AIBU to have ‘gone off’ working?

[haribofiend]

Okay so I realise I am unreasonable!

But does anyone else feel the same?

I’m not a lazy person, have always worked v.hard, too hard at times, if anything!

But lately (since Covid / lockdown, but maybe it’s just a coincidence) I’m so fed up of it. I’m not in the wrong job - I like my work well enough… but not as much as I’d like leisure time I find I’m wistfully looking forward to retirement, and I’m only 34!!

I’m a bit shocked at myself tbh. Is it just me who’s had this change of heart lately and needs a big old boot up the bum?

Oh god, me too!

I am 33 and I feel the same. A complete lack of motivation, for me I think some of it is depression. I need to get out of the house… starting to walk 10k steps, doing dry jan and brought a whole boat load of self help books.

Is it the job?

I don’t think it’s the job. I can’t think of anything I’d rather do (except lounge about reading, taking long walks, shopping etc etc! ) I just don’t get the same satisfaction from work any more.

Actually, I have been working from home since 2020. Maybe that’s it. Problem is though that I will likely be working from home for the foreseeable now, so 😬

I always feel like this after annual leave. I love my job but still think I can’t really be bothered to go to work. So you can just imagine how I’m feeling on maternity leave!
I think a lot of workplaces have felt like they’re just muddling through until things go back to normal, but it’s just not going back to normal so the novelty of this new way of working is wearing off. Perhaps you need a new role to shake things up a bit?

I feel the same. Think the usual post Xmas blues are harder to shake off because lots of us are a bit low level depressed/anxious with all of the bloody covid shit.

I started the day off well but got thrown off beam by an annoying colleague mid afternoon which I'm annoyed with myself about, because she's a known pita and usually it's water off a duck's back.

Fresh start tomorrow, log off here now, wake up and go for a run, put on some good music while you work.

(This was ok for me until around 2.30 today. I'll frigging mute her tomorrow I think.)

Oh I feel the same.

When I’m in work I like my job. I still feel quite passionate about what I do.

But I want to retire. Except I am 39 and cannot afford to retire. I can’t even afford to go part time!!

I wish I had done something with animals instead - I think I would maybe feel differently tbh

I think you’re right @UrbanSpaceboy, time for lights out. I hope your annoying colleague sods off tomorrow!

@Watsonville

I am 33 and I feel the same. A complete lack of motivation, for me I think some of it is depression. I need to get out of the house… starting to walk 10k steps, doing dry jan and brought a whole boat load of self help books.

Is it the job?

Are you me!?

Also 33. Also fed up of work- 35 more years of this??? Gah!

At work I do the minimum and simply cannot motivate myself to care.

Weirdly My boss is happy with me so I can only assume others are being even less productive which is laughable!

I'm 33 and feel exactly the same. A few people have mentioned being a similar age, maybe it's a 30's thing? Somewhere between a quarter to mid life crisis.

I'm currently on maternity leave though and getting a bit bored...but equally can't be arsed to eventually go back to work. So I haven't got a clue what I actually want! And I'm not lazy either, always worked hard to get what I want etc. But I just feel so meh about everything when it comes to work/career.

@D0lphine omg are YOU me because my boss is the same, I always get praised for my work and I'm like wtf I spend most days procrastinating and doing the bare minimum.

I’m the same age and feel exactly the same. My motivation was starting to dwindle in December and I thought a break would help, but it really hasn’t. If anything it’s made it worse.

I think I need to do something different. Probably something a bit more hands on and less desk based.

Work is over rated, I'm working on my exit strategy

Yes me too.

I think the last few years have made everyone reassess. It's triggered things in me I didn't know I hadn't processed in other stages of my life. I've not had a traumatic life or anything but usual things like deaths of family members, becoming a single parent etc.

Work wise I think the constant restrictions in the leisure side of life has made it hard. Holidays have been cancelled due to lockdowns and restrictions. Can't be spontaneous these days. Masks being mandatory. Nothing outside of work is relaxing now.

I think all these things mean we are craving proper down time and feel unmotivated at work even if we usually enjoy our jobs.

Yes me too. I actually really like my job and don't want another one. I just dread logging on every week.

34 too. Pre covid I quite enjoyed my job. Now I don’t give a fuck and also can’t afford the fuxking commute anymore.

I think you have hit the nail on the head Tumbleweed

And me too.

Same age and same situation here too! I think it’s the lack of boundary between work and home, finding it very hard to switch off and without any down time I have no motivation. I haven’t found a way to make it better for myself yet so following this thread with interest!

I don’t know. I love my job, adore my colleagues, am in my 50s and cannot believe I have 15 more years. Suddenly I am just so tired all the time and cannot snap out of it. This pandemic is so draining.

Yup. Although my job has gone from enjoyable to utter shit due to cuts somewhat caused by Covid, so that doesn't help. I don't care about progression or promotion, I just want to do my 8 hours and log off. I have far more interesting things to do with my time.

100% the same. I have a few theories I am mulling over..

1. I just really am quite lazy
2. Work was not solely such a defining part of life for previous generations. It feels like there must be more to our lives than just working to define ourselves by it and trying to be fulfilled by working endlessly
3. COVID has magnified work because it now intrudes on our homes and we therefore resent it all the more and want to escape it

(I think for me it's probably number 1)

Yes I feel the same. Its working from home that's done it for me.
I can't see me being as motivated as I was before - I'll be glad when we can occasionally go in again but it only helped a bit when we were occasionally back in before omicron

It's a thing! It's got a name! Languishing.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.amp.html

I 100% have this. I just can't be fagged with ANYTHING. You are NOT alone (& I'm an old timer at 41!).

I was about that age when I first felt like that. I didn't want to sell chunks of my life off for money and basically be owned by a company.

I don't care about ego, job title and all that. It's just BS. I remember a colleague left after 15 years. She was a great person and everyone liked her, and a really hard worker. Once she left, she was completely forgotten within the month, and no-one bothered to keep in touch - just back on the hamster wheel.

The penny dropped. Walk out of the cage. I went self-employed and have done all sorts of things. I recommend it to you. I know it's hard to walk away from a salary, but it its so liberating. I wouldn't go back to it for any money in the world.

I'm 35, also WFH since March 2020.

I really identify with this too and the article about languishing is spot on.

Plenty of us seem a similar age, I wonder if mid 30's is a common time for this kind of 'fucking meh' feeling to kick in.

36 this month and feel exactly the same way 🙈
I never thought I could be a 'lady of leisure' but my god I wish I could now! I came off 9 months maternity in march when lockdowns started and my work closed for weeks then went back 3 hours a day for a few more weeks. Now doing blended working so work from home when I don't need to go to the office! I'm so used to being off work while still getting full pay it has completely spoilt me!! It has actually motivated me to double.my pension contributions in the slim hope I can retire earlier 🙏