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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think some people just aren't suited to 9-5 office work for someone else

42 replies

bonded · 30/10/2014 12:44

Hi,

I've recently taken up a new job. It is earning a lot more than I used to but I still really don't like it. I've always worked for myself in the past.

I just want to quit it but everyone says give it more time. I miss being able to just work when I like. Dislike all this brown nosing in the office. Find sat at a desk incredibly dull and restrictive. Hate having to wear a coat inside as the air con is so high. Hate the stale air from having the windows shut. Hate having to write objectives and all this other stuff. General dislike the office politics.

Aibu to just quit after 3 weeks?

OP posts:

dashoflime · 30/10/2014 12:47

Yes.

You need to leave it another month to be sure. The first 3 weeks in any job would be a difficult adjustment. If you leave it a bit longer you can be sure its really the job you don't like rather than the process of starting a job.

Buy a cardigan and keep it by your desk for the air con.

UptheHammers1 · 30/10/2014 12:48

We all hate it.... Office work is shit, but you know what, its a job and it's only been 3 weeks so keep going.

Given the chance millions of office workers would rather be working for themselves but it's difficult to start up your own company and be a success. good luck

Original poster

bonded · 30/10/2014 12:49

Thanks, realistically I've given myself until the end of the year before I quit. I know its not far away, but each day seems to go by so slowly

OP posts:

WalkingInMemphis · 30/10/2014 12:52

If you have no other job/means to support yourself then yes ywbu to just quite because you 'don't like it'. Suck it up, deal with it until you find something better.

to think some people just aren't suited to 9-5 office work - generally regarding this yanbu. It doesn't suit everyone. I work in an office (have for 9 years) and it suits me - I like my (mainly) desk job. I would hate to work in anything retail, very physical, up and about all the time. I'm not really lazy but I would still hate it.

DH on the other hand is a manager in retail. Although he's probably half and half in terms of behind a desk/around the store I would detest his job...mucking in with deliveries, walking round to review thousands of square foot of space...mucky stock rooms and huge items to be arranged. I like my nice clean desk with my stack of orderly paperwork and have learnt to 'play the game' of office politics. He would hate it, and office environment would kill dh because he's such a people person and likes general chaos, people everywhere etc.

dashoflime · 30/10/2014 12:52

bonded I have about that amount of time before mat leave. It feels like a long time to me as well.
It makes sense though- things that make work worthwhile like getting engrossed in your tasks, meeting people you enjoy chatting to at lunch ect.. might start happening by then.
If they haven't then you can say that you gave it a shot and it wasn't for you.

WalkingInMemphis · 30/10/2014 12:53

We all hate it.... Office work is shit

Nope...not everyone.

Fairylea · 30/10/2014 12:55

I guess it depends how much you need the money doesn't it really? If you can leave for something else that's the best option or if you can manage financially otherwise.

I hate office jobs. Had loads of them and hated every single one including being senior marketing manager for a large London company. The happiest I've ever been is working for 16 hours a week at a small local owned bakery - which was the only work I could find when I was made redundant. It changed my outlook completely and I would now have to be dragged back kicking and screaming into an office even though I went from earning £40k plus a year to about £95 a week.

I'm now a sahm and very happy being at home. If I go back to work it will either be part time customer facing work or to retrain as a tattooist as I love art and am building a portfolio.

I truly believe office work doesn't suit everyone.

AMumInScotland · 30/10/2014 13:06

I think you have to decide which bits of the 'job' are actually necessary and which aren't.

The brown nosing and office politics are optional. Turn up, do your job, show a decent attitude, and keep out of the rest of it.

Writing objectives etc is probably required - just do it, quickly and efficiently, and get back to the rest of the job, assuming you don't hate every part of it.

Get outside during your lunch break if fresh air and moving around are something you miss. And take what opportunities you have to move around - obviously that depends on the kind of job.

Original poster

bonded · 30/10/2014 13:11

Dashoflime I'm glad its not just me that feels like that, everyone say wait till Xmas but really it seems so far away!

Thanks fairy. Well that's probably another point, I don't really need the money. Every week I work here I bank enough to live off for two weeks, but only because I'm very frugal. Not really into fancy clothes and cars so I don't really need the extra money this job is brining. I would eventually like to have a bigger home but really I would need to save for years at this well paid job to afford that, no way can I do this!

OP posts:

championnibbler · 30/10/2014 13:21

YANBU.
Office work doesn't suit everyone. I worked in a number of different office jobs for about 7 years and some were ok, but I just never took to it. I left in the end and retrained into a different non-office based profession.
I worked in retail and in restaurants for a while too when I was younger. I hated being on my feet all day and it wore me out. The hours were so horribly unsociable too.
if I were you, i'd stick it out till January. Just for the extra money, which would tide you over the expensive Xmas period. then i would hand in my notice in early 2015. Life is way too short to be stuck in a job you loathe.

nannynoss · 30/10/2014 13:28

Depends if you can survive financially without work for a while.
My best friend's fiancé has just quit his job after four days because he didn't like it, now they are in a panic about how to pay their bills.

dashoflime · 30/10/2014 13:28

bonded Time really drags when your in limbo!

Just make sure you don't get used to the extra money or it will get harder to leave!

Original poster

bonded · 30/10/2014 13:39

That's it lime, I know its only short term so I thought that would make it easier to deal with, but actually does the opposite!

Because I don't like this job its made me save even harder as I know I won't be here for long!

Money really isn't the issue, I have enough to live of (frugually) for a reasonably long time while I decide what to do next.

