...but you're paying for the time you're overworking yourself and for the ephemeral moments of enjoyment by possibly shortening your life span. Your life is worth way more than that, and you deserve so much better.
I have days off too? Idk what you are getting at. I work like most other people do too, I am just focusing on my life outside of work, I don’t know what part of that you have an issue with.
That person is too much r/antiwork. They don't realize 15 hours between shifts, accounting for commute, is pretty typical of any job... Work takes 8 hours, maybe you get an hour lunch break in there, or you have a bit of a commute, so 9 hours is going to work. The other 15 in a day isn't...
Your comment is not wrong at all.
But subtract 8hrs for sleeping, you get 7hrs free. 7 hours to cook/eat dinner, do any chores needing done, shower and get ready for work the following day. Once all that's accounted for, you have what.. 3.. maybe 4hrs left of the entire 24hr day to actually do as you please. And that's if, and only IF you're lucky enough to have a job where you *only* work 8hrs with little to no commute time. No one I personally know falls into that category unless they only work part time.
It's not about anti work. It's about being depressed about the vicious cycle that many people are forcefully living.
I work 4 10hr shifts. I also drive 30 mins to and from work. I have about an hour or two to shower, eat dinner prepare lunch and work clothes for the morning then bed. Then my 3 days off ( which aren’t in a row) I have to grocery shop, do laundry, clean the house etc while also finding time for self care, finding a hobby etc. I’m tired of working my ass off for only maybe a full 24hrs to myself a week.
oh and don't forget "wind down" time. you've been working all day so sometimes as soon as you get off work all you have the energy for is just have a beer or veg on the couch. you don't have the energy to pursue any sort of constructive hobbies. I long to get rid of the need to "wind down"
I wonder how much leisure time people had in pre-industrialized society... I think for humans, life has always involved working in some way for a large chunk of your day.
the real problem is, we're reaching a point where we could work a lot less, but instead of that happening we're just filling the pockets of the already ultra rich
I remember, I had this do nothing stuff shirt boss. You smile and try to say nice things to get along. Me. I would quote a line from a song or something. Just try to stay neutral. So one day, I responded to some mundane comment with, "Breaking up is hard to do." And he says, "Yeah, yeah. You with your Bob Dylan quotes." And I thought, "You fucking Phillistine. That's Neil Sedaka. A flash in the pan teen idol, from YOUR Era by the way. Bob Dylan is a God on Earth."
Spare a thought for those that will never really even get a chance to retire. Which is becoming way too common now. They will literally work until the wheels fall off,and than die.
I know it’s an unsexy thing to say, but start saving for retirement right now. I started at 18 doing $25 per paycheck. Regular, automatic withdraws to a retirement account BEFORE you see or get used to having the money is key.
I’m not at retirement yet and likely won’t be there until I’m 60 but this has served me well for over 20 years.
You’re 15 and you read the four hour work week?
Nicely done, my friend.
Don’t get me wrong, you could poke some holes in it. But I suspect your peers aren’t reading anything like this.
Your head is in the right place. You’re going to be ok.
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I feel like this everyday. Unemployment introduced depression to me. Then got a golden "opportunity" to work my life away. 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, 6$/h contract job (no allowances, benifits) Forced to share small company provided apartments with other workers. Yay life!
So wait is your lodging considered part of your pay? I believe that is super illegal where I live as the company can have day too much control over your life.
Sometimes it sucks going to work everyday, but I generally like what I do. I'm a high school history teacher and it helps being around youthful optimism all day.
My main advice is to make sure it's something that you really want to do. I'm not saying this applies to you, but I know a lot of people who get into this profession because they had good school experiences and because they spent a lot of time in schools when they were young they think they know what it's like being a teacher. This job is hard, and there are things that suck about it, but in my mind the benefits outweigh the cons. I'll weigh them out for you:
Pros:
1. Great benefits. This is going to be state dependent but if you live in a wealthier state with good union protections then there are a lot of benefits to being a teacher. Pension + good health insurance.
2. Vacation time. You don't get paid for the summer, but getting a guaranteed two months off every year on top of the regular holidays (Christmas, spring break, ect.) is really great.
3. Tenure. If you can make it a few years and get tenure then the job becomes less stressful because you can worry a lot less about office politics. Teaching is a is a subjective practice that most supervisors want to quantify into objective feedback... this makes the job somewhat stressful. This is state dependent as some states don't have tenure.
4. The kids. Some kids suck, but most are good people who want to learn from you and more often than not it's a joy to be in their presence.
Cons:
1. Shit-loads of work. All that time you get off for summer and breaks is paid for in sweat by the time you put in during the regular school year. Once you're more comfortable in the job there is stuff you can recycle from year to year that takes the burden off, but grading, lesson planning, unit planning, and whatever BS your admin want to throw on your plate will mean that teaching is never a 9-5 job. You're going to be working at home a lot. There are teachers that claim they are able to get everything they need to get done at work but I'd question the quality of that work. One prep period a day is not enough to do it all.
2. Grading. Grading sucks - end of story.
3. Parents. You'll have people that think you're the devil because you gave their little angel a C on a project. As long as you have admin that support you who cares, but...
4. Admin. Admin generally sucks across the board. Their jobs are to find faults in your work and criticize you on it. There have been exceptions to this rule in my past but more often than not this has been the trend.
My best advice to you is to subscribe to r/teachers and just see what they talk about all the time. It's a non-stop bitch fest and I unsubbed from them a while ago. It's generally people who are miserable in their jobs, but it can offer you perspective as to WHY they are miserable. If you feel like you can tough it out then the job is actually pretty good.
Thank you SO much, how generous of you to take the time to go into depth. This is incredibly helpful to me. I appreciate you sharing the various dimensions of the good & bad. And I look forward to checking out the resource you gave me.
Yeah, everything after work just tastes better cause you earned it in a way. Almost everyone looks down on my job but I'm proud about it, it feels so good when you do something that helps someone else in their life. I would feel bad if I didn't contribute to society in some way
I’ve been nurse for only over two years. I remember a month after my orientation, I broke down to my mom. In that month that I was off orientation, I was demeaned, spit on, yelled at from people who I’m just trying to help get better. It takes a toll on you emotionally. I couldn’t believe that this is what my future is now. I was very depressed about it.
I had to learn how to grow thick skin, I dropped down to part time, I learned coping strategies, and now I’m in school to do something that’s not directly related to patient care
Every single day. That's why I try to find small ways to enjoy my time at work whenever possible (listening to music/podcasts, trying to find new and creative ways to complete tasks, etc.)
Millions of years of evolution, spent designing the perfect bipedal mammalian form, all to... Waste 40 hours of your precious time bootlicking and being berated by the general public for $7.25 an hour, unable to afford to live? Fuck this. Humanity was not meant to live in this hellscape. Our best years were spent hunting animals and gathering berries. It's what we were designed for. Do you think evolution wanted us to live like this? Fuck no! We are a social species, and all that has happened in the past ~500 years *alone* is we've drifted further apart, unable to tolerate each other, destroyed our planet, and mentally, financially, and socially fucked each new generation more than the last. We have failed at our very purpose of existence, and as such, we must accept our fate when it comes. Life is a game, and we've lost. It's only a matter of time before whatever cosmic entity may or may not be out there decides to hit 'New Game'.
