r/AskReddit • u/Law-Mission • 7h ago
How are people who work full time their whole lives not miserable?
570
u/daver456 7h ago
My job allows me to afford things I actually want to do.
I feel like being poor would be worse.
34
10
9
u/accountability_bot 4h ago
I’m finally making enough to buy two churros when I would normally just get one.
30
10
u/mimilepolepo 3h ago
Money doesn't fix everything, but it removes a lot of the stress that makes work feel worse.
2
→ More replies (4)2
1.1k
u/YorkPepperMintPaddy 7h ago
Not hating what you do and knowing that people I love are depending on me. Also not be miserable in general helps. A lot.
450
u/eassares 5h ago
the "not be miserable in general" part is where you lost most of reddit
158
u/juanzy 5h ago
God forbid you ever tell any of them that their own habits might be perpetuating that misery
61
u/DJ_Dyatlov 4h ago
Definitely true for many people.
Unfortunately it's also true that being poor or mentally unwell prevent getting better regardless of effort.
→ More replies (10)9
129
u/juanzy 5h ago
Reddit hates to hear it- but career growth feels good, and it’s not the worst thing to go to work when you have friendly relationships with colleagues.
10
u/BlazingThunder30 4h ago
Idk. I'm happy as an individual contributor at my work but "career growth" seems to consist of a lot more talking with and managing others, and a lot less contributing.
10
u/finewhateverbot 2h ago
of a lot more talking with and managing others,
I read this as 'managing otters' and was deeply intrigued.
3
4
u/ginger_tree 2h ago
I'm with you. I have no desire to manage people (I did it for a while years ago). Happy with my high senior level IC role, and wish even more people would lave me alone & let me do my job.
→ More replies (9)5
u/CryptoCel 4h ago
But also taking the fall if other contributors don’t produce as a whole. If you manage a team of five and one person isn’t producing, then you can step in and do their work, lay them off afterwards. If all five are failing to produce, your total team output falls off a cliff and you’re the one being replaced. If you don’t keep your team happy or their careers progressing, there’s no reason for them to stick around either.
→ More replies (9)16
u/HVDynamo 3h ago
I don’t understand people who care about a career. I couldn’t care less about it. In fact I find the expectation that you should want to constantly expand your career exhausting. So I would say that career growth may feel good for you, but for me it’s just more responsibility when I’m tapped out already. I don’t want any more promotions.
13
u/ThellraAK 2h ago
This is what's nice working for a government and with a union.
Every year for the first 5 or so years you get a raise if you are doing well enough, and then every 2 years after that.
And those are raises separate from COLA and other raises.
https://doa.alaska.gov/dof/payroll/sal_sched/0726gpw.pdf
So the same job, get better at or over time and keep getting a bit of a raise.
One of the highest paid people in my division had one of the lowest job titles, and they are a wealth of institutional knowledge and it'll suck when they retire.
11
u/lbdwatkins 6h ago
Agreed! I love my work (not always my job), but it’s because I work with amazing people who challenge me and simultaneously support me. I also refuse to be fucking miserable.
28
u/gillyc1967 5h ago
I'm not a particularly happy person. But I'm happier when I have a job; being unemployed makes me miserable. I need a reason to get out of bed in the morning.
45
u/VonVader 6h ago
"Also not be miserable in general helps."
29
u/MissMormie 6h ago
It sounds silly, and it's not necessarily something you pick, but humans have different levels of joy/misery.
If i remember correctly the idea is that on a scale from 1 to 10 you have a range of about 5. Meaning some people are between 2 and 6 and will never feel like a 10. Someone else is between 5 amd 10. Their worst days are comparable to someone elses best days.
You likely can't change your range without hitting your hand or substance abuse.
So yes, if you are the type of person who is not miserable in general that'll really help.
→ More replies (2)4
u/nightowl6221 5h ago
Well shit, I always thought that I was a pessimist, but really I'm just stuck in the 1-5 range.
