Do some people just hate work?

[newjobnewproblems]

Except for maternity leave, I've worked full time or part time (when studying) since I was 16. I'm now 34.

I can honestly say I have hated all the jobs I've done.

First the temp jobs/call centres/supermarket jobs (mostly because they all involved customers getting annoyed with me). And then when I left uni I joined a large organisation on a grad scheme. And I have hated that too. I've tried moving around to different roles and specialisms which I feel are more suited to me but I usually just end up feeling like the grass isn't greener.

Is this just who I am? Do some people just hate work? It's my day off today as I've managed to go down to 4 days a week but I can't enjoy the time, I'm just depressed and miserable worrying about work.

I guess my question is do I just accept I'm the kind of person who will never enjoy work and try and make the best of it. Or is it worth leaving and trying to find something I will enjoy more. In the past my excuse was I was staying for the maternity pay but Idon't think I'm having any more children so no excuses left now...

I go through phases of loving and hating my job. I don’t have a great relationship with my manager which doesn’t help but I’ve always thought that if I won the lottery I’d still work part time. I work in the public sector and it really helps to have that feeling that even if you hate what you’re doing right now, it is helping people. This is always reported in our staff surveys as well so it’s not just me. Would you find that more rewarding?

Can’t say I hate my job I think it helps that I have a good work life balance and I have enough money to live on. I’m not going to get promoted so no pressure there.

If I had to do 9-5 Monday-Friday I imagine I’d get very bored and resentful very quickly

I really enjoy my job. I actually feel excited about tomorrow and knowing what is ahead. I work for the Fire Service.

Had some jobs I didn't like but in general love the whole world of work.

Would I stay if I won the lottery though?...probably not but I'd definitely stay in the same sort or industry but focus more on the charity work side of things.

I hate work too and have never really liked any aspect of it except perhaps socially and making friends. I am definitely the work to live type.

I tend to look at an organisations culture rather than the role now but even that is very difficult.

I've attempted a couple of career changes but pretty much hate my role now as much as I hated the previous.

The company I am working at now used to be great and the kind of place someone like me could thrive, the company owners built a very successful business off realising not everyone is passionate or overly ambitious about work so set about creating a friendly environment with no egos whereby you could just crack on with your job autonomously and valued productivity rather than presenteeism. Payrises and reward wasn't solely for those that shout loudest either and everyone was treated fairly in that respect. There was basically no bs.

Unfortunately they did so well that they were able to sell the business for £20 million to a multinational. This led to a new CEO and new upper management who basically turned the company into same template I've seen everywhere else full of passionate driven types who mostly all can talk nonsense for hours, cue a revolving door of senior management, constant 'initiatives' that don't actually achieve anything, extroverted culture and those that basically want a job rather than a career just looked down upon and cast aside. Any pay increases go to senior management or the passionate types rather than those that quietly just do their job in the background.

I am in the process of looking for yet another new job but it's a real struggle at the moment. I spend most of my life thinking about winning the lottery now.

Wow. This thread has made me realise how lucky I am. I love my job. There are elements of it that really frustrate me, but generally, I love it. I still really look forward to weekends and holidays (well, I did pre-Covid) but have never once had Sunday-evening dread in my current job. In fact I felt like I must be a bad mum because I actually looked forward to returning from my maternity leave!

When I think of friends/family around my age though I do think I'm the exception. Most seem to neither love nor hate their jobs but are somewhere in between.

I do love my job. I’m a secondary school English Teacher and I’ve been doiuit since the early 90s and still love it.

I enjoy my job. I have to do things that are meh, but that’s fine. My pay is reasonable for my lifestyle and will grow with service. My workload is slightly higher than a few of my colleagues, but I appreciate that I’ve been given the opportunity to learn and develop. If I didn’t have to work, I probably wouldn’t in fairness, but until I win the lottery it’ll do

I've worked hundreds of jobs in 31 years. I've not enjoyed any of them. I know I'll never find a job I like but you know... Money.... 😢😢🙄

I used to hate my job!! Hated it with a passion! Gave it up....retrained in a new career and now I am actually excited to go to work! I LOVE my job! It is possible!

@Igglepigglepeppaandgeorge

Yes I think so. That's why it's called work and not fun surely. Enjoying your job is a capitalist myth.

I absolutely love my job

Part of it involves managing a small group of volunteers and if I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd join them.

Op what roles have you done and what sort of things interest you and make you feel good?

I loath working. Apart from needing money it's a massive waste of time.