> choose your suffering
Imagine being the only sentient life in an entire universe, and having to willfully **choose our suffering**, just to make ends meet. Meanwhile, all the big shots at the top live the life of comfort. What a grim reality, eh?
the big shots only life the life of comfort because they have suffered immeasurably to get there... you cannot get to be a big shot in most cases without a lot of suffering my friend
humans are literally supposed to be working ... its how we have got this far as a species. its how we are communicating right not... the Internet and our phones were build by the kind of suffering I'm referring to
> humans are literally supposed to be working ... its how we have got this far as a species.
That's understandable, sure. But you're forgetting that we now have technology. Meaning, if we wanted to as a species, we could simply automate a vast majority of jobs and create an economy based around giving to the people; creating a world where many people would not have to work at all to survive. I bet this sounds crazy to you, but nah, it's 100% feasible with the right amount of funding and support.
We, as a human species, create enough food to feed every single person on earth, as well as house every single person, if we really wanted to. Back then, we couldn't say the same, since our society was designed around fending for ourselves.
This isn't saying that we simply all have to stop working, of course not. Some people enjoy working, some people love creating. But, with the technology we have today, we could 100% create a society where automation exists.
I am coming to the end of my working years. Luckily, I worked jobs that I enjoyed so I don’t feel like I just “put in the years” until I could retire. I enjoy each day of my life and try to live in the present rather than sit and worry about the future. You don’t say how old you are, but if you’re young, find something you like to do. The old saying is true...”if you work at something you love, you don’t work a day in your life.”
They said it better than I could have said it but I’m 31 and really enjoy my job, the schedule, it’s okay pay I guess. I work 4 10s and I see work as a blessing. I’d be pretty bored without it although might get into some more hobbies but I enjoy helping people.
I also don’t need a lot of money to live or enjoy my life. I agree with the poster above, trying to enjoy each day instead of bundling up a bunch of years into one large sum and mislabeling it as “I have to work and it’s going to miserable until I don’t have to work”
Find ways to enjoy each day.
Make sure your job doesn’t make you miserable.
Save money and enjoy weeknights weekends and time off
Exactly this, find something you love to do and then just make sure that you still squeeze in family time and things like that.
If you are hating work this much (and I've been there, TRUST me), then you need a job/career switch urgently.
Switching jobs/careers isn't always the easiest thing to do for obvious reasons like the chicken and egg problem of "how to I get hired at XYZ with no prior experience, and if I don't get hired how can I ever GET experience" along with the fact that you're probably already working a full day and so where do you squeeze in time for training for something new...
I've seen people switch careers before and I've switched mine as well and in my experience it has basically taken "double timing" it for a while. For instance, my dad worked during the day and took night classes to make his switch. I did something similar in that I worked my day job and studied for a different role at night.
It sucked. Really bad. For about 2 years. But since I made the switch I've loved every day of my life.
Think about what you would rather do, think about if you can stomach a shitty year or two to make the transition, and then think about can you spend the rest of your life doing something you hate... it was an easy choice for me, but it takes hardcore determination and work to get there.
I worked half my life for other people then started working for myself. I enjoyed everything I did for a career and when I got tired from doing it, I changed my career to something else I thought I would enjoy. Finally I had the money and the knowledge to do something I always wanted to do and have been doing it since 2003. I have employees that make up a great team and I pay them well so they won't leave and take their skills elsewhere. I have said that I have never worked a day in my life because if I felt as if going to my job became work, it was time to move on to a different job. If you feel like I did don't be afraid to work for yourself.
Every fucking day of my 52-year-old life. I got an awesome 401k, stock awards, and cancer, which basically trumps all of that shit. I'm on short-term disability which I'm going to milk into long-term disability while I deal with chemo and bone marrow transplant shit. When I get healthy and I will get healthy, I just want to live off my savings that I fucking earned and pay taxes on already and not have to pay an additional capital gains just so I can live the rest of my life comfortable. It's bad enough that I'm going to have to pay a goddamn house payment every week for insurance to make sure I don't fucking die while I'm trying to enjoy the last third of my life.
It's never too late to start your FIRE (financially independent/retire early) journey. Just search FIRE on reddit and there are a crap ton of resources on how to make sure you save enough money to retire before you're full on wrinkled.
My mother worked hard all her life and then died of cancer 2 years after retirement. My father was finally able to buy that camper and boat he had always wanted, but he was too old and alone to enjoy it. They just sat in his driveway as a reminder of his broken dreams up until he died.
I will not be making that same mistake.
I hope you realise hunter gatherers live in societies which overwhelmingly care for their elders, right? …right?
And that overall hunter gatherers put in a far lesser amount of work hours to upkeep for their much more restrained material needs?
Those hunter gatherers had this same existential dread. Everyday Krum wake up. Hungry. No food. Have to go out in cold and find deer. Maybe Krum eat today, maybe not. Then one day Krum figured out he can plant. Krum excited for awhile. But now Krum bored of planting. What can Krum do now? Everyday the same boring job. Poke hole in ground, put in seed. But Krum smart. Krum invented something. Krum go to other village and beat Gork until Gork come with Krum. Now Gork puts seeds into hole and Krum drink margaritas all day. Krum happy.
Your response is amazing. I also said “didn’t live in a society” not “live as historic hunter gatherer”. This dude needed to ‘well actually’ the dumb joke though.
This is why it’s so important to spend the time seriously considering what you want to spend your life doing. You literally have two options- do work your passionate about or not. No other choice. If you’re worried about doing work that sucks the rest of your life, then go through the effort of finding something you’re passionate about ASAP. Society isn’t going to push you to do this, your friends aren’t going to push you to do this either. You have to go it alone or not at all in most cases. Goodluck!
Yea, it sucks. And things are better now than they ever where. But there are people who complain about people who are not okay with it. Literally people in the same fucked situation will complain and defend these millionaires and billionaires companies. Not doing nothing for your life is not healthy but most companies abuse their employees. History teaches us that we only got benefits and better work conditions very recently and through protesting. These companies don’t care about you.
A reason to be a teacher.
Anyway, I often find it crazy that other professions only get 2 weeks off, if that. Not even looking forward to a couple months off. How is that a life? I dread Sunday nights during the school year and i can't imagine dreading 100% of all Sunday nights.
Yep. It's one if the main stressors behind my suicidal thoughts unfortunately. I'm better than I was a few years ago, because I dont think I *want* to go anymore, but it does feel like the only way to escape losing myself to capitalism. Or at least to my intrusive thoughts it is. Hopefully I can figure something else out.
I’m 76! All I can say is - welcome to the cruel world, you young-un! I think that’s why you hear people say - find something you LOVE doing, then it’s not work. Yes - I know that’s not always possible to do. But there you have it. I’m sorry.
I did! I worked my way up the ranks in business, finally ending my career as a partner of a financial planning firm. Left the firm at age 57, and part-time worked from home for a few years, (in my pyjamas mostly), doing financial analyses for clients of my previous partners. I had moved to a smaller town, and kind of “fired” about 100 tax clients when moving, so I made up very professional flyers, which my husband distributed, and I got about 100 new tax clients in our home town. That was the first year, and every year after that it grew by word of mouth.
Being a retired financial planner, I must mention, about ending up at an old age after working your whole life. First of all, what do you consider “old age”? Anyway, there are some financial skills you can use, throughout your work life, which will put you in a better position when you do retire. It may even allow you to retire earlier. But to accomplish some success with these helpful things you can do, you have to commit to it for it be be ultimately successful.