14
u/gbCerberus 6h ago
Also, not being in pain is generally the best way to feel good.
3
u/WrongThinkBot8647 5h ago
Being able to mentally compartmentalize is a skill not everyone has learned to master but it can definitely be a useful tool. Choosing to be better vs bitter takes effort
67
u/Downvoted-Dork 7h ago
Yeah, being generally happy helps alot
36
13
u/bottlerocketz 7h ago
Yeh exactly. I like my job a lot, I get paid and provide for my family. I personally get value out of what I do. Does it suck sometimes? Yeh of course but overall it makes me happy.
4
4
→ More replies (11)3
u/Thebazilly 3h ago
Changing companies to a less stressful work culture helped me so much. I like my job and it's fulfilling.
Also exercising. It's annoying that it works, but it really helps me feel better.
52
u/big_d_usernametaken 4h ago
There were times over the 45 years I was miserable.
Never had a job that didn't involve handling toxic, sometimes hazardous materials, combined with sometimes extreme heat or cold and lots of heavy physical labor.
Took care of my wife for 20 years after an auto accident that disabled her, until her passing, worked 2nd and 3rd to be be able to manage 30 hospital and extended care visits and 20 surgeries including an amputation and eventually a tracheostomy.
And managed to raise 2 teenage sons into solid men now with their own families.
The sanity part was when I hung up my hardhat at the end of the day, I didnt have to think about work for 18 hrs until the next shift.
The last year of work was especially trying because the finish line was in sight but I wasn't there yet, and couple that with pretty severe at times back pain it was rough.
Now retired and 2 years after an L2-pelvis spinal fusion I feel good and get to enjoy my 8 grandchildren and new great grandchild and my siblings and 98 year old Dad.
I feel thankful every day.
6
u/sudomatrix 4h ago
Anybody thinking ‘I’d be happy if only my life were perfect’ needs to read this guy twice.
→ More replies (1)2
315
u/DrPepperFanX 7h ago
Oh I'm very miserable actually :)
88
9
u/Vinny_Lam 5h ago
Same. I actually felt great when I lost my job earlier this month. It felt like I was getting a much needed break.
→ More replies (1)3
u/mimilepolepo 3h ago
Miserable and consistent is still consistent. That's how you make it to Friday.
2
27
u/Strangeaslife 7h ago
Studies on workplace satisfaction tend to show that when you have a decent blend of autonomy, social support, and reasonably challenging work that doesn't feel impossible to succeed at - people can generally be happy and feel good about their work. When one of these goes wonky happiness can quickly plummet. I remember reading this and realizing why I like my job and stay at it. It's stressful and challenging but I have almost total control over my daily work, and I have support at work where people acknowledge how difficult it is and we work on challenges together.
Also, I suffered depression most my adult life not only because I had a chaotic upbringing but also I had a undiagnosed illness. Once I went through trauma therapy and got a diagnosis and treatment for my health issue... life feels 100% different. Most days you can't being me down even if you tried, life is beautiful.
3
u/born_survivalist 2h ago
This is very similar to my experience! I was at a job that was secretly killing me for 7 years. I was challenged in the wrong way, had no autonomy, decent social life and coworkers I enjoyed working with. Once I switched jobs to somewhere that gave me full trust and autonomy, and the work itself was so challenging we all just understood and helped each other, it didn’t matter that it was the 9-5 schedule I never wanted. I was supported, trusted, and mentally stimulated.
The job’s day to day, financial, and scheduling stability allowed me to actually have more of a life than when I had more of my day open. A real decent healthcare package allowed me to pursue some doctors appointments I’ve been putting off, and pursue trauma therapy that is actually helping me feel better and be better. Happy to hear you are recovering too!
48
u/lyrical_llama 7h ago
They like what they do. Like I'm a florist, and being able to be creative at work is nice.
