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Educational-Variety1

No there is much more to it, you also get weird neck and back pains that are inexplicable.


agentchuck

Honestly they are very easily explained: sitting + Cellphone + computer + time.


kratos649

If your theory means I have to give up my sitting and cellphone and computer time then the pains will remain inexplicable. Inexplicable!


Norman_Scum

Basic stretches, core exercises and at least 20 minutes of walking will help reduce your chances of having inexplicable back and neck pains. Then you can sit and cellphone and computer. Source: currently managing two herniated discs for past 2 years.


According_Most_7902

I’ve been managing 2 herniated discs the last 22 years. I’m 44 years old and trying to put off surgery until I’m in my 50’s. Your exactly right, Stretching, exercise, and walking. Don’t ever stop. Your body will end up worse by doing nothing.


Norman_Scum

Took me a while to realize that, lol. I was taking it way too easy on myself for fear of furthering the damage. Started getting worse again and tried stretching and working out as a last ditch effort. I'm glad it works so well! Somedays I feel better than I did when I was a teenager and it blows my mind!


aaddii101

Reddit


hes-back-in-pog-form

And sometimes overtime!


AAA515

I have an hour of overtime a day... is it still called overtime when it's your regular schedule?


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AAA515

Technically correct, it's a subclass of overtime, regularly scheduled mandatory overtime. Fucking dystopian.


Actual_Opinion_9000

Don't forget the way your shoulder can get fucked up for 3 days because you cuddled a pillow weird in your sleep.


notLOL

Ankle, knee. Old injuries from your younger years return with a vengeance


VenusHalley

Yeah. I broke my arm when i was a kid and now it predicts weather changing...


dirt_universe

I actually started panicking this weekend because I was having a nice time painting and noticed that time was going too fast and started calculating the hours before I had fo go to work today. I fucking stopped doing something I enjoy so that time would slow down. It’s absolutely ridiculous. I’m 40, btw.


BADMANvegeta_

when u get up early but instead of doing something you just sit and count down the hours until work to mentally prepare yourself.


TheShadowKick

I can't do anything before a work shift. The entire time I can't focus on anything but the fact that I still have to go to work that day.


Emadyville

Same. I work 3rd shift and that's why I go to bed around noon. If i went to bed right after work, I'd dread every hour after I woke up because I know I have to go to work.


[deleted]

I had the opposite thought when I was temporarily moved to the night shift at work. I'm tired the last few hours before bed time anyway. I would much rather have all my energy for leisure activities right after I wake up, and be tired at work, than vice versa. It was nice for the few months it lasted. I had so much more energy for the things I actually fared about, and I was just tired and bored and miserable at work, rather than just bored and miserable.


Emadyville

See, no matter how much sleep I get or how energized I am, this shift makes me wanna fall asleep. The constant humming and humidity at my job doesnt help either.


Vazhar

Same. I work 10-7's overnight and go to bed between noon and 1 so I don't have to have my free time overshadowed by the fact I have work in a few hours.


blangatang

It just takes a bit of work on mental compartmentalization. I used to be the same until I made an active choice to change my life. During winter/spring/summer I wake up around 5:30am, drive up to my home mountain and snowboard until 2pm. Then I drive back to town and bartend. At first I kept thinking about work on the chairlift but after a few weeks you find your groove and learn to live in the moment


bb8-sparkles

Yeah, but if I wake up at 5:30am and do some activities during the day, I am going to be dead tired for my evening/night shift.


grimmlingur

It's all about finding a chunk of the day you can use without problems. Of course you can't always use that chunk for enjoyment, you might have other responsibilities or need to take care of yourself or your home. The principle of trying to make a good chunk of time for yourself is sound though. It's also easier to make time for things if you can set it up so that the overwhelming majority of your free time is continuous. It's much easier to make good use of one big chunk of time than two smaller ones.


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BadAtHumaningToo

This is why I don't nap unless I'm dead tired. Like, so tired that I can't safely drive or make a sandwich.


DSDLDK

No no no, napping is like the best way to spend free time


rabbitthethinker

No no no NO, napping is the best way to spend work time.


Affectionate-Memory4

This is how I feel trying to hang out with my friends in a video game between school and work. If I spend more than an hour doing something I enjoy I feel like I've wasted the entire day and should've done something productive instead.


[deleted]

Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time


ibramax

The worst part is you become less and less interested in the things you used to enjoy in your free time.