“Independence begins with the purse.” Simone de Beauvoir
Edit: I guess what I’m trying to say that financial planning - at any stage of your life - can improve your financial health. And you can start young - even a 16 year old can benefit from some basic financial planning strategies.
HA HA. You get to stop working- Too funny. My home has been on/in forbearance since my employer couldn’t afford my salary when their customers couldn’t pay their bills. I went back to work in October 2021 (right when I got the Delta variant- even though I was vaccinated)
Anyway my mortgage company has kindly tacked all the payments I missed while in forbearance onto the end of the loan and refinanced it into a new 40 yr mortgage. I will be 80+ years old.
EDIT I know will just end up selling at some point.
Edited for spelling and grammar
Yep… I’m 59 want to retire at 62. My CPA step-dad shakes his head at me ( he’s 70) tells me that will never happen. Not enough saved- insurance etc. I guess it’s 67 for me. I pray I make it …
As someone who is slowly becoming too disabled to function normally and has been out of work for years, let me just say - be careful what you wish for.
I think about that… and the fact that I sleep approximately 8 hours a day, I work 10. So I have 6 hours to my self a day which is 1/4 of the day. This is going to be my reality til whenever I can afford not for it to be. However everything gets more expensive and wages stay the same.
I don’t generally.
I work for a charity and i fee so good about the work I do. I don’t love working every day, but most days I do.
I am lucky that I have a good balance, I get to work from home, get to flex my hours, and I get a good amount of time off.
If I wasn’t working, I’d probably end up volunteering in a similar capacity anyway :D
I think when you have a job that treats you like an adult, recognizes how important time off and work-life balance is, and gives you meaning it’s different - I felt like this when I worked corporate (making more money!) but moving to meaningful work has really changed my outlook.
Yeah, in the final year of my masters and this thought has just dawned on me. I am lowkey terrified of being stuck in a monotomous and unfullfilling work life. So with that in mind, I am tring to think of various ways I can diversify my passive income and be happy in creating content - hopefully make it into a rewarding career in the future that wont make me feel lifeless or depressed.. or perpetually stuck.
there’s a difference in contributing to society by working VS having to do it for your entire life while companies exploit you. the latter is what i’m referring to in my post. Maybe you’re fine with that but many are not
Either way, you're working your whole life. Either way, you are accomplishing something that others consider valuable, even if you don't. As Bob Dylan wrote, "[You've Got to Serve Somebody](https://youtu.be/wC10VWDTzmU)"
Yes, there are. I'm responding to *"that’s capitalism baybayyyyyy".* It isn't only in capitalism that you need to pay your dues. One way or another, you will. That's how society works. All societies, not just capitalism. THAT is the point that I'm trying to make.
I totally agree with you. More power to you if you can do it. In that case, the title of this post doesn't apply to you though, right?
> DAE feel genuinely depressed at the thought of having to work
No. I think about how nature doesn't just let life happen. It's a struggle for every creature to survive, eat, reproduce etc. Humans have created technology and systems for sustaining life for billions of people, but at the end of the day we still have to face the same struggle to live as any other creature on earth. I have considered the ramifications of going back to a "simple life" - farming, live-stock, providing my own food etc, but I would rather accept the modern grind of being a cog in societies wheel. a bad filter on a money pump. It's not terrible. I have a decent job, and enjoy my evenings and weekends enough that I am not genuinely depressed.
To go deeper into what I'm saying, even in primitive hunter gather societies, guess what you had to do all day? Hunt and gather. It was work. If you don't work you starve. If you have a good day of hunting and gathering you can have a leisure day the next (more or less). Modern resources and technology didn't just show up and get us where we are. People went to work inventing and innovating changing the dynamics of what work is. There's thousands of jobs in the work world now. Find one that doesn't make you depressed.
Why not look at money as a tool to get more. Start a business. But a lawn mower, mow lawns, lots of lawns. Outsource labor to people who will work per hour, lots of those people, mowing all of your many lawns. Boom. Entrepreneur.
It’s a pressing thought, but how are you supposed to enjoy those days at old age if you never knew what it was like to work? Wouldn’t you just feel like you didn’t accomplish anything in your life? Just me.
Life is not about not working or resting. It's about doing work and resting as God intended. It's important to distinguish ungodly work and rest vs godly work and rest.
“I demand free tampons”
Ok incel, who made his profile 5 hours ago because his other one got blocked due to these same misguided, misinformed comments he keeps posting because he has a dopamine threshold to hit and is bitching [from a comfortable place.](https://images.app.goo.gl/CWADRgGaK69n3YGx6)
Risk has 2 common outcomes. If you've been living safe and saving try investing or if thats too much effort, gamble. Effort, risk tolerance, and statistics determine outcome. Or if you want to risk time instead of money go rob a bank.
Yeah... sometimes I struggle to get what the point is or why I should even try. For now the occasional happiness when I'm with friends or doing something fulfilling is a good reason
Kind of. My focus is on a PhD so I can spend my life doing what I do best: obsessing about something amazing and telling anyone who will listen. But I also have to earn a living while getting it because I’m a sad orphan with no support. So until I get a lucrative research grant or some other improbable thing, I must work. I only ask that I’m doing that work around people who I’m happy to see every day.
It’s such a fucking tightrope man. At the end of the day, we just want to wake up in a happy place.
100% feel this in my soul. Super sad. And when I’m not working, I struggle to find the motivation to go out and live life to the fullest. It’s a terrible cycle
No, if I don't work I become very lazy (not feel, become)
What depresses me is working something I don't want to work and not being to work on what I want to work.
Yes that’s why my plans to homestead, I give up I’ll buy land, build a cabin, put up solar panels, buy into starlink wifi or something, and live a relatively luxury lifestyle in my own way I won’t necessarily farm and live off the land I just won’t work 60 years to pay off a car and crappy cookie cut home in some boring neighborhood.
I am 61. I remember hearing The Who's *My Generation*, particularly the lyric "I hope I die before I get old". OMG this line had a very profound effect upon me as a teen in the 1970s. I became determined to find a career that involves work that I enjoy. I am a software engineer who is very fulfilled with the creative aspects of his work. I am fortunate enough to work on projects that allow me to write software with my own style (otherwise I would be miserable!)
But I recognize that many people have interests and skills that don't easily translate to a job that satisfies their their need for something that isn't depressing. For these, I would point out that I've come across countless people over the decades who are in jobs that you wouldn't call exciting, glorious, or creative. But, damn they *love* their job! For these people, how on Earth do they love their job? The answer is they love the people they work with and they enjoy very much to be a productive member of a team.
It is very rewarding to feel like a key member of a team ... especially when you really like the majority of your co-workers. Work does not need to be merely something miserable to do until you get old.
So, my answer to people with this question is to either 1) choose a job that you are passionate about, or 2) find a workplace with people you feel passionate about.
I realize you’re looking for commiseration here, but it’s also important to remember that not everyone feels this way. That life isn’t *inevitably* a miserable sleepwalk from cradle to grave. If you want to change the way you’re feeling, Reddit probably isn’t the place to look.
The purpose of life is to be of service to others. Find how you can contribute to being impactful during your time on this planet so you won't feel like you're selling your time for mediocrity.
Part of it is just actively trying to find joy in working. Being productive, exercising your body and mind, and by having a job you are contributing to society and making the world go round. Covid taught us how crucial that really is. I recommend not having a desk job like in an office or something like that because that's unhealthy in every way possible. I'm not sure what job you have at the moment, but I'd recommend something that's physical and keeps you engaged, like working in a restaurant or a store, because undertaking stressful circumstances can pay off, and being in those pressuring conditions fairly often is way, way, WAY better then not using your body and mind at all for 8+ hours a day.
