AIBU to not give a shit about my job?

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I have always been a high achiever and work in a professional career with security, good pay, high responsibility and endless scope for progression. I get lots of opportunities to develop myself as a leader etc etc.

It’s a job most people consider to be worthwhile and important BUT I just don’t care. I want to do the bare minimum and then log off. I feel like I’m constantly pretending to care about my personal goals, what I want to achieve etc. Everyone else is so keen and thinks the work is so important.

Am I the only one pretending or do other people do this?

@DrManhattan this was me , I did not care at all , did the best for the clients but I did not care about that line of work at all . I left 2 weeks ago for something completely different and omg I absolutely love it ! Made me realise how many years of my life I have wasted doing something I didn't give a damn about

I’ve felt like this since returning to work after kids. Do my hours, log off. I’m in a professional job too. Though to suit my lifestyle (young kids) I’ve gone to the public sector where the pay is about 20% less (I was offered a role in the private sector and that was the pay increase) no performance bonus, no benefits like gym or healthcare, no real scope for progression but an underfunded department with plenty of work. Someone left recently and I’ve inherited their FT workload, plus my own in my PT hours. Getting overwhelmed with deadlines and losing the will.

You are not alone. I detest my job, stay for the flexibility and the money. Worked my way up and management like me. It’s not what I want to do, but I’ll never leave, as I can retire hopefully at 55 ish. I’ll be too old to do what I really want to pursue, even though it’s easy! 🙄

God I couldn’t give a fuck about my job. Sounds similar to yours and everyone is super enthusiastic there. It’s not that I don’t enjoy my job, I do, I just think it’s a job. I don’t really care care

I don't mind my job, and I like to do a good job - mostly because I want people to think well of me. But I do it to get paid.
I don't really, genuinely care about it. Not really. Haven't with any job I've had. I just think the rest of life is too important.

I was saying exactly this to my colleague today.

I used to work so hard, always looking for more work to do, took so much pride in my work.. but now I just think what is the point? It’s just work and I’m not exactly saving lives. If I was hit by a bus tomorrow, work would be able to replace me pretty easily. I said I wanted to work towards a promotion at my last appraisal but do I hell 😂

I’ve thought this way since covid/wfh but not sure why!

Im the same. I cringe when i hear collegues being passionate about something i care so little about. I do have a lot on in my personal life though and I think i am burnt out.

I don't care about it. I have and always have had a good worth ethic. I will always give it my best, but I do that with everything in my life.

But it's 10 mins drive away, 9.00-4.30 with an hour for lunch. Great pension, holidays etc. The work isn't taxing. Wages are fab. I have no ambition to climb the ladder. I spend zero time thinking about work outside of work. Zero stress.

I just don't like working for anyone else. I don't like being managed. I don't want to progress, I don't want more courses, more certainly quite useless certificates, more money or responsibility. I just want to wake up everyday with no alarm clock, no meetings, no chit chat, no politics, and no bloody stupid processes designed to create nothing useful.

I'm doing a job I'd have no difficulty doing if I was left alone to do it. For whatever reason I work in a place where for whatever reason no one trusts anyone to just do their job. I don't need a bloody nanny, just peace to do what needs doing. Unfortunately it's part of my new five year plan, and then I'm outtahere and I'll never return to work.

I am officially a success. I earn a huge amount of money. There is no higher for me to go. People tell me how proud I must be of my job.

I couldn't care less. It is stressful exhausting and soul destroying. I shut my laptop at the end of the day and wonder how I got myself into this position.

I don't understand people who want it. I yearn for a job where I don't have to think about it from 5 in the afternoon until 9 the next morning.

I don't want to be challenged on a daily basis. I don't want to learn anything new. I don't want to become more resilient.

I want to sleep and never have to worry about anything ever again.

I am trying to decide whether to move "down" and take a £100k pay cut. I think I will. I just want to sleep and live my life. No one should chase success without speaking to me. I honestly believe it is mostly not worth it. When I die I won't think oh but look at all the money I earned. It's bullshit.

I'm like this BECAUSE I burnt out. And thank god I did. No job, not a single one on this planet, is worth sacrificing time away from your family and your mental health for unless absolutely financially necessary to survive.
And I think a lot of people get trapped, and they (like I did) get successfully convinced by a corporation that makes £££ that they have no choice but to do X Y Z. To the point where you meet people so entrenched in the way of life in a particular organisation they have lost sight of the fact that they are doing so much extra for a 'decent' wage of 30k+ that they are actually on less than minimum wage, and that you ARE protected from these things legally - you can drop things at the door and go. Yes x y z might happen, yes it might be there waiting for you in the morning, but that is the company's problem not yours. And I'm not blaming these individuals at all - companies are very good at doing this, and other people perpetuate it. And no, I'm not talking about people who have no other options to go to. You get brainwashed. You need to work, you do. And sometimes you get trapped by external circumstances. But know your rights, know the job market, and keep perspective.

I 'm in a similar position (except for the success and lots of money),
I spent today without a malicious colleague in the office, and suddenly realised I could stop holding my breath and trying to control my contempt. Also found out that someone I had supported has died tragically-being able to cry then nipping out to compose myself made me wonder why I work like this. I chose not to pursue the professional manager role in my previous profession, so have avoided all that responsibility, but also have to acknowledge that I need to work until I'm 68+, and that I am so very, very tired.

I don’t think it’s obligatory to care about your job, unless you’ve picked a vocation like medicine or animal care or education or whatever. I’ve largely picked my career because it’s high earning and high status and, whilst there are definitely fascinating aspects of it if you like the kind of thing I do (and I do), it’s a pretty nebulous money-makes-money sort of industry and I don’t think anybody in it has any illusions of emotional fulfilment or greater meaning, so there’s no expectation of it.

Ditto. Since lockdown I've changed jobs twice. One being genuinely awful and the other was in office an hour from home. New job is WFH and even so, I can't be arsed for it and it's quite a good job in others eyes. Lost of motivation to work.

Yip I felt like that in my previous job, which is why it's my previous job.

I was in snowy weather today and what kept me going was thinking of my targets I wanted to achieve rather than giving up, and using the snow as an example.

that said some days I can understand your perspectives op

I think I once thought it was important I took pride in my work. I do meet junior people who are so ambitious and keen. I have to stop myself from telling them to calm down. Perhaps it is an age thing. Also I have seen to many good people kicked to one side by a system that rewards arrogance and sharp practices.

*too

And this is why the U.K. has a productivity problem!!

I mentally checked out years ago. I go to work and do it well but have no interest in development or taking on anything extra. Many of my colleagues are the same. I refuse to drive home worrying about work, and even invested an inheritance so I can go in four years at 55. I think about it everyday. NHS.

Why? It's a commercial bargain. You pay me £x and I will do y. Why does someone need to contribute more?

I wish I could go back to my 18 year old self and make different choices.

I like what I do, I dont dread going into work. However that said I no longer interested in all that crap about building networks, going to industry related events, all those things you would if you want to move up etc.

10 yrs away from paying of my mortgage and I think once thats done I dont need to work full time anymore, why continue to build a career I just need a job I like that pays me what I need

Sharpe practices ?

I don’t think it’s obligatory to care about your job, unless you’ve picked a vocation like medicine or animal care or education

Interesting. So do you think everyone in those professions must care deeply, or is it enough that they just do their job?

I like my job but I'm past the stage of trying super hard. I do a good job but am not out to wow anyone.

My last job was extremely intense, I'm so glad to have moved to a role with more balance.