Do you enjoy going to work?

[loveandlemon]

I have worked from the age of 17, I work an office job. Always have. I am now almost 40 and since I can remember I have always hated going to work! I am not lazy, I just hate being stuck at work, being told how to spend my time, when to have lunch. Now I have my DC I hate it even more, I love nothing more than being a mum and being at home with my child, taking them to school and not missing a thing. I feel like life is so short and I’m spending the majority of it with people I wouldn’t usually choose to spend time with and missing out on precious time with my child! Please give me some ideas on how I can change this?! All I’ve ever known is your typical 9-5. Please say going to work gives them a purpose but for me, my child is my purpose!!

Yeah i do. I love my job though. I have flexible hours to dinner extent and work very independently at a senior level so am pretty much left to it. I can have lunch when I want or come in late because I fancy a swim but know that I'll be working late that evening at home.
I think that's the thing isn't it? Doing something you love? I massively appreciate that not everyone has that. I've been in this job 3 years and definitely didn't love the one before but I was still happy to do it and worked my way up to a senior role there. I've always been ambitious though and again I get that not everyone is.

When mine were little I think i survived with an excellent child minder and working in a school so I had the holidays off.

What is it you do? Does your job have prospects? Of course you're not lazy if you love being at home! I used to like to get away from mine 🤣

Nope. Hate it.

Yes I do. I love what I do (I'm a cook) and I love the place I do it.

Yeah, I enjoy being in work (checkout operator!). It’s the getting in that’s the fun bit, kids sick or no childcare or no way to get them to childcare! So when I’m actually sitting at the checkout I’m relaxed and just chatting away!!!

I will add that your 9-5 sounds the dream to me hours wise, I miss some bedtimes and always work one day a weekend at least and summer holidays were non existent this year- my first week off was March then this week!

Yes I do. I hate actually getting up and showering and getting ready because I love my sleep, but I love my job. It's really difficult just now because of a long term absence in my department, but I love my actual job.

I do now, I didn't use to.
For me I realise now that I need a very free reign, I'm entrepreneurial so when employed by someone else I need them to leave me the fk alone to get along with things and not interfere - clearly this doesn't work well in most workplaces or when you are junior but not a trainee - so it was only when I found an employer who let me work in that way (which I have, small company, reporting in to the head honcho) that I actually felt happy at work.

Most of the time.

but I like my job and it’s rewarding

Yes, I love my job and I have a fantastic group of people in my team. I’ve always found work gives me an outlet for my particular skills and abilities - my kids are great and definitely are part of what gives me purpose but I also love the profession I’m part of and feel a sense of purpose there too.

I worked for a long time before I had kids, so am well established on my role and have a good degree of flexibility. My work also provides a good lifestyle for my family, which matters in terms of opportunities that are open to them. I’ve worked full time and part time according to my kids needs and don’t feel the need to be there for every moment. I’m also aware that as they become independent they simply won’t need me in the same way, so having something that is “mine” is hugely important for my sense of self.

Yes always enjoyed work. Don’t get me wrong, have moments where I want to scream, but overall it’s a part of my life I enjoy. Kids almost all grown up now, so glad I have my work.

I'm retired now, but, overall, yes I enjoyed being at work.

I mean, I've never been a morning person so always hated the alarm going off, but that aside I was in a job where I always felt I was achieving something, and that me being there made a difference. I think that is probably key to 'enjoying' your work or not.
Like the overwhelming majority of people, I suspect, there were aspects of my job that were frustrating, and you could look at friends and think 'the grass is greener' but then, they'd probably look at you and think some aspects of your job were better than theirs.

Yes, I absolutely love my job - I run my own business though, so nobody to tell me what to do or when to do it.

I don’t feel like hearing from others on either loving or hating going to work is going to help the way you feel.

The first thing to do is sit down and look at all your fixed outgoings and figure out exactly what you need to be bringing in and seeing where your experience, transferable skills and outside-the-box thinking can take you.

No I've never enjoyed any job I've ever had, I only have ever worked for the money. I hate having to get up early and rush to get ready and then get through the day and then am exhausted by the time I get home and don't feel like doing anything. Fortunately I now only work part time, it is so much nicer.