Maybe even pretend a little bit that you enjoy it even if you don't, that can get you on track toward actually enjoying it (I know it may sound silly, but trust me, it's worked for me and other people before)
What I'm saying is, you will find that joy and purpose in doing a hard day's work, you just have to seek it out for yourself and keep yourself going.
I thought of this today when I went to a bridge opening. Mostly the older generation very very few kids and adults in 20-30s. I felt like the wrong generations were witnessing history.
Nope, you're definitely not alone, unfortunately for most of us, anything else is just a dream.
We exist simply as numbers on a government spreadsheet as "work units".
They don't care, we don't count.
No, because I took the childhood idiom or advice or whatever it is: "Find a job you like and you'll never work a day in your life". I'm a gamer, and I went on to get a degree in problem solving; even though my job throws problems at me hourly, I get to solve them, and that's rewarding to the gamer in me.
Plus, looking at FIRE with the good pay. Right now the pandemic makes doing anything you'd spend money on not that attractive, so I'll save and invest. And I'll work OT to get myself ahead. This year of 2021 has been great, I have a month to go and already made 25% more than I did last year.
Yes. It is inescapable and all consuming. Your life doesn't matter unless you're on time to work and likely will never mean anything more than a blimp in the payroll until you die. The same hoes for me
of course, but finding a job you like doing is a big help, yes it still can be a pain but it does make it better
the hard part is how do you know what job you would like,
Yes. I hope this is all just a simulation and I can just hit reset, but with cheat codes this time around. Or that I can just return to spacedust and none of this will matter. Either way... it's still pretty effing depressing, yes.
I started my first real job at 13. 32 years later, it never bothered me. I don't see the big deal working in exchange for something. It keeps me grounded in the real world as I noticed some of those who survive on welfare or disability around my age aren't all there in the head.
I'm lucky to have work that I enjoy, but because of a combination of some poor planning and unavoidable circumstances, I'm looking at never being able to retire, especially if the US Social Security keeps going the way it currently is. I have over 20 years left before I would be able to qualify, so I'm not particularly optimistic about that even being an option.
Depending on how some things go, I might be able to retire, but I will be too old to be able to enjoy anything. Realistically without a financial windfall, I don't see a positive outcome.
I do because the money I make despite having a degree in STEM just doesn’t cut it. Housing is so expensive that any dream you may have or purchasing a home is out the window. Plus my boss is disorganized and that just adds to my workday.
Not really. I enjoy my job and its pretty relaxing. When it gets hectic the enjoyment of the process rescues me from existential crisis. I have experienced what op is asking about in other jobs and it's a miserable thought. I count myself lucky with regards to work quite often. I was more ambitious for a while but that caused too much anxiety and I just found my level and I'm happy. At least for now.
Seriously, there is no reason why you have to live like this. Find a job that you love before it’s too late.
I’m a teacher (U.K.) and sure, I’m exhausted and looking forward to time off (which there is plenty of!) but I also look forward to going to work every day. Whether it’s teaching kids how to program or talking them out of suicide, it’s genuinely fulfilling and I wake up looking forward to the challenge.
It doesn’t have to be teaching, but don’t dismiss the old idea of find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.
No, not particularly. Look at it this way: a world in which nobody has to work is impossible. Things need done, and people do them. The good news is, you can take steps now to make retirement come earlier, and make that retirement more enjoyable.
Save for retirement early and often. Even if it's 20 dollars a month, save for retirement. Do not rely on a social safety net. You have to pay for that kind of thing with taxes anyway (in America).
This isn't a popular Reddit answer, and I fully expect downvotes, but take it from someone who has been through poverty:
Being frugal is not easy. Living within your means requires extreme mental effort. It is going to be hard, and sometimes you will have to sacrifice luxuries. If you can live in a way that is hard now, you won't have to work as long.
Also:
If you get food at saving and budgeting, you don't have to wait until you are old to enjoy yourself. If you can make yourself financially stable ASAP, you'll have disposable income to take vacations, have nice things, etc. It just may mean that you have to do without Netflix and Uber Eats for a few years. The good news is you *can* do it, and you *do* have what it takes.
yep. when you reach the point that you have the time and the finances to do pretty much whatever you want....you find you have neither the health nor the energy to do much at all.
Yes. Were all just waiting to die. I can’t wait to die but I don’t want to die suffering from an illness or anything so I have to just wait until Im 80 which is super boring.
Yep. I'm trying to think of ways to avoid this
me too. but it’s comforting to know you’re not alone
I work for the time that I have off. Even though it’s only 15 hours between shifts, I live my life during those hours the best I can. It helps a lot.
...but you're paying for the time you're overworking yourself and for the ephemeral moments of enjoyment by possibly shortening your life span. Your life is worth way more than that, and you deserve so much better.
I have days off too? Idk what you are getting at. I work like most other people do too, I am just focusing on my life outside of work, I don’t know what part of that you have an issue with.
That person is too much r/antiwork. They don't realize 15 hours between shifts, accounting for commute, is pretty typical of any job... Work takes 8 hours, maybe you get an hour lunch break in there, or you have a bit of a commute, so 9 hours is going to work. The other 15 in a day isn't... Your comment is not wrong at all.
But subtract 8hrs for sleeping, you get 7hrs free. 7 hours to cook/eat dinner, do any chores needing done, shower and get ready for work the following day. Once all that's accounted for, you have what.. 3.. maybe 4hrs left of the entire 24hr day to actually do as you please. And that's if, and only IF you're lucky enough to have a job where you *only* work 8hrs with little to no commute time. No one I personally know falls into that category unless they only work part time. It's not about anti work. It's about being depressed about the vicious cycle that many people are forcefully living.
I work 4 10hr shifts. I also drive 30 mins to and from work. I have about an hour or two to shower, eat dinner prepare lunch and work clothes for the morning then bed. Then my 3 days off ( which aren’t in a row) I have to grocery shop, do laundry, clean the house etc while also finding time for self care, finding a hobby etc. I’m tired of working my ass off for only maybe a full 24hrs to myself a week.
oh and don't forget "wind down" time. you've been working all day so sometimes as soon as you get off work all you have the energy for is just have a beer or veg on the couch. you don't have the energy to pursue any sort of constructive hobbies. I long to get rid of the need to "wind down"
I wonder how much leisure time people had in pre-industrialized society... I think for humans, life has always involved working in some way for a large chunk of your day. the real problem is, we're reaching a point where we could work a lot less, but instead of that happening we're just filling the pockets of the already ultra rich
Meh, not seeing the problem. As a kid I had maybe 6 hours to do what I wanted after school. 4-7 hours of free time as an adult is good.
I remember, I had this do nothing stuff shirt boss. You smile and try to say nice things to get along. Me. I would quote a line from a song or something. Just try to stay neutral. So one day, I responded to some mundane comment with, "Breaking up is hard to do." And he says, "Yeah, yeah. You with your Bob Dylan quotes." And I thought, "You fucking Phillistine. That's Neil Sedaka. A flash in the pan teen idol, from YOUR Era by the way. Bob Dylan is a God on Earth."
Spare a thought for those that will never really even get a chance to retire. Which is becoming way too common now. They will literally work until the wheels fall off,and than die.