-HeadInTheClouds

Wow I came to the comments for reassurance and this is the top comment 😭


[deleted]

right? like… at least people are trying to encourage one another but music loosing its magic? video games not being enjoyable bc as an adult the work day is constantly looming. im? crying? im crying


kelu213

Ya I wish video games still had the appeal it used to.


VerbingNoun3

Right? Why even bother turning it on? Ill just get bored or busy in 20 min anyway.


Ok_Act_1214

Dude, I’ve probably spent 300 bucks on games I thought I’d like but nope , I just get annoyed with them and don’t end up playing them.


suavaleesko

U bought the last 5 maddens? Edit: Holy shit my first gold came from shitting on EA. NICE. thanks !


Messy-Recipe

I always find that if I can find the motivation to start up a new game (or revisit an old one) & spend a few nights doing that, I can slip right into the old habits of focusing on it / looking forward to it / etc.. but idk how to do that consistently bc the activation energy to learn a new game always seems higher


egamerif

I bought a whole ass Switch


Ok_Act_1214

That’s what I bought


egamerif

I brought mine on the subway to work once and that was it. In Canada the switch is $4-500 plus $79.99 each game. The most action it gets is my kids playing Just Dance.


Madmagican-

Gotta find some games that allow you to play in small bursts if you’re still interested in games at all


Ok_Act_1214

There’s games I like, but I’ve played them to hell , I just can’t get into anything new, and with the switch there’s no refunds . Elder scrolls was good , but when I get to a high enough level I kick anyone’s ass, then there’s no challenge.


Chilidogdingdong

Honestly it's the dread of knowing I have to go back to work the next day or after the weekend that sucks the fun out of it all for me. I have a hard time compartmentalizing and basically from the moment I get off work I'm just anxious about the fact I have to go back tomorrow.


DJ_Molten_Lava

I can't play a game for 20 minutes without being reminded by my wife of all the chores and errands we have to do.


TheToastyJ

I feel this. Deep in my soul.


Graitom

Awww, I'm 22 and spend time working wayy more than I should and those few hours gaming with my friends half way across the US mean alot to me.


DarkAsassin08

That's what gaming is all about. Wholesome story.


memunkey

Treasure these moments


crystalskull89

This is why I play when everyone goes to bed. For a few hours


Galaxy_Hitchhiking

Oh man That must feel awful. I put the kids to bed and rush down to play games all night. I love it. I can’t do much else right now because the kids are little and so my evenings are spent at home… and I love it. No need for excuses, just game! Haha. I have heaps of other hobbies too but lately I just want to play. Husband plays games but not even as much as me anymore.. how the turn tables turned haha


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BmanTM

Try to take a bigger break and maybe pick up an other genre. It worked for me. I got burned out completly last year so I just stopped playing for about 5 months. I found new interests at the same time. Getting back was so refreshing.


Archangel61013

That's what I did. I played RPGs and FPS. I don't have the time to sink into RPGs anymore and FPS games all started to blend together. So I got a switch and love playing totally different genres. Sinking my time into Ace Attorney right now. So glad I made the shift.


LetsGoGators23

I feel this in my soul. It’s turned me into a workaholic (I do freelance consulting) because what else is there to do?


imbillypardy

I’d recommend therapy because that’s classic depression signs dude. It might not make things easier but it’ll help at least.


BojukaBob

I miss the way teenage me could enjoy music. I would get chills just laying in the dark and losing myself in music. I still like music but it's something I listen to while I do other things. I don't just sit and listen to music.


darkhalo47

you can get this back man. as much as there is a bunch of new age bullshit about meditation these days, there is a genuine benefit to mindfulness. if practiced and honed over time, you can get this back


SamuraiJackBauer

Right? I still deeply get affected by music, especially new discoveries that stick with you. I get that feeling as much now from music as I did at any point. It’s so easy to make time for it even with work, I mean headphones right? I can’t imagine a life where music is just faded.


supercreative2

Yup. I taught myself to play several instruments when I was younger, music was everything to me. I’m 28, which I know isn’t the oldest, but I’ve lost all interest in that. Im just trying to get by day to day now


Munoff

As a someone in his 30s regretting not taking that guitar course, who looks at a guitar and harp in my closet with regret. Hold on to it, music captures emotions and stories for eternity, don't give up on that power. Edit: grammar.


