Would you work if you didn't have to?

[EshSchools]

Sitting here with a virtual pile of very uninspiring admin to do and daydreaming...

Would you work if you didn't have to? For instance if you and the family had a paid off mortgage, good pensions and a windfall. (I'm imagining 1-2 million in the bank). I think I'd give up work and study for a postgrad degree just for fun, but I wonder if I'd feel differently if I like my (quite well paid but dull) office job.

Nope

I love what I do but — it is still only work.

Yes I love my job. I’d do my own ours though and would drop some of the contacts I don’t like doing as much.

*Own hours

No. I can easily fill my life without working.

Absolutely not. I’d love to be a lady who lunches.

Some of the comments seem needlessly snotty about the "pitiful" people who would continue to work.

While I recognise that everyone is different, it should also be acknowledged some people genuinely have fulfilling, intellectually challenging and worthwhile jobs which make a positive impact on the world and have a meaning far beyond mere "paid employment".

Thank you @Ardnassa

I have hobbies, but none of them are particularly time consuming. We don't meet up with many people as a couple, even in "normal" times because my husband is so deeply unsociable. I have local friends that I meet up with, but they all work so that only takes up a morning every few weeks. The volunteering I used to do has been cancelled due to covid. DD is away at university and we have no family locally so my lifestyle is not at all time hungry.

I would like to know what people would do if they didn't work.

If we were pandemic free we would travel more and I would volunteer more. Nothing else would change though.

I wouldn't work if I didn't have to.

I'm working on plans to go to uni in a couple of years, I still need to be able to earn enough to cover our costs (single parent), but if I won enough money to cover costs, I'd certainly quit working and concentrate on the course.

I've also got a range of interests and hobbies, so plenty to fill my time up.

What are these time consuming hobbies that people have?
Maybe I need to take up some new interests.

I already have my plan if I win the lottery. I love my job as a carer although at the age of 53 there are aches and twinges that didn't use to be there. I want to foster dogs. Both of mine are rescues and we did foster one of the brothers for a while. I would love to do this and have it all planned out in my mind.

@Ginfordinner before my body broke and my hands functioned properly. I used to do crafting. I could spend hours and hours making wooden toys and games for my sisters school. And I mean hours. I would watch B rated movies on my dvd and just paint and create educational toys.

I loved it so much. First year this year at Xmas where I cannot make anything. I don’t really know what to do with myself really.

I might, but I would do something I would fully enjoy like being an author.

I can honestly say that I have zero interest in crafting. I'm sorry that your health issues prevent you from doing what you enjoy most.

Yes, but I would have my own business.

Six months ago I would have said yes, but since furlough I’ve realised that I can fill my day with exercise, dog walks, siestas and baking. I’d love to retire !

No. Not in the way that so many of us seem to have to - 6 monthly 'performance management' meetings where you're supposed to come up with personal targets for development. Ffs, I'm a school admin officer. I'm doing that job for the simple reason that we need the money and it fits in with dc. Dc are my main raison d'etre. If we didn't need the money, I can assure you I wouldn't be putting myself through this shit. Personal development targets? Really? Every six months - what is there to get excited about - I suppose I could learn a new way of answering the phone, perhaps with my toes so that I could continue typing with both hands? Or could I develop myself by shredding confidential documents with my teeth rather than the shredding machine? So much to get excited about.

What's even worse is that I dread these 'PM' meetings. Feel sick to my stomach like a child in front of the headteacher. Absolutely hate it.

I love my job so definitely!

If i somehow ended up a multi millionaire then id maybe stop, or perhaps go part time. but id really miss it.

“Don’t have to” is very relative.

DH earns a decent six figures so theoretically I don’t “have” to work.

But I earn multiples of his salary and I like the security/lifestyle/status that comes with that. So I continue to work and enjoy it.

Now if I won the euro millions I might give it up...,

Yes, but I love my job and I worked really hard to get it. I wouldn't do it full time, but I'd do 2 or 3 days a week.
Also, I want my DCs to see me work.

Nope!

Yes, part time but something I loved.

Nope. I would give up work and spend my days going for runs with the dog, take up horse riding again, going for coffees and cake, going to the cinema, shopping. I will happily do all these things alone. I wfh and I'm alone anyway. I believe I was born to be a lady of leisure.

Hell no. Not a chance. Then again I've never found the perfect job. Yes some jobs are better than others, but every job I've ever had has had its problems. If I had a passion for a career then I might have a different viewpoint.

Yes but go part time or it might give me the freedom to retrain and do something totally different. Something I'm passionate about not just in the field I trained in