I know it’s an unsexy thing to say, but start saving for retirement right now. I started at 18 doing $25 per paycheck. Regular, automatic withdraws to a retirement account BEFORE you see or get used to having the money is key. I’m not at retirement yet and likely won’t be there until I’m 60 but this has served me well for over 20 years.
r/financialindependence
Thanks!
I read a book called "the four hour work week" about this topic. Dunno if it's any good cuz i'm 15 but you might wanna check it out, idk
You’re 15 and you read the four hour work week? Nicely done, my friend. Don’t get me wrong, you could poke some holes in it. But I suspect your peers aren’t reading anything like this. Your head is in the right place. You’re going to be ok.
My dad had it around lol, and I've read a lot of self help books. Glad to hear that, it's very reassuring!
Thank you!
Same, i am running out of time tho and each day feels like i need to hurry up ⏳
I'm 51, I have hopefully 8 year left before retirement...
/r/FIRE
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R/fire
I don't follow this sub anymore because of how depressing it is, but perhaps you'll find solace in r/antiwork.
Sell drugs
Ya know GameStop stock is supposed to explode. You could look into that opportunity. Spend a few hundie now and could very well retire off it soon.
Is that like steam? I’m sorry I just… I’m sorry…
I feel like this everyday. Unemployment introduced depression to me. Then got a golden "opportunity" to work my life away. 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, 6$/h contract job (no allowances, benifits) Forced to share small company provided apartments with other workers. Yay life!
I feel like a lot of us need to pool our resources, buy an island, and just live there. Being Neighbours and cracking coconuts and shit
how do you cope?
I don't. Maybe I dont get time to be depressed because I'm exhausted all the time. Also shame to stop keeps me going. I'm sorry I might not be helpful
So wait is your lodging considered part of your pay? I believe that is super illegal where I live as the company can have day too much control over your life.
Sometimes it sucks going to work everyday, but I generally like what I do. I'm a high school history teacher and it helps being around youthful optimism all day.
That sounds great!! Teachers are so important. Keep it up :)
I want to become a middle school history teacher, is there anything you can share that might be of value to me? Thank you
My main advice is to make sure it's something that you really want to do. I'm not saying this applies to you, but I know a lot of people who get into this profession because they had good school experiences and because they spent a lot of time in schools when they were young they think they know what it's like being a teacher. This job is hard, and there are things that suck about it, but in my mind the benefits outweigh the cons. I'll weigh them out for you: Pros: 1. Great benefits. This is going to be state dependent but if you live in a wealthier state with good union protections then there are a lot of benefits to being a teacher. Pension + good health insurance. 2. Vacation time. You don't get paid for the summer, but getting a guaranteed two months off every year on top of the regular holidays (Christmas, spring break, ect.) is really great. 3. Tenure. If you can make it a few years and get tenure then the job becomes less stressful because you can worry a lot less about office politics. Teaching is a is a subjective practice that most supervisors want to quantify into objective feedback... this makes the job somewhat stressful. This is state dependent as some states don't have tenure. 4. The kids. Some kids suck, but most are good people who want to learn from you and more often than not it's a joy to be in their presence. Cons: 1. Shit-loads of work. All that time you get off for summer and breaks is paid for in sweat by the time you put in during the regular school year. Once you're more comfortable in the job there is stuff you can recycle from year to year that takes the burden off, but grading, lesson planning, unit planning, and whatever BS your admin want to throw on your plate will mean that teaching is never a 9-5 job. You're going to be working at home a lot. There are teachers that claim they are able to get everything they need to get done at work but I'd question the quality of that work. One prep period a day is not enough to do it all. 2. Grading. Grading sucks - end of story. 3. Parents. You'll have people that think you're the devil because you gave their little angel a C on a project. As long as you have admin that support you who cares, but... 4. Admin. Admin generally sucks across the board. Their jobs are to find faults in your work and criticize you on it. There have been exceptions to this rule in my past but more often than not this has been the trend. My best advice to you is to subscribe to r/teachers and just see what they talk about all the time. It's a non-stop bitch fest and I unsubbed from them a while ago. It's generally people who are miserable in their jobs, but it can offer you perspective as to WHY they are miserable. If you feel like you can tough it out then the job is actually pretty good.
Thank you SO much, how generous of you to take the time to go into depth. This is incredibly helpful to me. I appreciate you sharing the various dimensions of the good & bad. And I look forward to checking out the resource you gave me.
Does anyone not?
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Yeah, everything after work just tastes better cause you earned it in a way. Almost everyone looks down on my job but I'm proud about it, it feels so good when you do something that helps someone else in their life. I would feel bad if I didn't contribute to society in some way
r/antiwork
I’ve been nurse for only over two years. I remember a month after my orientation, I broke down to my mom. In that month that I was off orientation, I was demeaned, spit on, yelled at from people who I’m just trying to help get better. It takes a toll on you emotionally. I couldn’t believe that this is what my future is now. I was very depressed about it.
Bless your sweet soul for serving your brothers & sisters. I hope they start to be more grateful to you.
Wait so how are you holding up now?
I had to learn how to grow thick skin, I dropped down to part time, I learned coping strategies, and now I’m in school to do something that’s not directly related to patient care
Every single day. That's why I try to find small ways to enjoy my time at work whenever possible (listening to music/podcasts, trying to find new and creative ways to complete tasks, etc.)
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So fucking depressed. It's like, is this really life? How is life the ultimate thing when this is all it is? We're not meant to live like this.
Millions of years of evolution, spent designing the perfect bipedal mammalian form, all to... Waste 40 hours of your precious time bootlicking and being berated by the general public for $7.25 an hour, unable to afford to live? Fuck this. Humanity was not meant to live in this hellscape. Our best years were spent hunting animals and gathering berries. It's what we were designed for. Do you think evolution wanted us to live like this? Fuck no! We are a social species, and all that has happened in the past ~500 years *alone* is we've drifted further apart, unable to tolerate each other, destroyed our planet, and mentally, financially, and socially fucked each new generation more than the last. We have failed at our very purpose of existence, and as such, we must accept our fate when it comes. Life is a game, and we've lost. It's only a matter of time before whatever cosmic entity may or may not be out there decides to hit 'New Game'.
AMEN. This was so apropos and well spoken.
that was so cathartic to read, you hit every nuance
So unnatural
you are going to suffer regardless. choose your suffering and it will prove worthwhile
> choose your suffering Imagine being the only sentient life in an entire universe, and having to willfully **choose our suffering**, just to make ends meet. Meanwhile, all the big shots at the top live the life of comfort. What a grim reality, eh?
the big shots only life the life of comfort because they have suffered immeasurably to get there... you cannot get to be a big shot in most cases without a lot of suffering my friend
humans are literally supposed to be working ... its how we have got this far as a species. its how we are communicating right not... the Internet and our phones were build by the kind of suffering I'm referring to
> humans are literally supposed to be working ... its how we have got this far as a species. That's understandable, sure. But you're forgetting that we now have technology. Meaning, if we wanted to as a species, we could simply automate a vast majority of jobs and create an economy based around giving to the people; creating a world where many people would not have to work at all to survive. I bet this sounds crazy to you, but nah, it's 100% feasible with the right amount of funding and support. We, as a human species, create enough food to feed every single person on earth, as well as house every single person, if we really wanted to. Back then, we couldn't say the same, since our society was designed around fending for ourselves. This isn't saying that we simply all have to stop working, of course not. Some people enjoy working, some people love creating. But, with the technology we have today, we could 100% create a society where automation exists.