3
u/Axolotl_Aria 7h ago
How'd you get into that type of work? Id love to do more creative things but it feels like I either can never find a job hiring or the jobs that are never take me
→ More replies (2)
37
u/colin_staples 4h ago edited 4h ago
I work full time (40 hours)
I don't hate my job, I don't hate the people I work with, so that's one reason why I'm not miserable
And having a job pays for my home, food, car etc, which is another reason why I'm not miserable
Without being a massive lottery winner, what else do you propose?
4
u/Social-Introvert 3h ago
I would even go far as to say I like my job, and I like the people I work with.
Would I do this everyday with these same people if I didn’t need the money? No, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy myself while I’m in this position.
17
u/Downvoted-Dork 7h ago
Good job with great coworkers. A job that doesn't drain you completely. You're just happy everyday
35
u/MeasurementTall7701 7h ago
Because I like my job and most of my coworkers
28
u/SillyGoatGruff 7h ago
So many people online seem deadset on avoiding any kind of friendship or even just a cordial relationship with their coworkers no matter what, and then they complain that their time at work is miserable and they are lonely
20
u/HutSutRawlson 5h ago
Reddit seems to be all about complaining about being lonely, while simultaneously rejecting all of the remaining social institutions that foster relationships.
→ More replies (1)11
u/Psychic_Hobo 5h ago
A lot of Redditors are basically young and introverted, so they've grown up in online spaces and not had great experiences with more social environments. It's led to a lot of them simply not willing to take the risk in adult socialising, even so far as getting forms of transport for them or any others. For some it's not their fault, due to circumstances and such, but even when the circumstances are no longer there they can still be mentally stuck.
4
u/its_justme 4h ago
Sure it’s a good causative analysis but once you’re an adult no one really cares how fractured your upbringing is or was. Being in a circle of your peers are how new social norms are found and adapted, regardless of age.
The problem is that avoidance is prioritized over taking actual risks.
5
69
u/HumanDissentipede 6h ago
Because people who can’t work their whole lives are generally more miserable, because they’re broke. Going to work and having money to live beats the alternative.
6
u/BaconReceptacle 5h ago
Im getting close to retirement age, but I work because if I retired now, I would have to lower my standard of living and would be stressed over bills. Fuck that.
→ More replies (1)2
u/Earthsong221 1h ago
And yet there are many who work full time and still can't afford rent...
→ More replies (2)3
15
u/MidnightMalaga 2h ago
I like my job and I’m good at it. I also do it 37.5 hours a week, and then fill up the remaining ~70 hours of waking time with friends, family, my cat, books, hiking, DnD, art, and good food in a way I couldn’t afford to do if I was broke.
31
u/K1ngofnoth1ng 6h ago
Would be even more miserable broke and homeless. Welcome to the world of being an adult.
13
u/CultureShipsGSV 7h ago
We have a purpose beyond work. Many seek income to support other things: family, hobbies, charity.
13
77
u/KaleScared4667 6h ago
You people have obviously never been hungry or homeless- you do it to survive
14
u/ObviousObserver420 5h ago
Doesn’t mean you aren’t miserable while you are at it though.
→ More replies (1)3
u/littleproducer 4h ago
I think their point is that if you’ve been homeless before, not by choice, you’d be a lot less miserable working full time because it is an opportunity you have been in the mindset of being willing to take in a heartbeat.
→ More replies (1)2
u/almostinfinity 2h ago
I get the sense OP just got their first big-kid job and got hit by the reality train.
30
u/nomuskever 7h ago
The secret for me was working 4 10 hour days, and starting every work day with an intention to be kind and grateful.
→ More replies (3)13
34
u/ButDidYouCry 6h ago
My great grand parents were probably sharecroppers in Mississippi. What is there to be miserable about when I live in one of the best cities in the world and make enough to support myself, even if work is sometimes annoying?
4
10
u/Ninjacat97 2h ago
Who said I wasn't miserable? But I was a lot more miserable with no money or food. At least this way I'm usually fed.
21
u/MangoDouble3259 7h ago
Some people enjoy jobs or don't know how to fill their time.
