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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask... how many of you honestly care about your work

128 replies

karmacoma1 · 10/02/2018 00:07

... and see it as a career. Or at least a stepping stone to where you want to be.

And how many of you just see it as a nessicary evil - to get paid, at the end of the day.

I ask because I’m in a fairly new job. Something happened today meaning our day to day roles were impacted. All of my colleagues were up in arms, even ones I had considered pretty passive.

I however just feel ‘meh’ towards it... I was so engaged in my last job. This can’t be a good sign for my new role, can it?

OP posts:
Purplejay · 10/02/2018 01:30

I am conflicted. For the first 5 years or so of my sons life, work was less important than it is now. I used to work part time and care for my son and my mum. When my mum died and I had a little more free time, my son was going to juniors and I wanted more from my job. I had studied so promotion was possible. My son is 11 now. I work full time. I have been promoted. I really do love my job bit given a real choice, I.e. money not an issue, I would still stay at home.

PenguinsandPandas · 10/02/2018 01:32

I love my job, really interesting work, the kindest people, even sent me a bouquet of flowers the other day when I was ill. Very flexible let me do school hours and holidays off, its perfect. I was more senior in last role but people were horrible, it was too stressful and I am very happy were I am.

When you have a child it can change your outlook. I feel like I have achieved what I wanted to and don't need to prove anything now and we can manage without my income so its just about finding something I love though does pay for lovely holidays.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 10/02/2018 01:37

RMN here, couldn’t do it if I didn’t genuinely care about my patients. It takes it’s toll, this job though. I work on an acute ward with high risk patients and after many years of dealing with the pressure, I am moving on to a less challenging environment. I can’t switch off at the end of the day and live in fear of the next serious incident.

I still have a love for nursing though.

I imagine starting a new job with a small child can’t be easy! I’m sure my passion and commitment to my job waned a bit when my children were tiny💐 Try not to be too hard on yourself.

NoMudNoLotus · 10/02/2018 01:58

I care about my work a lot .

I work full time , adore my family but my work is part of me and my DC are proud of me for this .

It is possible to really care about work and family .

comfortandjoy · 10/02/2018 02:09

I care about my job , for a charity so I'm trying to make a difference to people's lives. I put a lot into it as I care about the people. I don't earn a lot but I'd rather have it this way as you spend a lot of your waking life at work .

notangelinajolie · 10/02/2018 02:45

There are a million things me and DH would rather do than be a slave to the wage. We work. They pay. We work for money. If we didn't need the money we wouldn't work.

NotWeavingButDarning · 10/02/2018 03:02

I have 3 jobs. The most steady one ( that takes the most time and brings in the most money) is working for a company. It's definitely just routine. I don't hate it but it doesn't excite me.

The second one is freelance a few hours a week. I've done it for years and enjoy it. It is a specialist job and gives my brain a good work out. Quite satisfying.

The third is my own company. Just started in November. It's exactly my
field of study (I have a science doctorate) and it's so exciting it makes me feel like I'm drinking champagne. I'd forgotten how it feels to love work so much. The money is good but I'd do it for free. It's taking off in a big way so I might have to take the big leap into the unknown and quit job number one soon.

misscheery · 10/02/2018 06:13

@treeofhearts are you me?Grin

NotAChristmasCakePop · 10/02/2018 06:58

I work in early years and I do care a lot. Doubt I can keep doing it forever though.

heron98 · 10/02/2018 07:03

I couldn't care less about my work.

I hate going as there's so many other things I'd rather do.

I do the bare minimum and leave as soon as I can.

I have friends, hobbies and interests that are far more important to me.

speakout · 10/02/2018 07:04

I love what I do, but it's a paid hobby.

brizzledrizzle · 10/02/2018 07:06

Yes, I love it and wouldn't want to do anything else. A pay rise would be good though.