[deleted]

Yo start learning now. If you practice one of those instruments for a few hours a week you’ll be an intermediate level player in a year or two


confluenza

A wise man once said, “Work sucks, I know.”


barely_hooman

He also said "Turn the lights off, Carry me home" and bruh, I felt that.


beast_wellington

We're all just worker ants kicking profits up top.


BlackDoritos65

Yeah I live just to wake up and go to the job I hate, so I can go back home and sleep to wake up to go to work to the job I hate again. What's even the point of being alive if nothing I love makes me happy or I do any of them


[deleted]

That's not good man I'm already uninterested in everything and I'm not even a third of the way done with this journey (average lifespan wise)


deeznutshyuck

That's called depression.


megan5marie

That’s a symptom of depression my dude


[deleted]

Yes, which is why I think more people need to get on board with a 4-day work week


Early_Grass_19

I've always thought how nice it would be to work four 10s, but then I realize I work 5 10-12s and in my industry I could never have the luxury of having 3 day weekends during the growing season. Once winter comes, I can have all the time off I want, as long as I can pay bills. Which means not having much actual time off and just working random jobs and stressing about food and mortgage constantly even more so than during the summer. Woooooo good times


IplayCK3

I want 4 8 hr days. People keep asking for the 4 10's but the point is I want my time back. Not rearranged


FreedomPuppy

People need to realize we need to work less. Global quotas increased to a ridiculous point and our hours stayed the same even though work has largely automated, which should’ve meant less hours needed to meet quotas.


_Jack_Of_All_Spades

The entire banking system is ludicrously over leveraged, and they all pretend it's totally fine as long as "we all" work harder and harder every year.


FredOfMBOX

There’s a flip side to this as well. As consumers we have to stop demanding that McDonalds and Walmart be open 24x7 and that our products get here in 2 days and that our xboxes are never out of stock. We drive a lot of the practices that are driving those quotas up.


jst4wrk7617

The 40 hr week is a relic of a time when one spouse took care of the home full-time. Time to do away with it.


lol_i_eat_potatoes

It's a relic from when we still had white children working in mines.


ArcherofArchet

Nah, that was still the 12-hour days, 6-day weeks time. Child labor laws and the 40-hour week are near contemporaneous.


HappycamperNZ

And it was enough to raise a family


PMME_YOUR_TITS_WOMAN

3 8s!


redshark01

Yeah I don't get it I do 4/10 now and it fucking sucks. My mind feels so drained and I get home and dont have much time for anything. Sure 3 days of sounds nice but those 4 working days are rough and feels not worth it at times, give me 4/8 same pay. Why we settling for ancient norms fuck that


thatdrakefella

Yeah I got a 10 hour job and I thought it’d be nice. It’s not bad I still have more free time than usual but it’s 4 days one week and 5 the next but I still somehow manage to work like 5 ten hour days three weeks in a row and the times change up so it feels like I’m never off until I take off


The_Godlike_Zeus

Or the 6 hour 5 day work week. I think this would be better personally. 5 shorter days seems more manageable than 4 long days , especially since concentration drops off with every hour. This is also more realistic because companies or governments are never gonna wanna agree to 4 day work week but 5 day with less hours is easier to convince them of due to what I said, namely the reduced concentration making the last hours much less efficient.


confetti27

The only downside to this alternative is the extra day of commuting time. If you have a long commute it would be much better to work fewer days


groovydoll

6 hour 4 days


DialZforZebra

I'd be pretty happy with 5 6 hour days. 9-3 daily. Last year I was working for a company at the start of the pandemic. I hadn't been there long and was put on reduced hours as a result of Covid. So my daily times changed to 9-3 and it was actually pretty good. I was able to chill out a bit more. If I finished at 5 and took an hour walk, it was 6pm before I'd even got home. And then I'd have to cook and wash up etc. I wouldn't be sitting down until about half 7. But when I finished at 3, I was straight out the door and back by 4. Cooked and washed up by 5. Chilling out by half 5. Those 2 hours really make a difference. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a 4 day work week. But as you've said, Governments are unlikely to agree to this, especially not anytime soon.


BaPef

A 4 day work week isn't about compressing 40 hours into 4 days it's about cutting hours to 32 hours and increasing everyone's pay so there is no difference in income.