My dad always says I like working. Idk what else I would do with my time.
I find above crazy. I would quit tomorrow if had money and hike/camp, horseback riding, archery, climb, run, piano, read, knit, etc
9
u/potatocross 6h ago
I had a coworker retire just to come back part time a year later.
He said it only took a year to complete his bucket list and he was getting tired of fishing every day.
→ More replies (18)3
u/MangoDouble3259 6h ago
Alot of it is lifestyle not bucket list. You can't turn it on/off. It's developing lifestyle and figuring out what you like over years. You need more then just 1 hobby.
You need multiple least me things can do mundane, physical, mentally challenging which can itterate/grow, fun solo, and fun social.
3
u/potatocross 5h ago
Work is one of his hobbies. He still fishes and only works when he wants to.
The idea of not working is great for some not for others. I’d be gone in a second if I could be but that wasn’t for him.
Plus his friends haven’t retired yet. So he can come to work to bullshit with them.
6
u/brooksact 2h ago
There's literally a million things to occupy one's time with that isn't work. All the people in this thread waxing poetic about working lack imagination.
→ More replies (3)
9
u/Couldnotbehelpd 2h ago
These questions are always asked by children who haven’t entered the work force. We all have to work. 99.999999% of us don’t have a trust fund. You’ll survive.
17
u/jmnugent 1h ago
The quality of society all depends on the collective contributions of individual people. Roads needs to stay paved and drivable. Ambulance and Fire Truck crews need to stay committed and passionate. Parks and Maintenance crews keep all your parks clean. Water Treatment people keep your water drinkable. Sewage Plants remain reliable so your toilet continues to flush. The electric grid stays working because people maintain it. Storm and flood and disaster response happens because people are committed to responding.
Its hard work for sure. But as a long time public employee, its nice to walk around outside and just be able to look and point at things and say "I had some small part in making X-Y-Z project successful".
7
7
u/HeyheyitsCAB 7h ago
I have a very chill tech job. I work from home. My co workers are basically my friends. I get paid well. And I have really good work life balance.
6
6
u/thewinehouse 7h ago
I like my job. It’s intellectually stimulating and it feels meaningful. On the bad days, I wipe my tears with my paycheck and go home to the nice house in the nice neighborhood with my spouse and adorable kids whose needs and wants my job is able to pay for.
Other things my job pays for: nice vacations, my hobbies, being able to retire one day. Liking my job most of the time is just the cherry on top. Even if I didn’t, those other things and not being poor is a good enough motivation
7
6
u/Fitz_2112b 4h ago
Lol, having a job you enjoy is a big part of it. Enjoying being able to buy nice things and not wanting to be homeless is another big part
7
19
17
u/spicyhippos 2h ago
At some point you stop seeing work as wasting your free time and start seeing it as problems to solve. Then you start to see it as the means of solving the other much more important problems in your life, and it loses the sting of wasted time.
All that gets accelerated if you see value in what you do day-to-day, maybe by helping people or finding ways to impact their lives in positive albeit small ways. Joy comes from within, and you’re only a perspective shift away from tapping that well for free.
11
u/Strider-2088 1h ago
Really depends on the work though.. I worked in loans for over 10 years and it was always the same thing every single day.. all your problems are artificial and you're expected to do things that are unrealistic constantly. I've been doing trades work for a couple months now and yeah it's physical work but it's also refreshing because there's new challenges and problems actually can be solved etc
23
u/ExpensiveDollarStore 7h ago
You gotta live. Its always been necessary to work. At one time, maybe they didnt work full time. They also didnt drive cars, have phones and computers and TV and game systems or closets full of clothes and a bedroom for each person and travel.
I spend a lot of time in Belize - a developing country. Lots of subsistence living. They can easily grow coconuts and fish and eke out a basic living but they want to live better and want good jobs.
We really are extremely entitled. You might not enjoy working, but no one wants to work for you if you are able. No one owes you a nice life while you have fun.