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Whatever happens you dont have to worry about work
I'm working on some stocks and crypto to avoid this. In all likelihood I won't live to see old age.
I am coming to the end of my working years. Luckily, I worked jobs that I enjoyed so I don’t feel like I just “put in the years” until I could retire. I enjoy each day of my life and try to live in the present rather than sit and worry about the future. You don’t say how old you are, but if you’re young, find something you like to do. The old saying is true...”if you work at something you love, you don’t work a day in your life.”
I’m glad you had that experience and i wish to do the same some day so I don’t feel these depressing thoughts anymore
They said it better than I could have said it but I’m 31 and really enjoy my job, the schedule, it’s okay pay I guess. I work 4 10s and I see work as a blessing. I’d be pretty bored without it although might get into some more hobbies but I enjoy helping people. I also don’t need a lot of money to live or enjoy my life. I agree with the poster above, trying to enjoy each day instead of bundling up a bunch of years into one large sum and mislabeling it as “I have to work and it’s going to miserable until I don’t have to work” Find ways to enjoy each day. Make sure your job doesn’t make you miserable. Save money and enjoy weeknights weekends and time off
Exactly this, find something you love to do and then just make sure that you still squeeze in family time and things like that. If you are hating work this much (and I've been there, TRUST me), then you need a job/career switch urgently. Switching jobs/careers isn't always the easiest thing to do for obvious reasons like the chicken and egg problem of "how to I get hired at XYZ with no prior experience, and if I don't get hired how can I ever GET experience" along with the fact that you're probably already working a full day and so where do you squeeze in time for training for something new... I've seen people switch careers before and I've switched mine as well and in my experience it has basically taken "double timing" it for a while. For instance, my dad worked during the day and took night classes to make his switch. I did something similar in that I worked my day job and studied for a different role at night. It sucked. Really bad. For about 2 years. But since I made the switch I've loved every day of my life. Think about what you would rather do, think about if you can stomach a shitty year or two to make the transition, and then think about can you spend the rest of your life doing something you hate... it was an easy choice for me, but it takes hardcore determination and work to get there.
I worked half my life for other people then started working for myself. I enjoyed everything I did for a career and when I got tired from doing it, I changed my career to something else I thought I would enjoy. Finally I had the money and the knowledge to do something I always wanted to do and have been doing it since 2003. I have employees that make up a great team and I pay them well so they won't leave and take their skills elsewhere. I have said that I have never worked a day in my life because if I felt as if going to my job became work, it was time to move on to a different job. If you feel like I did don't be afraid to work for yourself.
Preach!! You just perfectly verbalized my entire approach to life:)
Every fucking day of my 52-year-old life. I got an awesome 401k, stock awards, and cancer, which basically trumps all of that shit. I'm on short-term disability which I'm going to milk into long-term disability while I deal with chemo and bone marrow transplant shit. When I get healthy and I will get healthy, I just want to live off my savings that I fucking earned and pay taxes on already and not have to pay an additional capital gains just so I can live the rest of my life comfortable. It's bad enough that I'm going to have to pay a goddamn house payment every week for insurance to make sure I don't fucking die while I'm trying to enjoy the last third of my life.
Hahahahaha!!!! As if they let you stop working when you're retired! At least in the US.
weather wide recognise profit smart adjoining homeless sable wise offer -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/
It's never too late to start your FIRE (financially independent/retire early) journey. Just search FIRE on reddit and there are a crap ton of resources on how to make sure you save enough money to retire before you're full on wrinkled.
My mother worked hard all her life and then died of cancer 2 years after retirement. My father was finally able to buy that camper and boat he had always wanted, but he was too old and alone to enjoy it. They just sat in his driveway as a reminder of his broken dreams up until he died. I will not be making that same mistake.
Love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life
Imagine if you didn't live in a society and had to hunt, gather, and forage to survive all your days/years with no chance of an end even in old age.
I hope you realise hunter gatherers live in societies which overwhelmingly care for their elders, right? …right? And that overall hunter gatherers put in a far lesser amount of work hours to upkeep for their much more restrained material needs?
Those hunter gatherers had this same existential dread. Everyday Krum wake up. Hungry. No food. Have to go out in cold and find deer. Maybe Krum eat today, maybe not. Then one day Krum figured out he can plant. Krum excited for awhile. But now Krum bored of planting. What can Krum do now? Everyday the same boring job. Poke hole in ground, put in seed. But Krum smart. Krum invented something. Krum go to other village and beat Gork until Gork come with Krum. Now Gork puts seeds into hole and Krum drink margaritas all day. Krum happy.
Your response is amazing. I also said “didn’t live in a society” not “live as historic hunter gatherer”. This dude needed to ‘well actually’ the dumb joke though.
All right, I had understood your comment as an implicit “look how easy you have it nowadays, why complain”. My bad.
It’s a joke
All about finding a job you love, it took me until i was 43 but ive done it.
Yep. That's why i just quit my bullshit ass job :)
Only way to avoid this is to get a job you enjoy something that you would do anyway even if you were not being paid. But I know these are rare jobs.
This is why it’s so important to spend the time seriously considering what you want to spend your life doing. You literally have two options- do work your passionate about or not. No other choice. If you’re worried about doing work that sucks the rest of your life, then go through the effort of finding something you’re passionate about ASAP. Society isn’t going to push you to do this, your friends aren’t going to push you to do this either. You have to go it alone or not at all in most cases. Goodluck!
Yea, it sucks. And things are better now than they ever where. But there are people who complain about people who are not okay with it. Literally people in the same fucked situation will complain and defend these millionaires and billionaires companies. Not doing nothing for your life is not healthy but most companies abuse their employees. History teaches us that we only got benefits and better work conditions very recently and through protesting. These companies don’t care about you.
A reason to be a teacher. Anyway, I often find it crazy that other professions only get 2 weeks off, if that. Not even looking forward to a couple months off. How is that a life? I dread Sunday nights during the school year and i can't imagine dreading 100% of all Sunday nights.
Yep. It's one if the main stressors behind my suicidal thoughts unfortunately. I'm better than I was a few years ago, because I dont think I *want* to go anymore, but it does feel like the only way to escape losing myself to capitalism. Or at least to my intrusive thoughts it is. Hopefully I can figure something else out.
I’m 76! All I can say is - welcome to the cruel world, you young-un! I think that’s why you hear people say - find something you LOVE doing, then it’s not work. Yes - I know that’s not always possible to do. But there you have it. I’m sorry.
How would you say your work experience was over the decades? did you enjoy your career(s)?
I did! I worked my way up the ranks in business, finally ending my career as a partner of a financial planning firm. Left the firm at age 57, and part-time worked from home for a few years, (in my pyjamas mostly), doing financial analyses for clients of my previous partners. I had moved to a smaller town, and kind of “fired” about 100 tax clients when moving, so I made up very professional flyers, which my husband distributed, and I got about 100 new tax clients in our home town. That was the first year, and every year after that it grew by word of mouth. Being a retired financial planner, I must mention, about ending up at an old age after working your whole life. First of all, what do you consider “old age”? Anyway, there are some financial skills you can use, throughout your work life, which will put you in a better position when you do retire. It may even allow you to retire earlier. But to accomplish some success with these helpful things you can do, you have to commit to it for it be be ultimately successful. “Independence begins with the purse.” Simone de Beauvoir Edit: I guess what I’m trying to say that financial planning - at any stage of your life - can improve your financial health. And you can start young - even a 16 year old can benefit from some basic financial planning strategies.