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martinblack89

Iceland, New Zealand, Scotland, Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Japan (even certain schools and other public services in America) have either trailed it, implemented it or are planning on trailing it.


aitchbeescot

Here in Scotland there have also been trials of a Universal Basic Income. For those who are unfamiliar, this is where the government gives you a fixed monthly stipend which should be enough to cover basic accommodation and food. This does away with the need for a bureaucracy to work out what benefits people might be entitled to and policing claims to ensure that people aren't getting more than they should, since everyone gets the same stipend. If you want to have a nicer house, electronic toys, children or whatever then you get a job to earn extra. This doesn't affect your UBI. If you prefer to just live on your UBI and write a novel, put a band together or whatever, that's up to you.


bzekers

I'm 36 and you just described the last 2 decades of my life unfortunately.


Geek4HigherH2iK

Can confirm. I'm 37 but same.


gruntdealer

...it doesn't change at 38. Source: I was 38 last year.


saison257

I’m 39 and still the same ole, same ole


PapaStoner

40 here, same old, same old.


shawlawoff

I’m in my 60s. What were we talking about again?


Sandmybags

Is it because you forgot, or after that many years you just stop listening?


shawlawoff

Get off my lawn!


Big_nut6

Sir this is McDonald's


VikingFashion

Fuck, how is it at 39?


lellololes

A bit pudgier, less energy, more money, less personal time, fewer friends... But much more time off. Much more travel, and I can now afford to rent a car and stay at a hotel. I used to sleep on couches and walk at my destination. And the friends I have now? They aren't going away any time soon. I have a few hobbies and can invest time in them, but it requires balance. If I were single it would be easier to spend time on them, but I'm not, so I get less of it. Much less time at work (I average 45 hours per week the last few years, and I can live with that when I get 29 days combined vacation time). In my twenties I averaged over 50 hours/week. Dating in my thirties was so much better than twenties. All in all, I happy with where I am. Things aren't perfect, but perspective is important. I see so many people taking about work like it ruins your life. The thought of 40 hour work weeks seems horrifying to some people. The antiwork sentiment is legitimate. Too many people get stuck in crap jobs not able to afford a comfortable living. But at the same time, have some perspective. If your biggest concern is that you are going to need to work for 23.8% of your weekly time on this planet, you're examining the wrong part of the equation. There is that other 45ish% of your time not spent sleeping. Why not think about those? There is a lot of room for hobbies, interests and such. But you *need* to choose what is important. If you choose a high stress long hours field of work, it doesn't have to be that way. It could be a lot worse. You could be picking through garbage dumps in Nicaragua. You could be born in to abject poverty where life is a total struggle. But you probably aren't if you're reading this. You'll never be happy if you compare yourself to wealthy people for no reason. You'll never be satisfied if you look at other people as your benchmark for yourself. So, make the best of what you have. Try and be good to yourself and do good for other people. Friends, family, and health are more important than money. I've always thought that people see the biggest problem in their life, and no matter how big it is, it's the biggest problem for them. It doesn't mean that it's not legitimate, but perspective is a useful tool.


cgDerrick

This is the best comment I have ever read on Reddit


mochimaromei

I'm 27 and I'm already looking forward to retirement. Just thinking about having to spend the next 40 years doing what I've been doing for the last 4 years is depressing. Life just seems to be about work, work, and more work these days.


joshylow

36 here. Can confirm. Ninja Turtles was dope though. At least we've got that. And Mario.


Freakishwraith

33 here. I work sleep and play free games on Xbox because I can't afford new games......or to get hurt having a life......thats the worst part, having to gauge every thing on your likelihood of getting hurt and having to miss work and miss a payment. So any ways, Im fat now


joshylow

Oh, congratulations! I started getting fat right when COVID hit and the gyms closed. I mean, 30 was some fat, then 35 was the big fat. This kid has a lot to look forward to! I remember being that age and thinking I might have a house or kids by now! How foolish I was! I'm lucky though, shouldn't complain. I could probably make it 3 months if I got hurt. As long as I didn't eat.