→ More replies (2)
9
94
u/Historical_Scab 7h ago
Did you not have to grow up and be an adult?
16
u/Downvoted-Dork 7h ago
Being adult is the happiest time of your life
5
u/Historical_Scab 7h ago
Alcohol, sex, being able to say no, making all your own choices…
→ More replies (23)5
→ More replies (6)19
u/HutSutRawlson 5h ago
This is what the majority of whining about adult life/milestones comes down to on Reddit: people being upset that they have to spend even one minute of their lives not completely focused on indulging themselves.
11
u/CaptainPigtails 4h ago
Shit ain't even that hard. I go to work, do a few chores, workout, cook dinner, and still have hours to do literally anything I want to do everyday. Weekends are basically all free time. A little bit of discipline and structure goes a long way.
2
u/tanglekelp 1h ago
I’m glad it’s like that for you, but it’s not like that for everyone, and not all people struggling can have better lives if they just had more discipline and structure
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)2
u/J_GIMPY 1h ago
That's awesome, but how? Do you just have a very short/no commute? Or do you not work nine hours a day?
→ More replies (1)
4
u/moving0target 7h ago
After 30 years in retail, I'm content and well adjusted. It's been so amazing, I'm considering doing another 30 for free.
18
6
u/FerretAres 7h ago
I go to work and make a good living so that I can come home and enjoy my life with my family.
5
5
18
u/CrazyDaylight8 1h ago
Would you rather be slaving away like a caveman not knowing where your next meal came from and dying at the age of 35, or sitting at home editing excel spreadsheets?
Reddit can’t grasp the concept that you have to be self sufficient to live
•
u/aa278666 45m ago
Are you saying cavemen don't sit around making art and creating beautiful poetry? How is that possible
•
u/unReasonable_Waiter 42m ago
This view of how pre-modern people lived is a massively misleading inaccurate stereotype.
It's hard to challenge because it's so deep in the "not even wrong" category.
4
5
u/Derp_State_Agent 7h ago
You can only be miserable 5 out of 7 days a week, don't let them ruin your weekend.
5
u/graesen 7h ago
By finding work with good life balance, that you enjoy, by finding things you enjoy outside of work, by making enough money to have few financial stresses. Most of these things are hard to find, so I don't mean to sound like everyone should have this now, but definitely work towards these things if you are miserable.
5
u/unlikewarrior 6h ago
Depends on who it is. Some people get a boat load of money for easy jobs. Happiness. Some people find passion in the job they do. Happiness. Some people have a good ass coworkers who make the crap job worth it. Happiness.
4
u/MundaneHuckleberry58 6h ago
Taking pride in having a job that 1- you physically can do your entire career (some work takes physical toll on you), 2- provides for you to retire comfortably 3- provides enough salary to allow your loved ones to do things they want (eating out, tennis lessons, summer camps, family travel, season tickets to something, buy a condo for the kids….) 4- provides enough for everything they need (mortgage, WiFi, college for kids, etc.)
4
u/Crazyjacketfruit 6h ago
I dont know... I rather not work but it doesn't bother me enough to be miserable about it.
4
u/LumpkinsPotatoCat 5h ago
Honestly being able to wfh was a huge game changer. I love my home. I spend a lot of time and money making it the most comfy. It makes me happy to live in it and now I get to work in it too! And that makes me happy and now I'm happy at work at home.
5
9
u/Klumber 7h ago
There's been shit jobs and there's been great jobs. It's a matter of realising that you don't owe your employer anything. If the job isn't working out? Get out of it and move on.
There's a very naive culture around employment that has always baffled me. You don't do the job for your employer, you do the job because of what you get out of it. I'm not saying 'switch roles every year', I'm saying that if you have a down spell, use it as an opportunity to grow and learn.
Lifelong learning is key to making the most of your career, again, not for the employer, but for you. It's why wherever I've managed I've put learning and development at the heart of things. I want unhappy employees to have opportunities to redeploy themselves. Why? Because I don't need unhappy employees, there's plenty of people who will love what you do. The real benefit though is that my workforce becomes better and better at working at a high level. Win/win.
