so drained and bored and frustrated, and life is too expensive. I’d love to be in a position where I didn’t have to work and could just live a leisurely, easy, simple life.

Just found out my job is at serious risk of redundancy. I’m terrified about what this could mean but a big part of me is desperate for a break - though I have mad anxiety about not finding another role that pays enough to just barely scrape by like I do now. It’s horrible. It’s no way to live.

Job satisfaction is mildly heritable and a quick google shows that around 30% of people are genetically predisposed to be dissatisfied with work.

Sorry that could be you!

Yes,I can't get round the idea that I have one life and most of it is spent at work!

I don't really enjoy my job, but changing means starting at a lower salary which I can't afford. I know I'm not fulfilling my potential at all.

I have found so far that working for myself at a good hourly rate is better than working for a company. It's often the office politics and useless meetings that are the worst. There is no such thing as an easy job I don't think.

I hate working. I was fortunate to go down to a four day week, then a three day week in my mid 30s which gave me plenty of time to do stuff I actually wanted to be doing. I've never earned anything spectacular either because I had enough, and didn't want to spend more time working to progress.

I was a very high achiever at school and outside of work! It's like the fact that something is compulsory, every day, makes even fun stuff no longer fun. I envy people who love their job.

It didn't help that my job was basically pointless paper shuffling.

I gave up ASAP upon having kids and absolutely love being a sahm. I suppose it's work, but it just feels like spending time with my favourite person.

Work to live don’t live to work is the only advice I can give

This sounds like me

Nothing in anybody's life is on their terms - you are not alone in this.

I am excellent at organising and using my time, if anything work slows me down because I have to involve other people.

My hours spent working are the least productive ones I spent all day! I worked 4 days a week a few years back and on the fifth day I did consultancy work, cooked, exercised and gained a new qualification.

I am task oriented, but being employed is a drag.

Soon as you monetise hobbies it takes the fun away

I don’t hate my job or working but I consistently hate having to rush to get up in the morning and sit in the rush hour traffic. Hate it. My best sleep time is early morning so I often feel I should actually be sleeping when I’m getting up/commuting. My mum said once to me that I’d find it easier to get up in the morning the older I got… I’m still waiting for that!!!

I’m another one who think making a hobby my job would be a disaster.

I love my hobbies purely because I can do them at my leisure!

I feel the same. Even when I was a child I never had a dream job or career. From a young age I was saying I would take whatever job allowed me to be there to do school pick up and drop off.
I've never been passionate about any job I've ever had and it's never been anything more than a necessity for me. I have hobbies and interests but I can't think of anything worse than making a hobby in to a job. I've thought long and hard about what jobs I could possibly enjoy and I've come up with nothing.

I'm older than you (50 next year), but i have never really enjoyed working. I have chopped and changed a lot (roles, companies and even a complete career pivot from private to public sector), hoping things will be different but they never are! I just find it a mix of boring, stressful and annoying. Endless demands, emails, spreadsheets, reports, meetings, teams chats...I would walk away tomorrow if money was no object.

I do like the routine that work provides (and of course the salary!) and have met some wonderful people and good friends through work, but i feel I could recreate all that in other ways. I used to enjoy bar work and restaurant work, and one of my favourite jobs ever was in a nursing home (giving out tea trays to the residents). Maybe more sociable, defined tasks, a clear 'end point' to the day/shift are better for me...but they tend to be low paid and although I've never been a high earner, I do like some luxuries.

Since I have become full time carer for my elderly dad, I have even less motivation at work...which in turn makes it more stressful, but i just don't have the energy. I need to find a better way somehow, as between the job and my dad, it all feels like an endless grind..

Do think about your pension though, I didn't at your age and am sorely regretting it now.

Yes. I do. I’m a lawyer just about to end my year long career break and it’s been BLISS.

I was born just to be posh, rich and idle but sadly it wasn’t to be.

I gave up teaching after 20 years even though the pay wasn’t bad (once you’re at the top of the pay scale) and the holidays were amazing because I just felt it was too hard and too stressful. I sometimes enjoyed it but I was always counting the days until the next holiday. Now I work from home in a very low stress job but the pay and holidays are shite and I am bored out of my tree. I think I’m just impossible to please.

100% agree OP.

I don’t hate working. I hate working full time. I’m perfectly happy working a couple of days a week or even more so long as the hours shift around and I don’t have to just plod into the same room 5 days a week from 8-6 or whatever it is over and over and over for years.

Its the monotony of the routine I despise. I’ve never been an organised, rigid, routine driven person.

In order to avoid said monotony, every few years I do something stupid and quit and move abroad or do a new degree. It’s been fun. I’m on degree number 3.

I know what you mean but it’s a downer to spend years feeling like this.
I think because we get told we can do what we love, it seems like lifelong disappointment, especially if you know people who love working