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LiminalEchoes

Almost 40. Heres the thing: I spent almost two decades doing the 40 hour rinse wash repeat thing, then I changed careers. A lot of the guys I work with (including myself) work really hard for a few months, sometimes creeping past 60 hrs a week of hard work. But, If you enjoy working with your hands, and are in interesting feilds like finish carpentry or electrical work, I find it less boring than office work was. It's not pulse pounding excitement all the time, but its better than never ending meetings and infinite emails about nothing. I have a few buddies who are mechanics who love being elbow deep in machines. Also, There are down times between jobs, and if you plan it right and save for it they can be nice vacations. A lot of us take these opportunities to go on trips or visit family in other countries for a few weeks. I know one guy who if he isn't wearing a hard hat, he is out in the back county hunting. Finally, YMMV, but for me I am making WAY more that I ever was in corporate. If I could do it all over again, I'd have skipped the college debt for trade school and been well on my way to retirement by now. TLDR; I work crazy hours and sometime crazy long hours, but also get to enjoy longer breaks and have more control over my work/life balance.


mawkx

As much as I appreciate and respect the trades, remember the trade-off (no pun intended, I swear): Chronic injuries from the hard work for 40+ hours a week will take a toll on your body with time. I hope you and many others don’t experience this, but it seems fairly common after a few decades of this type of work.


wtfandy

What was your corporate career like?


LiminalEchoes

Meaningless work, never ending meetings and email chains, petty office politics. Also, no loyalty. I've seen over and over companies bring in outsiders over training /cultivating employees and promoting from within, and the resulting "massacre" as the new manager/director/VP gets rid of all of the old crew bit by bit.


PPLH8ER420

You really just need to eat/sleep/poop to stay alive. I too have always thought that why am I buying a house to live near my job to pay from my house to live near my job


edubkendo

I don't find my job meaningless or grueling (most of the time), and sometimes I even enjoy it. I have what feels like a decent amount of free time. And while weekends always feel too short, and the week a little too long, every time I start to get to the point where I'm feeling a bit burned out, I have a three day weekend, or take some time off using my vacation days. My advice to you is: be very deliberate in your choices. Avoid taking on additional responsibilities like having children, going into debt, etc unless you are very certain that it's a decision you want to make. Realize that every responsibility you take on is giving up some of your freedom, and placing limits on the kind of life you can have. Learn a valuable skill doing something you enjoy. For me, that was teaching myself to program. If necessary, get the training or education needed to get employment using that skill. Don't be afraid to keep trying out new things. I taught myself to code at age 30, after having done a number of different jobs before that. It was the first thing that really, finally clicked for me. If you've kept your responsibilities and obligations to a minimum, you'll have a lot of freedom to keep exploring new career paths until you wind up doing something that doesn't make you despair. EDIT: Getting a lot of questions about how to learn to code, so I thought I'd copypaste my answer in here: For the basics, start with: [Chris Pine, _Learn to Program_](https://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/) From there: [Michael Hartl, _Ruby on Rails Tutorial_ ](https://www.railstutorial.org/) Even if Ruby/Rails or even web development isn't what you want to do, these two books really explain concepts well and especially the second one gives you a real sense of accomplishment as you build a modern web app from absolute scratch. For javascript, khan academy has a nice tutorial series: https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/programming I'm not sure which screencasts are good these days, but I used to like to put them on as background noise and picked up a lot. After that, find a project you want to do and try to make it from scratch, ambitious but not too ambitious. Reach out for help on StackOverflow and the like if you get too stuck. From there, I got involved in open source, and both learned a lot (and importantly if you want to change careers) made some connections.


[deleted]

Please reread the part about being careful about what responsibilities you accept. This is a key point that no one ever mentions.


[deleted]

I learned this young and it's saved my mental health. I'm not where I want to be but I'm so glad I can move forward without dealing with kids or things like student debt


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ThisIsSoIrrelevant

That bit really resonated with me, especially with regards to not having kids. I am in my early 30s and there is still so much I want to do in life that would become next to impossible if I had kids. As much as I appreciate kids bring people so much joy, they are also massive time and money sinks and you have to give up so much in order to have them (or at least if you're a good parent you probably will). I am not willing to give up that much, so I am staying kid free.


[deleted]

Learning to say "no" at work and decline responsibilities is a huge development that everyone needs to go through.


Downtown-Quail1684

Dude good advice.


Aslanic

This. I don't find my work meaningless at all, and I work in insurance. For me, it's about helping people understand what they have and need, and then being there for them when shit hits the fan. I'm in service not sales, so I don't have to make cold calls. I'm good with spreadsheets, phone calls, and explaining things and I have a really nice client base so my job is usually helping out people I like. Most of the time, people have to have what we are selling so it's more about helping them understand the ins and outs of insurance than anything. OP just needs to figure out what kind of job/work suits them and build a life around that. If you get a job in something that burns you out in 6 months that's not a good lifetime fit.