If your employer isn't like that, there's nothing stopping you developing skills outside of work.
7
u/ObviousObserver420 5h ago
That’s the thing… most of us are. That is, until you climb the ladder a bit and find yourself in a role where no one is keeping tabs on you or your time and your work is all that matters. Many people toward the top of the chain are only actually working a few hours a day.
7
6
7
u/Ok-Spite-5454 4h ago
the secret is working from home lol
2
u/anchorftw 4h ago
Unless it's miserable at home. lol
6
u/Ok-Spite-5454 4h ago
well now that's not anyone else's fault if you're also miserable in your own home
7
u/BanSophistry 3h ago
That's the neat part - we are miserable. Planning the revolution won't pay my fucking mortgage.
18
u/dooony 7h ago
Just two generations ago, my grandparents felt incredibly fortunate to have jobs and to be safe. That was the norm for most of human history. Fulfilment is a very new concept.
→ More replies (2)2
u/Big_Boof_Supreme 7h ago
Absolutely not. We were not born to pay bills and die. That's the Industrial Revolution, and the Ford nation we became afterwards.
Why do people over 30 love the rat race so much? You can't take that money with you, and your heirs would rather have a life worth living with you now. . We were made to create. Not to clock in. Gross.
34
19
u/JynNJuice 6h ago
Prior to the Industrial Revolution, people weren't just sitting around creating all day. They were still doing what they needed to do in order to survive; what that entailed just looked different. There's a reason Hobbes wrote that life is nasty, brutish, and short, and isn't because he had a prophetic vision of Henry Ford.
Your heirs will definitely value the time you spend with them. They'll also need to be provided for, and for that, you'll have to do some kind of work.
8
u/knightsofgel 6h ago
People don’t realize just how much better they have it right now living in relatively safe, peaceful, and rich western countries compared to the vast majority of history
4
u/CaiusRemus 6h ago
You should probably at least be aware that negative reactions to organized economics is not new. Two good examples would be the concept of “Bigu” in Taoism, and the rejection of farming by some Native plains peoples in the U.S.
People have of course always needed food to survive, but the idea that everyone just instantly loves corporatized work except for rich spoiled people is false.
3
u/Ok-Square-8652 5h ago
Scientifically, we were born to procreate and die. Is that really better?
I agree with you about the soul sucking nature of post industrial life but it’s that or a “fight for survival” life.
And who knows? Maybe the “fight for survival” life is actually better. Hard to tell when post industrial life is our only reference point.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (7)4
u/carbon_r0d 7h ago
The world needs things. People needs things to meet their basic needs. Food, shelter, healthcare, etc. Let's see how far your ideal world gets with everyone "creating" and living lives of only self-fulfilment.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/zerostar83 7h ago
I'm more miserable when I am unemployed. All the free time and I'm racking debt without even trying. I can't enjoy my time off if I can't afford it.
3
u/bottomlesstopper 6h ago
Some actually enjoy the job. Got a workoholic relatives who are just plain miserable if they dont do any work.
I would absolutely love to work, if uts my dream carpentry business making furnitures if it makes good money.
Until then, its the 7-5 whatever it is that put bread on the table.
3
3
3
3
u/ling4917 3h ago
I like to contribute to society? Society would not work without hard working people...
3
9
u/Sarcastic_Backpack 7h ago
The Poster is obvious either not yet an adult, or is a trust fund baby.
Almost everyone has to work full time their whole adult lives, until they get a few peaceful years at retirement.
There are ways to make the tedium better.
1) Do something you love.
2) Workout for/with good people you value as friends.
3) Become the owner or Big Boss.
4) Take enough time off for travel, hobbies, events, and interests.
6
•
u/sir_mrej 22m ago
It's weird that young people have this baseline of "I'm not gonna work my whole life". I don't know where it comes from. EVERYONE (except the 1%) works their entire lives. That's how it works.
