45 and lost all motivation for work

[PrincessTuna]

I have a job. It's part time and the hours are excellent for childcare (lone parent with zero support). I earn enough to get by if I live modestly.

After 8 years of doing the job, I'm totally over it. I have new enthusiastic manager and team mates and I just feel weary.

I look at other jobs and the hours dont suit or the money isnt right, and I dont feel fired up by them.

It's such a shame, I used to love my job, felt proud of doing it well. Now I feel lost, stuck and fed up.

Has anyone else hit a wall like this? I wonder if its cos I know I'm trapped until kids are older. Or cos I detest my manager. Or cos I feel increasingly conscious of ageism now I'm experiencing it first hand :-(

So many of us around!

So true what someone said about hearing ideas and thinking "we tried that 10 years ago, didnt work", just feels like a hamster wheel. But less fun.

I think a lot of people feel this way, I certainly do and I'm only 33! In my case my job is ok, parts I hate and other parts I really like but I feel trapped because I know I'm capable of more but am stuck at my current level. I work 22 hours a week and have a 15 minute commute which fits around the DC perfectly and I'd struggle to find another job with this level of flexibility. So on one hand I want to do more, to progress up the ladder, earn more and put more into pensions etc but on the other hand I want to fit around the DC and not have the added stress. It's certainly a conundrum.

Yes, ideas just seem to keep circulating in the workplace and you think 'here we go again'. Perhaps okay when you are more fresh to working life but now in my late forties I have a jaded view of it all and also want to make the most of my life having only recently discovered more of a sense of self (trauma ridden childhood) and things I might like to do. Fortunate not to be pressed into work as I was in my 20's and 30's. Just wishing the state pension would kick in at 60...perimenopause really taking its toll let alone menopause, it's a horrible prospect to think you need to be edging toward 70 before you receive your state pension (I have only small workplace pension but husband has a decent one).

Very interesting thread.
I feel there is probably some sort of overlapping effect of :

1. Older and seen corporate life for a while - everything repeats eventually;
2. Covid "languishing" meaning life has been feeling mehhh
3. The end is in sight (theoretically could retire in 5 years even though would be living VERY frugally) and therefore I'm less inclined to feel it's the right time to try to get a new job

However I'm also conscious that I'm not doing the obvious good stuff (enough) such as ..... exercise; really healthy eating; fun outside of work.

I think I'm in a bit of a rut and need to kick myself up the bum to do something about it !