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?

Yes. I took a year off and have never been back! 🤣 I love not working and am lucky to be able to do so without needing state help. Work is a chore unless you truly love it. For others, they don’t live it but it becomes a very big part of who they are, particularly those in high profile jobs or professions. They hate it, but it’s who they are.

No. I like to work and be paid for my work. I'm a grafter. I don't understand how people can be content not working. I work part time now due to other commitments and I have lots to do but my brain needs work to give me enough challenges to think about. I'm not a high flyer by any means, nowhere near it.

Absolutely. I was born to be rich and not have to work. Sadly life didn’t work out like that 😂

Yep. I have had jobs that I've sort of enjoyed, but it was the people that I liked, the chatting, the gossip, the pranks, little in-jokes etc. That I like. The knuckling down and taking it all very seriously I find so dull. If I won the lottery I would drop my job in a heartbeat. There are so many other things I want to do with my time. I know it's a childish way to think but I've never understood people who make work their life.

Yep absolutely, I got my undergraduate degree then my masters, tried any which way to get into the police doing a civilian role during the economic crash. I’m finally in a role is what I wanted to do. When I explain to people what my role entails they’re so interested (think Line of Duty), even on the face of it I’m still fascinated myself. But since I had my child and hitting late thirties, I’m just not interested at all. I also WFH with odd office visit, but I will literally get distracted by even the most mundane household jobs just to avoid doing work. Every evening I say it’s going to be different the next day and I’m going to really knuckle down. Every day I end up miserable because I have zero enthusiasm anymore. I have medical conditions that bring brain fog and fatigue, I probably need to accept it’s time to reevaluate my career

Completely agree sitting at a desk for hours every day is killing me
Literally only do it so I can afford to live I hate it

I used to enjoy going to work in previous years, was lucky enough to find work stimulating & company of colleagues enjoyable for most of my working life, but past few years have been a struggle with changes in work force meaning I am on my own in a pokey little office all day with little or no interaction with other staff, and now I can’t be bothered to go out of my way to speak to anyone in nearby offices, so I feel really cut off from people. I applied for a few jobs over past few years with no luck, and the crashing disappointing was hard to bear, so have decided to accept the status quo and I hope to retire slightly earlier, finances permitting, in 7 years time, so literally counting down the days until then.

I'm 50 and due to a couple of health issues, I'm currently not working. I have also been a sahm for a number of years. I used to work in the past couple of decades, full-time then part-time and don't have any financial pressure to work.

Now all dc are at school, I feel bored and restless. I'm trying to structure my days to either volunteer or take part in pleasureable activities. I'm also perimenopausal and have low mood. I am struggling thinking the grass would be greener if I were working (2 days would be ideal). But, the thought of going back to an office feels soul destroying. I have no particular skill set. Be careful what you wish for I guess. I admire people who are happy with lack of structure or have such enthusiasm and passion for interests and hobbies that they don't need work/this kind of purpose or structure. I'm finding myself having to dig deep to work out what I want to do and wonder if I'm getting a sense of filling in time. It's also more difficult to get social interaction - you have to create it, it isn't all set out like it would be in a workplace. I feel overwhelmed by the thought of all this freedom (in between school runs).

My job is something that I do find meaningful. Something I was always passionate about. It's not the job that is the problem.

I just want to do what I want to do when I want to do it, and I hate that work takes up so much of my time. I don't like routines, they bore me quickly. In the summer it's worse because I really resent not being able to spend the day enjoying the sun.

I can't even afford half the things that I want, so sometimes it feels like I'm working my backside off and see very little back. That's due to various factors, and some choices I made, but it can still be a bitter pill to swallow.

Well maybe it wasn’t, but it’s no fun to be 86, widowed after 25 years and to discover you only have 1/10th of your late husband’s pension instead of 1/2 because he retired early. She does have her own pension but it’s small. Like many women -and men - of her generation she did assume husbands provided, her generation didn’t have the same opportunities.

Well this thread is bloody refreshing. Yep. Hate it. Boring, anxiety inducing and a massive waste of time.

Unfortunately, well paid jobs are almost always boring. You are paid to be bored.

There are lots of fun creative jobs that I would rather do, but they are badly paid. So you do your boring job and make sure that you have a fun active social life.

If you have a boring job that is badly paid, that's when you're really in trouble...

Yes. I think it’s Pathological Demand Avoidance for me. I just resent it on a visceral level. I’m mid retraining at the moment, which was fine for a month or so and now it just feels like every other job and I can’t stand to think of doing this for another 30 years. I honestly think I’d rather die. I think most people who feel like this who manage it well are people who end up working for themselves, mostly in creative fields from what I’ve seen, but probably all sorts of fields really.

I love my job. International school teacher.

I could have written this. But for me it’s a new thing as 5 years ago I enjoyed work and wanted to go back after maternity leave. Now I’m just not in any way motivated (have moved roles and companies and have theoretically really interesting work with great colleagues, pay and total autonomy but I just want to lay in bed watching Netflix 😂

I can relate to this, I’m in retail minimum wage, did shit at school & became a parent at 16, so I’ve just gone into low paid jobs time & time again & just been grateful someone has actually given me a job so I can support myself & my kids, I’m in mt early 40’s & lack confidence terribly yet people say I am confident but it’s all a show, I hate exams, my job at the moment I’m doing training it’s a nice place to work the people are lovely.

I have enjoyed work in the past in education but it is very hard to get the balance right between enough stress and then not too much stress. Now my job is less stressful I am not getting enough dopamine hit from it but I think I also have to accept that parts of a job are boring and you just have to do it for the money.

Yes, I have a perfectly ok job - work from home mostly, decent pay- but honestly the way people get so over invested in it, the petty one upmanship and power plays, the way some people seem to identify with their job status to the exclusion of all else - I do it for the money and have so many other interests that if I won the lottery I’d be off without a backwards glance

I've always worked in commercial, however when Covid hit I lost my job and the likelihood of getting another was low, mainly due to my feelings much the same as yours. So I started a cleaning business. I can honestly say I don't get that feeling any more. I have freedom, flexibility, and I love my clients so it never feels like a drag. Of course I'd much rather be laying on a beach or relaxing in a spa but it's generally ok.

Being grateful for a job and enjoying working for other people is two different things. Finding something that you're interested in doesn't mean it will make work enjoyable. The culture of needing to work to bring meaning to your life is odd.

No not really the point is some people realise the working culture is a strange man made mess. I work for someone else and run two businesses the businesses I direct if I did full time yeh my timetable would change but I'd sooner not work at all and still easily full my time with things that interest me but I hate having to earn money to survive. Our culture is a mess.

I actually like my job, but your last sentence is spot on. I genuinely would hate it if it was the thing that brought meaning to my life.

Dont dream of retirement unless you have a partner with a good income to or lots of money yourself to do what you want its boring,i retired at 62 not my choice and couldnt get another job and i still dont enjoy it. Would love a part time job but at my age wont happen.ive a retirement mortage where interest has shotmup, so thats not helping.

Reirement or not working is great if plenty of cash otherwise it isnt believe me.many of my retired wealthier friends are Ok with it. They do what they want go to gym everyday go to spas,have holidays.if i could i d probably be fine, but i cant, so dont knock work just be grateful.

Yes every day since I was 16

Yes, absolutely! I an currently "unemployed" with 13 months to go till retirement. We've had to downsize to another cheaper part of the country as DH is not able to work and anyway, I was bullied at my last job. The DWP are determined to get me into employment for 13 months. I'm not interested but can't say that or i lose my benefits. Worked since I left school, so paid taxes for over 45 years. Cut me some slack!!