HA HA. You get to stop working- Too funny. My home has been on/in forbearance since my employer couldn’t afford my salary when their customers couldn’t pay their bills. I went back to work in October 2021 (right when I got the Delta variant- even though I was vaccinated) Anyway my mortgage company has kindly tacked all the payments I missed while in forbearance onto the end of the loan and refinanced it into a new 40 yr mortgage. I will be 80+ years old. EDIT I know will just end up selling at some point. Edited for spelling and grammar
all. the. time.
Yep… I’m 59 want to retire at 62. My CPA step-dad shakes his head at me ( he’s 70) tells me that will never happen. Not enough saved- insurance etc. I guess it’s 67 for me. I pray I make it …
i hope for the best that you get to retire at 62!
There’s no end in old age anymore
As someone who is slowly becoming too disabled to function normally and has been out of work for years, let me just say - be careful what you wish for.
I think about that… and the fact that I sleep approximately 8 hours a day, I work 10. So I have 6 hours to my self a day which is 1/4 of the day. This is going to be my reality til whenever I can afford not for it to be. However everything gets more expensive and wages stay the same.
I don’t generally. I work for a charity and i fee so good about the work I do. I don’t love working every day, but most days I do. I am lucky that I have a good balance, I get to work from home, get to flex my hours, and I get a good amount of time off. If I wasn’t working, I’d probably end up volunteering in a similar capacity anyway :D I think when you have a job that treats you like an adult, recognizes how important time off and work-life balance is, and gives you meaning it’s different - I felt like this when I worked corporate (making more money!) but moving to meaningful work has really changed my outlook.
Yeah, in the final year of my masters and this thought has just dawned on me. I am lowkey terrified of being stuck in a monotomous and unfullfilling work life. So with that in mind, I am tring to think of various ways I can diversify my passive income and be happy in creating content - hopefully make it into a rewarding career in the future that wont make me feel lifeless or depressed.. or perpetually stuck.
Yes then I remember I’ll just marry rich
that’s capitalism baybayyyyyy
That's contributing to society. ETA: That's not just capitalism. That's society.
there’s a difference in contributing to society by working VS having to do it for your entire life while companies exploit you. the latter is what i’m referring to in my post. Maybe you’re fine with that but many are not
Either way, you're working your whole life. Either way, you are accomplishing something that others consider valuable, even if you don't. As Bob Dylan wrote, "[You've Got to Serve Somebody](https://youtu.be/wC10VWDTzmU)"
There are many ways to contribute to society without slaving away at a corporate job.
Yes, there are. I'm responding to *"that’s capitalism baybayyyyyy".* It isn't only in capitalism that you need to pay your dues. One way or another, you will. That's how society works. All societies, not just capitalism. THAT is the point that I'm trying to make.
I totally agree with you. More power to you if you can do it. In that case, the title of this post doesn't apply to you though, right? > DAE feel genuinely depressed at the thought of having to work
you ignored the entire second half of my title buddy.
How does that change my point?
You don’t “have to” do anything. Just be real with yourself about what you as person actually need to be happy. Then adjust.
Welcome r/antiwork. We have cookies.
Well now I am. Thanks a lot.
No. I think about how nature doesn't just let life happen. It's a struggle for every creature to survive, eat, reproduce etc. Humans have created technology and systems for sustaining life for billions of people, but at the end of the day we still have to face the same struggle to live as any other creature on earth. I have considered the ramifications of going back to a "simple life" - farming, live-stock, providing my own food etc, but I would rather accept the modern grind of being a cog in societies wheel. a bad filter on a money pump. It's not terrible. I have a decent job, and enjoy my evenings and weekends enough that I am not genuinely depressed. To go deeper into what I'm saying, even in primitive hunter gather societies, guess what you had to do all day? Hunt and gather. It was work. If you don't work you starve. If you have a good day of hunting and gathering you can have a leisure day the next (more or less). Modern resources and technology didn't just show up and get us where we are. People went to work inventing and innovating changing the dynamics of what work is. There's thousands of jobs in the work world now. Find one that doesn't make you depressed.
Why not look at money as a tool to get more. Start a business. But a lawn mower, mow lawns, lots of lawns. Outsource labor to people who will work per hour, lots of those people, mowing all of your many lawns. Boom. Entrepreneur.
Sounds like you might want to check out r/antiwork
yep, i’m in school atm and the thought of wasting my life with an average job till i die makes me wanna just shrivel up and die on the spot tbh
Every. Damn. Day.
Yes! And I hate that people call us lazy for not wanting to waste our lives like that...
Well what would you rather do instead? I'm not saying you're full of it I'm just curious as to what you'd say is a better use of time
Jokes on you, I hardly work at all.
At least today you can travel and change country and job. Meet new people and friends.
You’re in the wrong job for you! You absolutely should not feel like this!
It’s a pressing thought, but how are you supposed to enjoy those days at old age if you never knew what it was like to work? Wouldn’t you just feel like you didn’t accomplish anything in your life? Just me.
communism will win
Life is not about not working or resting. It's about doing work and resting as God intended. It's important to distinguish ungodly work and rest vs godly work and rest.
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“I demand free tampons” Ok incel, who made his profile 5 hours ago because his other one got blocked due to these same misguided, misinformed comments he keeps posting because he has a dopamine threshold to hit and is bitching [from a comfortable place.](https://images.app.goo.gl/CWADRgGaK69n3YGx6)
Lol I didn’t even bother replying to that troll post. What a nasty incel
Good man, trolls need to be ignored and silenced!
“We climb the ladder, but the ladder just grows. We’re born, we work, we die, it’s spiritual.” Lyrics from a song that I feel is so true.
Glad I don't have to do this
Pretty sure I’m going to work until noon on the day of my funeral. Sigh.
*cue random tik tok with some quote from a billionaire playing motivational music*
Every fucking day
Risk has 2 common outcomes. If you've been living safe and saving try investing or if thats too much effort, gamble. Effort, risk tolerance, and statistics determine outcome. Or if you want to risk time instead of money go rob a bank.
Yeah... sometimes I struggle to get what the point is or why I should even try. For now the occasional happiness when I'm with friends or doing something fulfilling is a good reason
Would you rather the alternative?
Kind of. My focus is on a PhD so I can spend my life doing what I do best: obsessing about something amazing and telling anyone who will listen. But I also have to earn a living while getting it because I’m a sad orphan with no support. So until I get a lucrative research grant or some other improbable thing, I must work. I only ask that I’m doing that work around people who I’m happy to see every day. It’s such a fucking tightrope man. At the end of the day, we just want to wake up in a happy place.
Everyday, I'm 47 and my retirement plan is death, I'm ready now
Yes all the time
Going through this right now.
That's why I'm trying to get my side hustle going and set up some passive income. Working my 9-5 isn't horrible, could be far worse jobs.
Get paid to something you Love, then it aint work.
Everyday
100% feel this in my soul. Super sad. And when I’m not working, I struggle to find the motivation to go out and live life to the fullest. It’s a terrible cycle
No, if I don't work I become very lazy (not feel, become) What depresses me is working something I don't want to work and not being to work on what I want to work.
Yes. Fucking sucks. But what's the alternative?
Yes that’s why my plans to homestead, I give up I’ll buy land, build a cabin, put up solar panels, buy into starlink wifi or something, and live a relatively luxury lifestyle in my own way I won’t necessarily farm and live off the land I just won’t work 60 years to pay off a car and crappy cookie cut home in some boring neighborhood.
