Anyone else just hate working, no matter what the job is?

[DrSheppard]

I'm in a pretty good job right now - the people are nice enough, the pay is very good, the subject matter is relatively interesting and it's flexible (can mostly work from home). But each and every day I struggle. I've felt like this in every job I have, and I've had a fair few! I dislike the routine of work. I dislike meetings and emails and workshops. I hate going into the office especially - I hate the glaring lights, sitting at a desk all day and the feeling of being boxed in. Even in the best of jobs I've had, this feeling never goes away.

I just don't care about work, frankly. I do what I need to do and always get great performance reviews, but I have zero investment in the outcome of what I do. Every day when I log off I breathe a sigh of relief, but the thought of doing this for the next 30+ years is awful. Sometimes I think about retraining but I really don't know if that'd 'fix' it, since I'm already in a well-paid and comfortable role and I've already dabbled in a fair few types of roles. Does anyone else feel this way?

Yep it's shit. And I don't even dislike my job. I'd just rather be doing something else.

Yep- I’d always much rather not be working. Could easily fill my day, I don’t get the pride is work thing, I work to afford life and that’s it.

I never understand people who say that they'd work even if they didn't need to. The money is literally the only thing keeping me there.

Yep! I'm designed to wake up gently in the morning, bake and walk in nature every day.

Instead i'm having palpitations at my desk at the thought of dealing with arse holes everyday for the next 30 years. I've already retrained twice and it's the same situation, just a different job.

Yep 100%. Working in an office gives me anxiety and has lead to more than 1 breakdown. I am now in a job where I am 100% wfh and that helps but I resent having to work. I have an extremely time consuming hobby plus DD + dog + family so could easily fill my time if I didn't work. Still got another 20 years of work before I can retire and that just fills me with dread.
I don't hate my job but I have never got any fulfillment from working.

Ha, yes, id prefer to be a trust fund type.

I could’ve written your post.

I’m exactly the same. Currently in a very well paid job, mostly wfh (which definitely helps) and doing something I kind of find interesting. I’d hand my notice in tomorrow if I won the lottery.

Often think about retraining but like you, I think I’d feel the same whatever I do. I cannot wait to retire. Only another 30ish years to go!

I loved every job I had except the last one before I retired, it was stressful and the commute was dire as traffic over 15 years had increased so much. I also think I had just had enough by then of 35 years in the workplace.

I do get bored easily though so I actually retrained twice, it did mean a decade of studying alongside working taking two further lots of professional exams. My first career lasted till 21. Then 21 to 32 then 32 to 55. With the last career change having two jobs within it.

I like trying lots of things though and have tried a lot of hobbies. Now in retirement I work as a volunteer gardener and as a window dresser and also run a gaming clan. I also helped run a kitchen for 2 years when I first retired that would feed up to 100 people a day.

You may just be like me and get bored far too easily. But then it depends on your energy levels, mine have always been a little insane. Even now having slowed down as retired.

And I struggle to my head around why someone with education and opportunities hasn’t managed to find a job they find stimulating.

My parents were a binman and a cleaner and worked hard for minimal pay, causing themselves longterm physical problems that never went away — they both left school at 13 and had no choices or opportunities, which meant that I realised that my choice of job was both a luxury and one of the most important decisions I would ever make.

@Plentiful I do recognise it's a luxury - I have tried many jobs and even switched university courses to try and get closer to something I liked. But I've concluded it's really not job-specific.

I feel like this too.

Every job I start I am planning my exit.

I cannot seem to be able to accept parts of jobs I don’t like and be grateful for the bits I do. The bad colours the whole thing and I hate mornings. It is very dreadful hating the mornings. I have tried all sorts of combos but do think it’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.

What about something that isn’t office-based, or desk-based? Outdoor? Or where you’re responsible only to yourself, like running your own business?

I have a friend who started medical school at 49, having been a teacher, and another who left academia to be a tree surgeon — he’s delighted with life. I also have a friend who has arranged his life around training for and competing in ultramarathons, and his living (a hostel and coffee shop) is very much set up to service that.

I’ve not been programmed with a work ethic either! I get why we have to, logically, socially and morally - we wouldn’t have “nice things” in our country if we didn’t all pitch in when we can. We don’t want to see the UK crumble even further. But ugh. It can feel like Groundhog Day.

No. I am a primary school teacher. Next year will be my 25th consecutive year in the same job.

When I make a difference to life of a child or a family, there is nothing as good as that feels.

I would still do something in the same field without pay if I won the lottery. I would not work FT though.

I feel like this. I've worked really hard to get to where I am, I'm paid well, treated well, but it's such a slog each day and it feels endless. I'm in my 30s and feel like I'm wishing my life away to get to retirement. And the only way I'll get a decent retirement is to keep slogging away at this job because the financial incentives are so good. So I just suck it up and keep going, but it doesn't feel like the right way to live life!

My husband. Every job he's had he's hated, and it's always everyone else who's the problem 😂

I'm just awful in office based jobs, it's way too monotonous. Couldn't find the passion in retail either, customers would get so irate on a 6.99 jacket, and you were taught to be particular and a perfectionist over folding clothes haha I was like bloody hell it's a piece of clothing, people want to smack me over a nick in a Wooly jumper, it's not CPR 😂

Found it a bit illogical.

Care roles though and jobs that require nurture suits me to the ground.

I could have written this exactly.

I don't enjoy the whole routine. I find it boring. I do what I have to do to get the good performance reviews but I never wake up and think 'yippee, I have work today'. I will say though, that things have gotten better since Covid so at least I can work from home most of the time. I find that makes me feel like I have a better work life balance and can do things in my breaks. I try and avoid going into the office as much as possible.

However, the thought of doing this for the next 40 years fills me with dread so I am doing all that I can to get in a good place financially to either drop down to part time or retire early.

I'm the same and have recently decided to do something about it! I just can't sit behind a desk any more so have applied for completely different roles and will give myself a year to try things and see how it goes. I only work 2 or 3 days a week and can afford to work in a low paid job if that means I'm happier at work which is obviously a huge privilege.

I know someone who felt exactly like you do and had a good job, well paid etc but then chose to leave and became a gardener with a much lower income, no sick pay or benefits etc but he was much happier being outside and his own boss. I have felt the same way in the past and am now retired and happy to do my own thing, not much of a pension but can pay the bills and enough to enjoy life. Still feel guilty though as other retired people do a lot more than me so there will always be something to wonder or worry about.

I think a lot of people feel like this, it’s normal, and it’s also perhaps not really a problem to solve in a lot of cases. It just is. If you have fulfilling stuff outside of work and you can afford the things you need then it’s not really that much of an issue.

I like my work but it would be so much better if I could be left alone in a room with peace and quiet just to get on with the admin work. I find it impossible to fit it in along with dealing with people face to face and constantly answering the phone and doing immediately necessary admin work.

I don't like backlogs and there is no way I'm going to suggest working a few Saturdays again (in perfect peace and to help my mental health) just to get it done when really we need more staff to share the admin work out in the working day. That's not going to happen though.

I hate my job. But I'm freelance, get paid £140 an hour and work from home. I work as little as possible. I could earn a lot more if I worked more hours but I know I would be very unhappy.

You are me. I've had jobs that interest me, pay well, offer development. And I can be and am really good at them. But inside I just don't want to be there at all.
I don't know if it's some sort of low level depression or a weirdness in my boredom thresholds, or Im just in totally the wrong line of work-no idea. I now only take jobs in which there has to be a lot of accountability and scrutiny of what im
doing as otherwise I will just lose motivation totally and start to drift along.