Thanks champ, I think I really need to retrain into something I like / find bearable

OP posts:

GetMe · 30/10/2014 13:42

I think Dash made a lot of sense. You need to sort of structure your day in a way where it's less tedious, save some of the tasks you enjoy for times of the day you are struggling, like mid afternoon.

Find people you enjoy having a quick chat to on the way for a coffee and use this as a 'reward' after a boring piece of work. Find jobs where you can move from your desk, just a bit of photocopying for example! And yes to finding nice people to lunch with really helps break up the day.

Sounds a bit silly but it does help break up the day and make it more interesting. Doing all this can take a bit of time whilst you settle into the role and get to know the place/people.

I really struggled with office work too, it can be very draining. I eventually got senior enough where I could arrange external meetings/work related events out of the office to break up the week, can you do this at all?

UptheHammers1 · 30/10/2014 13:44

Walkingin - you are right, I was generalising a little too much when I said everybody hates office work. I’ve worked in an office now for 14 years and it kills me every-day, each day drags so badly but it pays a lot more than any other job I’ve had so I’ll have to suck it up and stick at it, I shouldn’t moan, it’s warm during the winter, hot tea all day, nice canteen, costa coffee in the building and sat of my arse all day.

Libitina · 30/10/2014 13:46

I once lasted a week in an office job. Definitely not for me. Don't quit unless you have another job or another way of supporting yourself financially.
However, life is too short to be unhappy when it's something you can easily change.

LookingThroughTheFog · 30/10/2014 13:46

Oh Lord, I'd be out of my job like a shot if I had the option. If that's an option to you, if the money isn't relevant, then I don't know why you'd willingly choose to do something that you hate for 8 hours a day.

My job has utterly knackered my mental health. I will never be 'normal' again. There's no way I'd suggest someone who didn't need to should stay in a job that seems to only causing them negative emotions.

Yes 3 weeks is a short time. Yes it may be that you find a best friend in the next few weeks. Personally, I think that giving it until Christmas is a reasonable compromise.

(I'm retraining, by the way. It's a massive amount of work short term that will hopefully pay off long term. In the meantime I have to stay here, but I love the thinking of the various people who are setting themselves free and thinking that one day, it might be my turn. It keeps me going.)

19lottie82 · 30/10/2014 13:49

I don't think anyone really "likes" office work (well, apart from the odd weirdo!). If you've been working for yourself, then yes, it will be a bit of a shock . But at the end of the day, it's a job, that pays, and you've only been there 3 weeks. That is not enough time to settle in to a new job, become familiar with your work and get to know people. It usually takes me at least 3 months before I settle in somewhere.

If you can afford to chuck it and be unemployed, then go for it, but otherwise just bite the bullet and get on with it (whilst looking for something else).

I don't think the majority of people like their jobs TBH, but they are a means to an end.

googoodolly · 30/10/2014 13:53

I'm definitely not suited to office work, I'm too easily distracted and I couldn't do a job that involved sitting in front of a screen all day.

I work full-time in retail and while the money isn't great, I love it. I'm up early and done for the day at 2pm at the latest, which means I can then go home and forget about everything.

I have anxiety, which is under control for the most part, but I couldn't handle a job that I bring home with me - I like clocking out and being able to forget about work until the next day. DP's job is half physical labour, half office work and he HATES the office side of things too, but he has other colleagues that are the other way around.

If you don't need the money, don't waste your life doing something you hate. It's not worth it if it's not necessary.

Original poster

bonded · 30/10/2014 14:11

Well leaving and living of my savings is a bit stressful. I know I'm very lucky, but at the same time not having a regular income would be stressful.

I kind of got the job by thinking I want some more money and wasn't expecting to get it. But they offered it to me on the day I interviewed and seemed so good on paper I couldn't say no.

Im planning on using my holiday to go down to 4 days a week soon, hopefully that will make it pass quicker.

OP posts:

Original poster

bonded · 30/10/2014 14:12

while the money isn't great, I love it.

Sounds good, you've got your priorities right!

OP posts:

googoodolly · 30/10/2014 14:17

Sounds good, you've got your priorities right!

Yeah, luckily I don't have to worry too much about money. DP and I don't earn mega bucks BUT we also don't have huge outgoings and we have a decent amount in savings considering what we earn. I think if you can afford to do a less-well paying job which'll make you happy, then it's worth it.

ouryve · 30/10/2014 14:20

I suppose it depends what you mean by office work. DH's work is office work by its very nature - he's a software developer. He's usually too busy thinking something through and too downright oblivious to have any time for office politics.

If you want to leave, I'd definitely be using that one day a week to make concrete plans for what you want to do instead and work out, for real, whether you would be able to start something of your own from scratch or you'd be better working part time while you either worked on something of your own or worked on achieving some necessary skills and qualifications for the rest of the week.

NightOfTheLivingRed · 30/10/2014 14:22

Actually, I think you should go now. Simply because this is not about giving it another few weeks to settle in and adjust, in your head, it is only about staying long enough to satisfy people saying "give it time". If you know you are not staying, regardless, then leave now.

As far as hating office work goes, it may depend on the office. I hated desk jobs with large companies/offices, but absolutely loved some stints in very small outfits where there were almost no politics and days were very varied because the desk job covered ..... everything!

Nothing is going to beat working for yourself, and setting your own agenda. Not everyone can do it successfully, as it takes a lot of self discipline, but if you can......why are you working for someone else?

raltheraffe · 30/10/2014 14:39

If you have been there 3 weeks and really hate it I would quit. You may find that there is a clause in your contract that for under 1 month's service you do not have a notice period, whereas over that you have to give 2 weeks notice.

I used to be an employee and HATED every single minute of it. Now I work for myself I am far far happier and would never go back to working for a boss.

What s/e work were you doing?

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