'Fuck it attitude' to everything work-related since hitting 50...

[YankeeDoodleWhat]

That's it. I can't say this in real life but since hitting 50 I just don't seem to care about work-related 'stuff'.

I do my job and am in a very senior role but I've lost all attachment to it. I'm more shocked than anyone as I used to love work and everything surrounding it. Now, I'm annoyed if I have to work an evening or weekend.

Not sure why I've posted, just a rant as I can't say this out loud in the real world 🙂

If anyone's been here and come through, please let me know how. I can't afford to retire or do fewer hours.

It's perimenopause. Lots of women experience loss of motivation and joy. It's a really horrible symptom.

56 due to be 57 in11 days and retiring 4 days after that. Decided a year ago to stop work and balance my life. I can't wait. I have worked hard to ensure a smooth handover, have saved every penny and fortunately have an income from a property so should be ok until my state pension comes in.

I have had some tragedies and now need to focus on me.

Counting down the days and can hardly contain my excitement to finish. Bit tricky as I work with family so I feel guilty leaving but I now need time for me.

I had the dawning realisation just before Christmas that I get paid the same amount if I work all the hours god sends or if I do what I need to do.

I’m still doing my best but all the extra things I did for free in my spare time, staying late at work unpaid etc have stopped. It’s not really appreciated, no matter how much you do, people still turn round and tell you you’ve not done something else so what’s the point?

I am 100% replaceable at work and I’d rather be at home / doing something for me or my family. Life is far too bloody short.

Maybe, maybe not. I'm 43 in perimenopause, could not muster up a shiny shit about my job. It's well paid and remote so that's why I stick around and watch all the politics and bullshit.

But I'm also retraining in my spare time, highly motivated in that, and get great joy from my hobbies and family. I think priorities just shift.

At 50 I suddenly woke up to the fact that I'd had enough of it all (HR management in tech). I couldn't turn back from that point. just knew if I stayed in it another year I'd be churning out the same old stuff in a year's time, going to the same meetings, meeting the same deadlines. I could not get back from that point and every day in the office seemed like one I wouldn't get back.

Packed it in. Downsized my life massively from car to house - everything. Retrained in horticulture and worked as a gardener. I was much, much worse off financially but so much better off in every, single way. Loved it.

I've downsized again, live on peanuts and now I'm retired at 59. I love that even more.

We are kept on this treadmill of bigger house, better car, newer phone to fund big business and 'grow the economy'. It's all total bollocks to keep us tied to the yoke.

Great thread. Can relate so much to many of these posts, so just posting to follow my people 😊
(special mention for @Pancakee who made me laugh with the ‘can do job in my literal sleep’ reference🤣)

Why not change jobs? I changed jobs at 50 and four years on. I can honestly say I absolutely love my job.

If I have a bad day at work I now think 'well it's another day towards my pension' which didn't used to be on my radar. I think being more zen reduces stress really. I still haven't got my 35 years yet for a full govt pension so must plod on

No it's sounds amazing and like passing love and care through the generations.

I'm sorry it hasn't worked out as it should.

I’m 60 this year, I like my job but am counting the days (all 1927 of them) until I can hopefully retire.

I relate to this. I'm 51 and in a very senior role in tech. I still work really hard, but my motivation is gone. My favourite conversation is talking about retirement (prob in 10 years). I've pre-schoolers, so am staying for the money.

Yes, I am forever recalculating my finances hoping I'll get inspiration on how I can retire at 60. That's 7 years away. 14 years is a long way away.

Yep. If I won the lottery I'd be off like a shot. I also used to be very career focused but now just can't be bothered. Won't be able to retire for years yet though, so am currently trying to get my retirement work off the ground so I'll still be able to eat, hopefully.

When it comes to the day job, after 20 years of the same old nonsense, I've learned how to mostly phone it in, as the saying goes.

It isn't actually the job itself (NHS backroom function), it's all the HR and wellbeing nonsense the HR kittens are so earnest about. I just cannot take it seriously. The NHS staff survey results were out earlier this week and honestly, from their reactions it's like the execs had a different report to the published version. I'd love them to do just one day as an actual HCA or even on reception or in the lab.

Actually, on second thoughts I wouldn't, the havoc they'd cause doesn't bear thinking about.

53 and I have no shits left to give!

And we wonder why no one wants to employ women over 50 😆

I think it is a reset - I feel the same, see younger co workers building their careers and moving up the ladder, but have found where I like to be and that is it. My energy is for outside of work now, and for my actual life, not my work. I still do a good job and do my best, but I definitely have given my last fuck about the politics of it all.

Me too.

49 and I make sure my team are well looked after but I've lost my mojo for creating new ventures and working up new ideas. I used to love the creative side but after years of ideas falling on deaf ears only for someone else to come along, suggest exactly the same thing and all of a sudden it's taken up - I just CBA anymore.

Yes happened to me at around the age of 48. At 50 I am starting to come out of it a bit. I think it’s menopause and the realisation that stuff you thought was really important isn’t in the grand scheme of things. I say what I think a lot more as well now which isn’t always good! On the plus side I can stick up for myself a lot better but seem to have lost confidence in other ways such as driving on motorways. Hormones or lack of them do strange things to us women.

Yup 57 and feel the same!

Senior financial services, 49 and just finishing gardening leave as managed to get redundancy after 25+ years. Need to get a new job but struggling with the thought of it. I used to be incredibly driven!

Yep
I'm resigning for retirement at the end of the month 💃 💃

Preparing myself for all the shit that I may get thrown at me in 3 month notice period though. I'm prepared to go off sick if it's ridiculous

I was in a senior corporate role for many years. Climbed the ladder ruthlessly. Loved it, leapt out of bed every morning, keen to get in to work....and then I hit mid 40s, menopause, couple of major bereavements and bam, within 6 months, I didn't give a fuck about work. It all felt ridiculous and futile. That was the beginning of the end. I left, coasted around for a while and now do something utterly different but just part time.

fuck the corporate wank ladder. that is all.

This is the dream!!

59 here and yep had enough. Divorced though which really hits the financial plans so will be working for a few more years yet. Would love redundancy but that’s not going to happen in my sector anymore as they can’t afford it. I’ve given up being passionate and keen as new leaders have their own ideas and are really not interested in listening to the long term staff. They have just advertised and said looking for someone with energy … bloody cheek.