Anyone else hate working, no matter what you’re doing?

[whatnoooow]

I’m 38 and I’m hitting the horrific reality that I’ve probably got another 30 years of work to do.

No matter what industry I’ve worked in, as soon as I get about 2 years in to a role, I start to despise it and I can’t keep job hopping in to random industries. My CV will look like a patchwork quilt! The kicker is, I don’t even earn well!

Does anyone else feel like this?

Has anyone got out of this rut?

I hear you OP, I’m 40 and definitely feel like this. I’ve also moved around quite a bit and have never really climbed the ladder - I don’t want the responsibility. I also feel the pressure that at my age I should have some sort of fancy career behind me, but it never appealed to me.

Actually my favourite time working was on a working holiday visa for 2 years - I did all sorts of temp jobs while I travelled: bar work, cleaner, worked on a farm, but it was always to fund my next adventure. My problem was settling down in my 30’s and feeling like I needed to get a ‘proper’ job. It’s never suited me, but I felt like it’s what I was supposed to do.

I know my family think I’m a bit weird, despite having a good education I’ve never really excelled in any job, the truth is I get bored easily and change jobs/ retrain, I can’t stand the bullshit corporate expectations. I just want to left alone, to travel, to learn new things, I don’t even want a fancy lifestyle, but nowadays even paying for the basics is getting harder.

Maybe it is age thing, at 40 years old we’re far enough into our working lives that the novelty has truly worn off, but still so far away from retirement that it’s a pipe dream.

Also, I have this sense of time running out. My lovely dad died last year, my mum is elderly now and getting frailer - I have this real sense of time ticking on and that I have a limited number of healthy years ahead of me. I don’t want to be wasting them in jobs i don’t care about.

I don’t know what the answer is - I’m currently renting in an expensive city to be near to my mum, but I think when she dies I’ll probably move away to somewhere cheap and just try to live very simply without the need to work much.

Actually I might look into retraining (again) just to give me something interesting to look forward to.

Live is too short sell up! Get some of your time back.

I job hopped around for years .Never really had a job with enough money to make me want to stay or progress. At the time could afford to be a SAHM as Ex made enough. But DCs grow up , exes become unemployed and then what . So in my 50s with no real skills, no pension worth talking about and living off a smallish inheritance. I suits me fine to potter around the house but the money is a worry . So unless you can afford not to work think of it as way to fund your retirement. I wish I had as you still want to be comfortable as you get older.

I felt the same late 30s trapped and unfulfilled in a financial services role. Fortunately I was made redundant and having a bit of a break gave me clarity as to what I wanted to do next. Moved to the not for profit sector which I am enjoying much more. The downside is the pay is a lot lower but the work / life balance is great, I work with people who are not only motivated by monetary goals and I no longer feel dead in my soul.

I work in the charity sector and it's the best fit for me. But work is and always has been a major inconvenience to my life. I was a SAHM for about 8 years (though I did do voluntary work and this led on to my current job) and they were my happiest years. It couldn't go on forever though unfortunately.

I relate to this. I have a desk based job and HATE it. It’s got more and more painful to spend so much of my day sitting still, as I got older.

As a 15 year old I promised myself that I’d never have a job where I sat on my arse all day. I wish I’d listened to my wise younger self!

It's unreasonable if the life can't be self funded providing there are no disabilities that prevent someone from working.

The arse sitting has definitely got worse since covid. Pre covid I would be dashing from meeting to meeting on our large site, often doing 5000 steps in a day, getting a bit if fresh air and bumping into colleagues. Teams has been the killer, especially on wfh days.

Work creates happiness, it creates self worth.

…. according to Radio 4 this AM. So there you have it.

I hate working. It feels like a prison to have my time and whereabouts dictated to me. I’ve been longing for retirement since I was about 22 😂

You can always sell it and downsize

Hope you are all putting plenty if money into your pensions so you can retire early!

I would encourage everyone here to really focus on investing into pensions. I know it often feels impossible and there's no spare money, but at 55 It's a comfort to know that if it all got to much I won't be destitute.

Same if you are divorcing. I think it's something a third of female pensioners are living in poverty? (Don't quote me on that). Pension sharing is really important.

I'm totally disillusioned with my job, and don't feel I can give my best which goes against my values. I work in HR and we're all about people policies but we don't practice what we preach and I'm so over it.

They ll be lucky if I make it through the day today

I'm late 40's and there is definitely a 3 year pattern going on with my CV. I have worked in so many different industries, but 2.5-3 years in I get bored and start looking for something else. I just say I have transferable skills. I don't know what I want to do. I am 3 years in this job and looking already but can't find anything as well paid. Feel like i'm losing the will to live and don't know what to do next

Get the qualifications!

Yes absolutely! I don't think anyone on this thread is advocating claiming benefits. But if I want a year off, and both DH (of 20 years) and I are up for it and can afford it, I'll have one.

Find an organisation that looks after its people ... that's they key to a fulfilling HR role.

Well sort of
you were dead at 26 mind
in pain
no teeth
childbirth was risky
if you were ill, no use to the tribe you were left behind
always on alert for predators
no bathing
covered in fleas

Me too OP. I'm 41 and have a job with very good flexibility, pension and a decent salary (though not MN decent!). But I'm not feeling fulfilled - I'm rubbish at change too so I haven't even done the job hopping, just stagnated. I changed roles in a sideways move 3 years ago but the novelty has worn off now. Younger colleagues are overtaking me on the career ladder through presenteeism and generally being super keen while I just feel like I can't be arsed. Can't afford the salary drop or loss of flexibility to retrain in something else.

We don’t have any money 😂 these jobs we don’t like are not well paid in the slightest!

Yep. Hate work.
Never found a job I liked.
I never fail to be astonished at people who say they love their jobs.

@JoyousPinkPeer I thought I had ☺️ this job and the last one. Left a corporate HR job for local government, both promised the world and failed to deliver.

Be lucky if I finish the day without flouncing off.

Great pity as the job can be very rewarding with the right employer. Just do what you can to make a difference as and when you can.

Yes, hate working and always have. I'm in early 50s now and on my second career having retrained in my 30s. Which initially helped but now I'm fed up of it all again. First career was corporate, second in HE. It's all just so pointless, most of it is busy work, lots of bureaucracy, negotiating, stupid waste of time meetings, dealing with ridiculous people, pretending to be enthusiastic/ care. I have no desire to progress/ develop etc etc. I stay where I am as I can WFH and it is decently paid, but am bored to death as have been here too long. The absolute best time of my life was on maternity leave. I'd have loved to be a SAHM. Sadly DH does not earn enough so on I plod (I'm the higher earner). I'd retrain again but can't afford to lose money, and I also have no clue what I would do as nothing appeals. I think something practical as the most fulfilling things at work I have been involved in have been redesign projects. You can actually see the product of your work. Rather than writing pointless reports/ proposals/ presentations all day.

I don't enjoy work. Never have. Even though some of the jobs I've had have been really good, I have never liked the structure of the daily grind.

I co-run a small limited company now and my time is more flexible. But there are some times where I have to be at work and these are the days I dislike the most.

I'd rather not work but that's not an option right now. Roll on retirement!