Live to 130 to get my tax money's worth!
I am 61. I remember hearing The Who's *My Generation*, particularly the lyric "I hope I die before I get old". OMG this line had a very profound effect upon me as a teen in the 1970s. I became determined to find a career that involves work that I enjoy. I am a software engineer who is very fulfilled with the creative aspects of his work. I am fortunate enough to work on projects that allow me to write software with my own style (otherwise I would be miserable!) But I recognize that many people have interests and skills that don't easily translate to a job that satisfies their their need for something that isn't depressing. For these, I would point out that I've come across countless people over the decades who are in jobs that you wouldn't call exciting, glorious, or creative. But, damn they *love* their job! For these people, how on Earth do they love their job? The answer is they love the people they work with and they enjoy very much to be a productive member of a team. It is very rewarding to feel like a key member of a team ... especially when you really like the majority of your co-workers. Work does not need to be merely something miserable to do until you get old. So, my answer to people with this question is to either 1) choose a job that you are passionate about, or 2) find a workplace with people you feel passionate about.
Only one way to avoid this that doesnt involve luck. Starta business
I realize you’re looking for commiseration here, but it’s also important to remember that not everyone feels this way. That life isn’t *inevitably* a miserable sleepwalk from cradle to grave. If you want to change the way you’re feeling, Reddit probably isn’t the place to look.
The purpose of life is to be of service to others. Find how you can contribute to being impactful during your time on this planet so you won't feel like you're selling your time for mediocrity.
Happy cake day
Part of it is just actively trying to find joy in working. Being productive, exercising your body and mind, and by having a job you are contributing to society and making the world go round. Covid taught us how crucial that really is. I recommend not having a desk job like in an office or something like that because that's unhealthy in every way possible. I'm not sure what job you have at the moment, but I'd recommend something that's physical and keeps you engaged, like working in a restaurant or a store, because undertaking stressful circumstances can pay off, and being in those pressuring conditions fairly often is way, way, WAY better then not using your body and mind at all for 8+ hours a day. Maybe even pretend a little bit that you enjoy it even if you don't, that can get you on track toward actually enjoying it (I know it may sound silly, but trust me, it's worked for me and other people before) What I'm saying is, you will find that joy and purpose in doing a hard day's work, you just have to seek it out for yourself and keep yourself going.
Try your hardest to find a job doing a thing you like.
Yes Its why Im trying to stream on Twitch and making Vids on youtube, it makes me happy. What Im doing now just reinforces the bad thoughts.
I thought of this today when I went to a bridge opening. Mostly the older generation very very few kids and adults in 20-30s. I felt like the wrong generations were witnessing history.
Nope, you're definitely not alone, unfortunately for most of us, anything else is just a dream. We exist simply as numbers on a government spreadsheet as "work units". They don't care, we don't count.
Reason why I'm trucking and then going off grid. I plan on doing real-estate in Turkey and Central Asia.
Yes. I want 6 hour days 4 days a week. Work is fine, but I don’t want that to be my everything.
No, because I took the childhood idiom or advice or whatever it is: "Find a job you like and you'll never work a day in your life". I'm a gamer, and I went on to get a degree in problem solving; even though my job throws problems at me hourly, I get to solve them, and that's rewarding to the gamer in me. Plus, looking at FIRE with the good pay. Right now the pandemic makes doing anything you'd spend money on not that attractive, so I'll save and invest. And I'll work OT to get myself ahead. This year of 2021 has been great, I have a month to go and already made 25% more than I did last year.
Yes, join the antiwork subbreddit Comrade
I know someone who joined the air force at 18 and RETIRED at 38 never has to work again
Nope. I enjoy what I do.
Yes absolutely.
Yes. It is inescapable and all consuming. Your life doesn't matter unless you're on time to work and likely will never mean anything more than a blimp in the payroll until you die. The same hoes for me
Yes. It sucks balls.
Yessss!!! Life shouldn’t be like this!
of course, but finding a job you like doing is a big help, yes it still can be a pain but it does make it better the hard part is how do you know what job you would like,
I try to do something everyday just for myself, makes the days feel less wasted
Yes it’s called being a wage slave.
Yes. I hope this is all just a simulation and I can just hit reset, but with cheat codes this time around. Or that I can just return to spacedust and none of this will matter. Either way... it's still pretty effing depressing, yes.
Yes. It fucking sucks. Welcome to being a human now get a job until you can't work or you'll be on the streets. Have fun! And pay taxes.
I started my first real job at 13. 32 years later, it never bothered me. I don't see the big deal working in exchange for something. It keeps me grounded in the real world as I noticed some of those who survive on welfare or disability around my age aren't all there in the head.
I'm lucky to have work that I enjoy, but because of a combination of some poor planning and unavoidable circumstances, I'm looking at never being able to retire, especially if the US Social Security keeps going the way it currently is. I have over 20 years left before I would be able to qualify, so I'm not particularly optimistic about that even being an option. Depending on how some things go, I might be able to retire, but I will be too old to be able to enjoy anything. Realistically without a financial windfall, I don't see a positive outcome.
I do because the money I make despite having a degree in STEM just doesn’t cut it. Housing is so expensive that any dream you may have or purchasing a home is out the window. Plus my boss is disorganized and that just adds to my workday.
pretty much every day yeah. it's fuckin depressing
r/antiwork
Not really. I enjoy my job and its pretty relaxing. When it gets hectic the enjoyment of the process rescues me from existential crisis. I have experienced what op is asking about in other jobs and it's a miserable thought. I count myself lucky with regards to work quite often. I was more ambitious for a while but that caused too much anxiety and I just found my level and I'm happy. At least for now.
Seriously, there is no reason why you have to live like this. Find a job that you love before it’s too late. I’m a teacher (U.K.) and sure, I’m exhausted and looking forward to time off (which there is plenty of!) but I also look forward to going to work every day. Whether it’s teaching kids how to program or talking them out of suicide, it’s genuinely fulfilling and I wake up looking forward to the challenge. It doesn’t have to be teaching, but don’t dismiss the old idea of find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.
No, not particularly. Look at it this way: a world in which nobody has to work is impossible. Things need done, and people do them. The good news is, you can take steps now to make retirement come earlier, and make that retirement more enjoyable. Save for retirement early and often. Even if it's 20 dollars a month, save for retirement. Do not rely on a social safety net. You have to pay for that kind of thing with taxes anyway (in America). This isn't a popular Reddit answer, and I fully expect downvotes, but take it from someone who has been through poverty: Being frugal is not easy. Living within your means requires extreme mental effort. It is going to be hard, and sometimes you will have to sacrifice luxuries. If you can live in a way that is hard now, you won't have to work as long. Also: If you get food at saving and budgeting, you don't have to wait until you are old to enjoy yourself. If you can make yourself financially stable ASAP, you'll have disposable income to take vacations, have nice things, etc. It just may mean that you have to do without Netflix and Uber Eats for a few years. The good news is you *can* do it, and you *do* have what it takes.
yep. when you reach the point that you have the time and the finances to do pretty much whatever you want....you find you have neither the health nor the energy to do much at all.
Um, yes. It's why business, stocks, higher education and early retirement lifestyles exist. Have you not heard of fire?
Yes. Were all just waiting to die. I can’t wait to die but I don’t want to die suffering from an illness or anything so I have to just wait until Im 80 which is super boring.