to be utterly resentful and unmotivated at work?

[anungratefulwretch]

Well, obviously I know I am BU really, but I'd be interested in whether or not others feel the same way!

I am really starting to hate work and spend a lot of time thinking of ways I could possibly manage to do as little of it as possible. I have a 'good' job which should be quite interesting (even rewarding), nice colleagues and a decent (although not MN-large) salary. I'm able to work at home most of the time and have a good amount of control over my diary / can work flexibly a lot of the time.

But I just cannot summon any enthusiasm whatsoever for any of it, and some days I actively dread doing the (perfectly ordinary) things that are a fundamental part of my job. It just all feels like a slightly pointless slog and I really have to force myself to feign enthusiasm for new projects etc. I have absolutely no wish to take on more responsibility or go for promotions any longer etc. I spend 50% of my time in work rolling my eyes, in meetings, at colleagues, at new initiatives, at all faux-enthusiastic bullshit.

I'm 48 and I did hear that massively reduced motivation can be a peri-thing...or am I just a lazy and ungrateful arse? Anyone else feeling 'aaaargh, what's the fucking point?' re: work these days??

YABU to a degree - but you know that. However, I quite agree that maybe you need a break, a change or something else. You too do t want promotions, but I still enjoy my job so can do it.

Have you hit burnout? Or are you just bored?

Oh me too OP...... it's SUCH a struggle.

WFH is kind of nice but I don't think it helps this situation one bit, can you get back to an office at all?

I do have to go into the office occasionally which does help, but I'm mostly WFH. I love WFH though and would be even more resentful if I had to go in more often

I wish I could be one of those people that loves their job but I am totally going through the motions.

I did actually change jobs fairly recently (same sort of role but a different company) because I thought I was burnt out. This new job has less responsibility than my old one...but no it appears I am still just fed up and resentful!

This is completely me. I can't summon up any enthusiasm or motivation and just wonder what the point is. I have days in the office and days WFH but I find I don't work well at home anymore unless there's something urgently required, and in the office I can avoid work with meetings and conversations which I know deep down are unnecessary and just avoidance tactics.

I feel like I'm viewed as the mother at work - there to listen to everyone's woes but otherwise taken for granted and ignored.

What about taking yourself to a coffee shop with internet and just blitzing the mundane stuff there - I find removing myself from the home life helps a bit.

But it does sound like you might need a more fundamental change!

I don't think it's necessarily biological re peri etc.

I'm a 52 year old dad.
I have a well paid job that requires me to sit in front of computer. I've been doing this same role for years and I have been feeling exactly the same as you for the last decade.

I constantly roll my eyes or have my head in my hands.

I have realised that I need a change.

Actually what I really want is to have a long break doing hardly anything other than personal care stuff, exercise and meditation

We have young kids and it's hard to step back from the income but I think we could survive. Otherwise I'm going to go mad

I'm 29 and I feel broadly similar so can't just perimenopause (I hope!)

I think having a degree of resentment about the obligation of it all, as well as the structure it gives to your life, is probably probably quite grounding in its way though.

Same here. I have a boss who doesn't empower her team to be proactive in their work, things are left to the last minute and rushed. Sitting this job out now until retirement with an early exit. I have great colleagues, so that makes going into the office enjoyable. We've just enjoyed Polish doughnuts this morning - my, they are dangerous!

I hear you! I didn’t feel like this before covid and work was at work and home was at home. I do like WFH sometimes but the lack of interaction is so tedious 😬

Another one here. I do generally enjoy my job but just really struggling with concentration and motivation lately. Things that should be really quick just seem to take me ages - I’m not deliberately stringing tasks out but they just seem to take me much longer than they should. I’m 42 so maybe a bit early for menopause but I have been wondering if that could be it, or whether it’s just a delayed reaction to keeping going last year (as well as pandemic DH had a heart attack and MIL died). I feel like manalive1 - I just want a long break from it to take some time for myself.

Actually what I really want is to have a long break doing hardly anything other than personal care stuff, exercise and meditation

This is exactly it! So maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree with the perimenopause . It's the obligation factor and the frustration when there is so much more I'd rather be doing with my day.

There is also a happiness curve for people and on average the most unhappy part of our lives are late40s to late50s. I think it’s when you realise a lot of what seemed important is just so much more bull shit. Too, you are faced with irritating optimism of younger workers who naively think they “can make a difference” or “will leave a mark on the world”. I’m eye rolling right along with you. I’m ready to retire now if I could. Work is fun, I’m good at it, but I am in a place where it’s taken up enough of my life and I want to move to a new stage of life.

I feel the same OP. Mid forties and find the majority of the shit I'm obliged to carry out as part of my job to be completely pointless. Doesn't help that our senior managers are complete dickheads either.

Hello, hope everyone is doing ok? Can I ask if anyone posting on this thread has come out the other side yet, and has any tips?

I am 52 and still motivated and enjoying work. Although if I win the lottery I would do something different.

It sounds as though you need a complete change of role.

I've changed jobs since first posting and feel the same now as i did then, but I did have a bit of a honeymoon period in the new job. I've come to realise there are certain situations that trigger me to lose motivation and that I'm quicker to lose motivation each time such a situation arises.

Not me sadly. Although it is depressing to read what I posted back in 2021 only to find that it still applies today!!