→ More replies (2)
4
7
2
u/hamiestofcheeses 7h ago
I like coffee and my son deserves a good life. Before this i could care less about employment. There are well balanced middle manager jobs out there(chef adjacent) that dont suck, you just have to try a few on
2
2
2
u/fromaroundhere 7h ago
What I do is interesting to me and helpful to others, and I work with great people.
2
u/stockitorleaveit 7h ago
Love what you do. Easiest way to do that is to find what makes you passionate in your personal life and how to apply that to your work life.
Some find part time work that pays enough, others find how to spend 40+ hours per week doing something they love, others just count the days until they can do what they want.
2
u/knightsofgel 7h ago
I work 50 hours a week at an in person job but I love it and it pays really well lol
That’s really what it comes down to. I also still make time for my family and hobbies
2
2
2
u/ArtComprehensive1106 6h ago
Because the reality is that you have to have the right attitude or you will never be happy
2
2
2
2
u/Clusterclucked 1h ago
i mean i guess i could choose to just be miserable. I'd rather choose not to be miserable
I'm not always happy all the time but who is? not having responsibilities and expectations actually sucks. it feels awful. working kinda sucks too but honestly, it sucks less as long as your job actually pays for what you need
21
u/flatstacy 7h ago
Some of us love being productive members of society. We love accomplishing things. We love making people's lives better. We are not self absorbed miserable people in general.
19
u/Gonbechyan 6h ago
I mean I want to accomplish stuff and make people's lives better, just not via employment. I want to learn a lot of different skills without worrying about if I can profit off of them or not. I want to volunteer, I want to raise a family. You can be productive without working for a wage.
4
u/gunterrae 5h ago
Yes, but you can also raise a family and volunteer and have hobbies and learn while having a job.
→ More replies (2)3
u/helloimalexandria 3h ago
I don’t find work to be necessarily soul-sucking in and of itself and as a concept, but the truth of the matter is that it takes all of your time.
You wake up at 6AM, shower, get dressed, try to eat something, grab your coffee, and then you go.
You get to work, do your work, maybe take a lunch and grab something to eat or eat your packed lunch, then you go back to working.
You get off at 5PM, sit in traffic, maybe get home at 5:30PM-5:45PM, and realize that you were “on” for most of the day and you’re tired.
You need dinner, so you cook, and by the time you sit down to eat it’s 7PM. You realize you need to do some laundry, so you do that, maybe watch a show for an hour, then finish up your laundry. You need lunch for work tomorrow so you pack it and to make the morning easier, you pick out clothes for the next day. In between, maybe you catch up with friends and family on the phone.
Some days after work, you need to go grocery shopping. The store is out of your way so by the time you’re done, you’re getting home at 7:30PM. You need to be in bed by 10PM.
Some days after work, maybe you grab dinner with a friend. You don’t get home until 8:30PM.
Your roof needs to be replaced. You drive home after work as quick as you can to meet the roofer for a quote. It takes him an hour and a half to look everything over to get you some numbers.
You’re resolved to work on your hobby, though, so you plan for it one night. On your way home, there’s a car accident or ice storm and it takes you forever to get home. You get a solid two hours to work on your hobby after you eat and clean up.
You want to get an education so you sign up for your local community college. You get off work at 5PM and have to be in class at 6PM, so you head right there. You get home at 8:30PM. You do this three nights per week.
You need to clean your house up. You’re having friends over on Saturday. You do a little of this each night after work.
I don’t have children. I can’t imagine what it’s like plus trying to keep up with all the housework and my own interests. I can’t imagine having to shop for food and clothes and go to appointments and study while also raising a family while working. That is hard work trying to fit it all in.
What working did do, though, was burn me out trying to keep everything stitched together and perfect. I had no time for myself. All I thought about was work and building my life around something that took nearly all of my time. Everything else was trying to meet my needs. Then I had to deal with bureaucracy and my bosses, and even just sitting there doing nothing when things were slow just for appearances.