I’m not a fan of my job at the moment - it was something I dreamed of doing after a decade in another job but it’s lost its shine now - waaaay too many emails, projects, spinning plates, lack of recognition, low pay in a back office& constant re organising to cut costs. After 20 years of work I just want a big break to remember what life is like without having to answer 100 emails a day or constant zoom calls. Might start buying lottery tickets....

I love my job. I am very academic though and have found a job that meets my need for constant intellectual challenge. It also meets my need to have supportive colleagues around me, and my need to feel that what I am doing is serving the community.

I have discovered that if any one of those ingredients is missing then I enjoy my job far less. And if all 3 are missing then I hate the job.

So working out what makes you tick and prioritising that when you can is key. I could probably earn many multiples of my salary in private practice but I wouldn't feel that spring in my step

I hate work as well but I don’t particular like the job. It’s stressful but it’s just a stopping gap. Still don’t know what I want to do. It can’t imagine people like going into work. I think as well you need to be a morning person. As someone who struggles to sleep, especially when having to get up early it can be very difficult. And then there’s the commuting as well :/. It’s also a never ending cycle. With school/uni you get summer holidays, half term etc. With work you only get a set amount of annual leave and then you have to go back to work again.

It's not particularly my job I hate; it's work.
I don't enjoy having to get up, having to be polite, or anything about work really.

I really resent having to devote so many hours to it, year in, year out.

Work to live or live to work.
I've come to terms with the fact that I work to live, and I will always resent it. I actually don't mind my actual job, and in the past I've had some great colleagues who are now my best friends. I even look back and am grateful for the things I've learned and the skills I've developed. But each and every day I dream about making my escape. Because there is so much more important stuff out there to be doing. Spending time with family. Learning new things. Travelling. Appreciating the world around us. Why should I spend 60% of the money I earn to live in a house in a place I don't really want to be, but have to be for work, paying for a car I need to commute to my job...etcetc. the nonsense of it really gets to me.
I'm the opposite of work shy, I work my ass off in every job I've done. But I've resented it constantly too.

Of course. It’s ‘work’, not hobby, or actual life. I’ve despised every way I have sold my time and labour over the years, I love my actual life and free time. Selling my body, labour and life so I can survive is utter bullshit. Most women I know get through it by producing child after child, to get their Year Off 🙄 and thus the cycle continues.

I love my job. I am very academic though and have found a job that meets my need for constant intellectual challenge. It also meets my need to have supportive colleagues around me

I'm not an academic or as clever as you, but that more or less sums up why I love my job. I feel validated, I feel challenged, I support my workmates (yes workmates, not colleagues) and they support me.

I hate working too.

Never had a ‘professional’ job though, (trying my best to get one).

At least being paid the national average salary (or more) would make a huge difference as I could afford to treat myself to take my mind off work.

(Before lockdown) I’d feel physically sick to my stomach whilst commuting to the office, and so many times I’d end up crying in a work cubicle. Also, many times I’ve cried on the train going home due to exhaustion and feeling stuck in a dead end job.

I can accept not enjoying work, but I find it really hard being paid so little AND disliking work. Still struggling to find any job with progression / better pay...

My life changed when I started my own business. After 25 years as a divorce lawyer, absorbing all sorts of misery, hatred and anger from clients I retrained as a Will writer and have never looked back.

Working for yourself is a totally different ballgame

Yes there is a lot of romanticism about being self employed. As an entrepreneur you take a lot of risks. There is no sick or holiday pay or pension scheme. You have to bring in the business yourself. And there are the shit jobs like doing accounts and VAT if you dont particularly enjoy working with figures.

What I do relish is not being responsible to or for anyone but myself and not being accountable to anyone else. I was never fond of working in teams so I enjoy the flexibility and the independence and the ability to set my own hours. There are some very creative aspects to my work so I enjoy those and tolerate the shitty bits.

If I won the euro lottery I would give it all up in a heartbeat and be a lady of leisure.

I think I'd like work if I was good at it, or even average. Unfortunately I'm bad at it. Not just my current job, but every job. I'm not smart, I have no common sense, I'm awkward, clumsy, forgetful, terrible social skills, just bad all around really. So I don't think work is for me.

My DH wouldn't mind if I wanted to be a sahp but unfortunately I'm also bad at that.

My tribe...! I've never met anyone who really enjoys their job irl. It's called work not fun.

I do think that men seem to be better at bearing it. Many women look for meaning/purpose and there isnt much of that in the corporate world of BS. We could all make and use less.

I have been working as senior manager in charity sector for 10 plus years. Can honestly say I haven’t had a day I haven’t wanted to go to work. I worked in recruitment before that- very well paid but absolutely hated it. I think it is perfectly possible to find a job you enjoy.