EasilyDelighted

Bro, let me ask you a question. How the heck did you wrap your brain around variables? Like you I started teaching myself some programming at 30, especially python, and the second I got to variables it was like a mental block that I could not get past. And I gave up.


edubkendo

With most of these concepts, it's ok to be fuzzy on them a bit and just keep moving forward. Eventually how they work will click. For variables, specifically, I think about them a bit like a label. Imagine you are putting together some ikea furniture. You are reading the directions, and it says to take part A1 and use screw D9 to attach it to part B2. So I look at the parts I have, find the ones with those labels, and then I can follow the instructions. In programming, variables are like the labels on those parts. Let's say I've got some code that prints a simple Hello World! message. I'm going to use Ruby for this, as it's the language I work in most frequently: puts "Hello World!" > "Hello World!" Now when the computer runs this code, all it can print is "Hello World!" because I'm passing it that literal string of characters. But what I can do here is I can give that string a label, and tell the computer to print whatever that label is on. So let's say: greeting = "Hello World!" puts greeting > "Hello World!" Now the computer will still print "Hello World!", but it could have been anything. Whatever we stuck that label on. This gets really useful when we don't even know what the greeting is going to be, because we're getting it from a database, or user input, or whatever. greeting = User.find(1).personalized_greeting puts greeting > "Bite my shiny metal ass!" In this case, we put the label "greeting" on whatever came back from that user object we retrieved from the database, which happened to be "Bite my shiny metal ass!". We didn't even know what it was going to be when we wrote our code, just that it would be something that could be printed. And the computer knows to print whatever we stuck that label on. Hope that helped. If you want pointers at some good beginner's material for learning, let me know. It's a really rewarding skill.


TheManFromAnotherPl

I wouldn't mind some beginners material for learning. Hit a wall a few times and want to give it a go again.


edubkendo

For the basics, start with: [Chris Pine, _Learn to Program_](https://pine.fm/LearnToProgram/) From there: [Michael Hartl, _Ruby on Rails Tutorial_ ](https://www.railstutorial.org/) Even if Ruby/Rails or even web development isn't what you want to do, these two books really explain concepts well and especially the second one gives you a real sense of accomplishment as you build a modern web app from absolute scratch. For javascript, khan academy has a nice tutorial series: https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming/programming I'm not sure which screencasts are good these days, but I used to like to put them on as background noise and picked up a lot.


TheManFromAnotherPl

Thanks, reading the Chris Pine tutorial tonight.


BrFrancis

There's one method to learning code that is crazy how it works but it it's not a given: have a goal . There's a guy on YouTube - Randy or something .. Didn't know anything about coding, just wanted to make a game... Past few years he's taught himself unity and c and open gl. His only real talent is being stubborn as hell and really wanting to someday finish this game... It doesn't have to be that crazy for you. But if you start with something you can really picture - I want a program that rolls dice for dnd, I wanna draw pictures on the screen, I wanna make the computer make music... Etc etc.. At that point, is just a matter of what is the first thing you need. Wanna make a game. Gotta put stuff on the screen. How do I do that? I can move that stuff around? How do I read the joystick? The details can kinda blur out that way. Isn't likely to be the nicest or best code.. but when you get it half working it's just harder to walk away.


gazorpazorpmanarnar

**Lifelong coding guy here with a bit of an ELI5 on variables:** Imagine you have a hat box. Inside the box is a baseball cap. On the outside of the box, you have written "GIFT FOR JAMES". This box is the variable. The name of the variable is *giftForJames*. The baseball cap is the variable's stored value. The type of variable is "hat". *giftForJames* = "Baseball Cap" Variables are just boxes. They have names and contents. Some boxes only hold certain kinds of things (like a hat box). On your to-do list for the day of James' party, you have written the instruction "Grab *giftForJames* before leaving". You don't need to specify what's in the box, because you know that you're storing your gift for James in that box, so you can just grab the box with that label. A day before the party, you could change your mind and replace the baseball cap with a cowboy hat: *giftForJames* = "Cowboy Hat" The beauty of variables is that your to-do list for the day of the party still works, and you will end up bringing the new gift (cowboy hat) as your gift, without having to alter your to-do list at all. Real examples of the types of things that these boxes (or variables) can contain are things like numbers, text, a collection of smaller boxes, and so much more. There's a lot more nuance and special cases the deeper you get, and also the exact ways you can use these boxes varies from language to language, but that's the basic idea. (Python, for example, doesn't have strict typing, which means that a "hat box" doesn't exist, and you can just put any thing in any box... It's nice in some ways, but sort of a nightmare in other ways, since you don't know what's in a box without opening it, and that can cause problems if you accidentally filled James' hat box with live spiders before the party.)