Hassled · 10/02/2018 07:08

I'm pretty invested in my job - as in I would hate the thought of making a mistake, I want the place to do well, I care a lot about most of the people. I do have those nights where I wake at 3am thinking "shit, did I remember to do X?". But I do try to keep a bit of detachment - I know it is just a job, the world won't stop turning if I fail to reply to that email. Most of the time I'd say I'm overly-invested, though.

Chosenbyyou · 10/02/2018 07:09

I work in a corporate. I am invested in it - I view myself and colleagues as professionals in our subject matter.

I do a lot of training and researching etc in my own time.

I have two little babies and get no sleep so am doing what I can! I turn up and leave when I want proving I do my hours so it suits my circumstances.

I think you may have run out of headspace for work drama if you have other personal things going on!

LittleMissCantbebothered · 10/02/2018 07:09

Couldn't care less about my job. If I ever came into enough money to pay off my mortgage, I leave straight away. I work in finance and it's all 'target targets targets' for no thanks whatsoever.

HarveyKietelRabbit · 10/02/2018 07:12

I do 100%. And seeing some of the attitudes on the John Venables threads at the moment, I'm really glad that there are people like me doing the work I do.

Anatidae · 10/02/2018 07:14

Not since coming back from mat leave. I’d worked my arse off during pregnancy through illness and was treated appallingly. Really opened my eyes :(

It’s a means to an end. If I won the lottery I’d be off.

whiteroseredrose · 10/02/2018 07:16

Would drop it like a hot brick if I could.

I'm 52 and counting down to retirement. The depressing thing is that we have a wonderful dog sitting at home. I'd love to spend my days with dog walks and cuddles but by the time I retire and can do that he'll have died. Sad

Can't pack in early as DS is about to go to Uni with DD coming after so my salary will support them.

Anatidae · 10/02/2018 07:16

Also OP I think there’s only so much mental space in our heads for giving a fuck.

A new baby and a serious illness in the family takes up a proportion of that headspace. I wouldn’t make any big descisions under those circumstances. Hope your FIL recovers as best he can.

Horsemad · 10/02/2018 07:17

Whilst I enjoy some parts of of my job, (not the company/people) I'd give up in a heartbeat if I won the lottery!

We could afford for me to not work but I like working - just not where I am at present!

GaraMedouar · 10/02/2018 07:17

Single mum here , 3 kids - work full time to pay mortgage, bills, kids costs etc. Would stop work in an instant if I had no money worries. Office job, staring at a computer screen and tapping at keys mostly doing various spreadsheets!

MummyMuppet2x2 · 10/02/2018 07:18

I love my job.

2 - e years ago, I used to do a job that consumed and drained me - & I was only part-time! After doing it for 20 years I also became rather 'meh' about it. I was on a very good salary in a middle management position, but it started to feel stale, and I needed to have a fresh challenge.

I now get lots of exciting opportunities that I'd never even drramed I'd get, and I enjoy the cut and thrust of running my own business from home.

In answer to OP's question, for me, feeling unconcerned or "meh" in a new job would be a huge warning bell. The way I view it is that I'd have to enjoy doing something if I'm to do it for however many hours I'd be working every week, and do it with enthusiasm so that I do it well. Not everyone feels the same, for others work is a job, that's it... but it's more than that for me personally.

aliceinwanderland · 10/02/2018 07:19

Mostly I love my job. It's varied, challenging and because of the role and the place I work I get to influence decisions that can improve the life choices of many people. My colleagues are also great people to work with. But at the moment we are seriously understaffed and I feel very underpaid, so I am getting rather burnt out.

speakout · 10/02/2018 07:20

I'm 55 and started a new business working from home two years ago. I only work 20 hours a week and business is booming. I earn more than my OH and I am very excited about the future. I have enough time to have fun myself, go to the gym etc while doing something I love.

Bouledeneige · 10/02/2018 07:22

Well paid career doing something that intellectually challenges me and that I'm very committed to. I get to travel quite a bit and work with some great people. I wouldn't retire early if I could - I'd like to keep working for a long time post retirement age (though more flexibly).

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