But yeah, you can fit it all in when you’re young. When you get older, your energy just isn’t like it was when you were younger. I don’t know. Maybe I’m weird.
→ More replies (6)•
u/Anangrywookiee 41m ago
Most jobs aren’t really doing that though. Realistically we’re just exchanging our labor for money in support of someone else’s business venture. Jobs that are genuinally improving people’s lives and accomplishing something meaningful tend to not be very profitable, but we still need to live so.
30
u/CerealRepeater 7h ago
idkk you’re sat here assuming people who dislike work are: self absorbed, don’t want to be productive, don’t want to contribute to society, don’t like making life better for others, don’t like accomplishing things and are lazy. someone who isn’t miserable themselves won’t assume so much about people they don’t know.
there’s a huge difference between someone who’s a lazy leech and wants to coast in life off the coat tails of others and someone who finds it quite depressing they’re essentially forced into a soul sucking job so they can survive. The former isn’t everyone, tbh that’s a pretty small minority, and the latter are usually honest people who would still be “productive members of society” and would still accomplish things if they didn’t need to work to have money.
→ More replies (4)2
1
1
u/monsantobreath 3h ago
This attitude is pretty toxic. It lacks empathy for the grind many people suffer that isn't useful to them or allows them to feel productive. Just because you made money for your boss today doesn't mean you pridiced anything of value to your community.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (19)1
3
2
3
u/OhGr8WhatNow 7h ago
I love my job so that is one thing. When I haven't loved my job, I've been kind of miserable
My husband has very little ambition at work. He makes enough and they are nice to him and he has good benefits, so he's happy enough. All of his ambition and true effort is in his personal life, which is apparent by how much people love him and how he cares for others.
I wouldn't trade this for anything and I try to be more like him.
5
u/warm-winters 7h ago
Because they are miserable but they realize they don’t have money to stop working, so they end up grinding it through to survive and hope the rationalization is sufficient. One day at a time.
→ More replies (16)2
u/BadAdviceBot 2h ago
Don’t worry, AI will save us all….or kill us, but at that point, what’s the difference?
2
u/SexyKatt77 7h ago
I personally enjoy working. Even on days where I don’t love my job, I enjoy getting up and going to work.
I was unemployed for 6 months and I enjoyed it for about a month and a half and then I was dying to go back to work.
→ More replies (3)
2
u/thebenji2_0 7h ago
Oh we are miserable but we always have something to look forward to. Going home to see our families or a bottle of booze. You know the best aspects of life.
2
u/Zaddylovesu 6h ago
Life is a balance of work and fun imo. Can’t have a good version of either side without the other.
2
u/Major-Pack1142 6h ago
Full time like 40hours? I work 50+hours a week, cook almost every dinner for my family, workout at 6am 5x a week, and be there for every milestone my kids have. My life is full and happy. Do you think working less will make a less miserable person? Because your just going to be more miserable because you have less money
2
3
u/solitudeismyjam 7h ago
- Develop the habit of happiness. There are people who have everything, yet still tell themselves their life sucks.
- Find a job you find fulfilling, and that helps others.
- Realize that you're a grown adult and nobody is going to come along and take care of you, especially not the government.
2
u/moverene1914 2h ago
Because they are well adjusted people who realize a job just may be necessary to pay their bills. Not everybody is miserable!
320
u/web_head91 7h ago
I work for a really shitty company in an office that is poorly organized. My boss is an idiot, the office is extremely cliquey and I am pretty disliked by everyone who isn't on my very small team.
You'd think I'd be miserable, but things are tough out there, and I'd rather be employed than not. I focus on the positives.
My boss is too clueless to know what I do, so I don't have much oversight. I also have flexible hours. I get paid quite well for a relatively low workload. My job is extremely near my home and is easy to get to.
Most importantly, I compartmentalize. I don't take my work home with me, I don't stress off the clock, and I have a fulfilling life outside work. The job is simply a means to an end; it's not my life.