To really not like working

[Mammylamb]

I really don’t enjoy working. I need to work to earn money; but I really don’t enjoy it; I feel anxious most days, even though I work in a relatively nice office with nice colleagues. I just spend every day worrying that I’m not doing a good enough job. Or that I’ll make a mistake.

When I look on MN, loads of women have senior roles and sound like they really enjoy work; Aibu to really not enjoy work?

I think that's why Religion was invented. To try and find some meaning to a largely pointless existence. Other animals a really lucky - they aren't aware.

BMW6 - at least that environment is natural. There is nothing natural about staring at a screen for 8 hours a day.

No different to staring at manuscripts or the stars or running a spinning wheel or anything else - it's all studying/doing [thing] to do something with the information/product you glean from that studying/doing.

OP it really sounds like it's your anxiety that is the problem here. Can you get help with that? Maybe even start a thread asking people what has really helped them with anxiety.

Would love to know how the poster who suggested rejecting paid work expects you to pay for your family to live! If we all rejected paid work because we simply didn't like it where would the money for benefits for people who really need it come from?!

Parsenope. Thanks for the kick up the arse.

Alice. Yes it will probably follow me everywhere. I changed companies a year ago, and the anxiety came too

Just to clarify: I’ve no intention of going PT and onto benefits. Even if I worked half the hours that I do now; I wouldn’t be entitled to them ! And they are there as a safety net.

I can’t go off sick with stress, as, I’m not actually sick. Just anxious. (I have had MH issues in the past, and was genuinely ill and took time off for those)

I’m glad I’m not alone feeling like this; I suspect a lot of us feel the same

I like both my job and my self employment. Yes I get anxious when I've been on holiday which I think is a hangover from previous workplace bullying but my colleagues are also friends and I know I'm doing a role that genuinely makes a difference to people.

The three years I spent not working were miserable.

I enjoy my time off of course but can't imagine getting up every day with no real purpose and faffing about. I agree that the OP might benefit from getting help with the anxiety.

I've just had one of my work loving friends on the phone

she started at 8, finished at 6.15, called from the commute home talking about international offices and resource.....some term I can't recall.

properly enjoying it she is. Which is great. I definitely think there's a type - she'd hate to potter at home. Her DD is very ambitious too - I think now I'm older I can see that i wasn't ambitious when young, I just thought I was, if that makes sense.

I LOVE my job but I hate how torn I feel as a time working parent . Constantly tossing between needing to be a good employee and a good mum too!

Working sets off my anxiety like nothing else, agree with OP I always have the dreading feeling I've done something wrong. I don't mind work itself because I used to look forward to going to work in one of my previous jobs, because it was stress free with little responsibility, I think when I was in that job it was the happiest period of my life even though I was earning much less than I do now. I can't go back to that though because I need to earn a decent salary to afford a house

I feel exactly the same. Feel sick every day about it.

Could you reduce your hours? I went down to 4 days a week and it has really helped. And yes, tax credits do make up the difference as I’m a single parent and I don’t feel guilty at all. If I hadn’t done it I probably would have quit.

I also started going for anxiety counselling on my day off and am now feeling so much better. So much that I’m planning on going back to 5 days next year.

In my old job I loved it for about 3 years. We had a particular challenging project and it was great, I looked forward to going in each day. Once that was done we got a new project and it was ok but quite boring. I definitely lost motivation- the next 4 projects were equally as bad, if not worse. In the end I hated my job and I can’t say I was too sad when they announced the office was closing and redundancy. I’m now in a very easy but mundane job to tide me over. I don’t hate it but feel like it’s a bit of a waste of my brain power. All the jobs in my previous sector have now been moved elsewhere so I don’t see me getting a similar role anytime soon.

vintagesewingmachine I'm also a senior HCP and really do not like the job.
But there really isn't anything I could do that would pay as much. I'm part-time too but feel so anxious all the time about going to work, holding training sessions, and presentations as well as the clinical work.
I'm embarrassed to say, I would LOVE to be a full time house wife. There I've said it!

At least it’s Friday tomorrow and I can disappear early!

Working is definately overrated.

I frequently look around in meetings and wonder if everybody else is as bored as I am, wondering what they are doing with their lives and making up a story in their heads too.

I genuinely love my job - its challenging and stimulating and I work with lovely people. But, like other posters I dont like the early alarm, the commute and would rather faff around at home playing with the cats and horses.If I could I'd pack it in without a second glance.

But being so anxious every day is soul destroying, I'e been there and I really hope you can get some help to overcome it.

@MyNameIsArthur it sounds like a rollercoaster ride. Great that you are in remission, look after yourself and breathe up that sea air 🌊

"wouldn't work at home even when given the option"

Well, some people just don't want to work from home, doesn't really mean you love your job. Could just be that you want to talk to people and have a line between work and home.

Gwen, no, it doesn't mean they love their job

but it does mean they don't hate the office as much as I do!

Maybe you just need to find the right job for you to feel passionate about. I spent 30 years in a career that made me unhappy and anxious. Two years ago I embarked on a completely different career, took a big pay drop but I love it and am almost back up to the wage I used to earn. There are some days I don't want to go to work but once I am there I love it.

"Gwen, no, it doesn't mean they love their job

but it does mean they don't hate the office as much as I do! grin"

I see. I'm a work to live kind of person, but have no interest in working from home unless it's to skive. Being on my own in my boring living room doesn't tempt me at all. I like the coffee breaks and the lunch time at work as well as the little chats.

A lot of jobs are pointless shit. There is no merit at all in 'work' for the sake of working, and the constant banging on about the importance of 'hard work' is basically exploitative bullshit. Don't forget that most of the people criticising the poor for being workshy are the ones who do nothing you could really describe as work themselves. It's perfectly reasonable and rational to dislike being obliged to spend the majority of your time basically lining someone else's pockets. Yes, there are essential jobs, but these jobs either are well-paid and provide some sense of satisfaction and reward - or the way to get people to undertake them is to pay high wages.

God, I'd give up in a heartbeat. Would never get bored at home.

I have a good and well paid job

But every day I wake up and want to go back to sleep ! And every day has stresses

Sounds like have you have imposter syndrome a bit ? If you were shit they would have fired you surely ?

We all have to work till we are old aged undortunately so I think some thinking and self confidence boosting is in order for you

Can you imagine a job you like
What do you like
What are you good at
What do others praise you for
What are you passionate about