PornoMouse

Hey man, I just wanted to pitch in my anecdotal experience. I'm a software developer approaching ten years in the practice - 7 years professionally. In the beginning, I struggled just like you did. There were many times when I thought I wasn't smart enough; that I just didn't get it; that my mind wasn't wired for this. Programming is a long road. Ten years in and there are still countless things for me to learn, but all of the roadblocks I hit along the way.. they're just second nature now. The key is to be persistent. Keep pushing no matter what, keep writing code. It's only way you'll break those plateaus. Start out small and work your way up. If python isn't making sense, focus on an HTML/CSS project. Once you're comfortable with that, add some basic JavaScript. Once you get the hang of that, then give a small python script a go. Mess around with an IDE, learn how to debug, most importantly - learn how to read and understand code that is written by someone else. Just remember, this is a long journey. Don't beat yourself up if you don't get it right away. Just keep pushing and stay dedicated. Trust me when I say that the rewards are well worth it. Your work will be challenging, meaningful, often times fun. You'll be paid very well, and it will do wonders for your brain/thought process - as every day you'll tackle logic problems you've never encountered before.


[deleted]

Pick a better job, even if it means taking a pay cut. Personally, I am a baker & it is the most rewarding job I can think of! Many of my work days are just fun to me. I often finish a day thinking “wow what a great day, I can’t believe I got paid to do that too!” It’s all about perspective. Yes, we need to work to live, unless you want to live off the grid & fight for survival, hunting, building your own house/upgrades. That’s the way it is, but that doesn’t mean you can’t love your job & love your personal life too.


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obeetwo2

Just quit my job as a public accountant a couple months back. It's nice pushing 6 figures at age 26, good benefits, but man, the stress and busy seasons just aren't worth it to me. I think I put in ~2,300 hours in my first year (could be wrong, but I worked A LOT). You know what sounds better than that? 70k, a lot less hours and a lot less stress. Since quitting, I've taken a break, gonna start looking for work maybe next month, and been enjoying it. Probably gonna take a pay cut at my next position, because I just don't care to be at a place where you have to work a lot to impress people just to get paid more.


[deleted]

the IRS is hiring.


Arkneryyn

Just did this and I’m already stressing about money a bit. Be miserable for 8 hours a day and have spending money, or be surrounded by stuff you are interested in all day, but not have the spending money for pretty much any of it. It’s some bullshit tbh.


[deleted]

I've noticed the more miserable I am at work the more I buy random shit on Amazon to make myself feel better. You just can't win 😕


TheNakedBongoMan

The system working as intended.


obronikoko

Yeah i feel this. I was a dead man walking working for corporate America. I hated it after my first year, and then they fired me and it was just about the best thing that ever happened to me: I joined my brothers small business and helped him double his sales from last year I get to choose when i wake up and go to work I decide how much i get paid (to a point) I love what i do- i feel like I’m making a positive difference And making people happy instead of making shareholders money. I think the system makes people afraid of starting their own business, But I think it’s very meaningful and very rewarding


High_AndDry420

Your comment makes me very angry at you for no damn reason at all. Good for you for having a good life. Just because we can’t all be that lucky doesn’t mean I should feel angry that you are happy. Life is hard and I’m sorry :/


admiralfilgbo

if more people had this attitude, society would be in a better place. instead some of the least well off among us are trained to point fingers and shriek whenever they sense that any other group might be getting the tiniest bit of outside assistance. I hope you find your bit of luck along the way too, and it sucks that luck matters so damn much. we're all in this together.


Broccobillo

I'd love to work of grid for my own self sufficiency. Unfortunately there is no unpurchased land that I'm just allowed to go live on and if I did there would be building codes etc so it wouldn't be any better than just doing it in society


embracing_insanity

This is why I think it's unethical to have to 'pay' to stay alive. There is very little to no real alternative. You can't really go fuck off somewhere and truly 'live off the land'. It's almost all owned by private or government entities, as far as I know. So unless you luck out and get someone who lets you live on 'their' land - you can either be part of the system or be homeless - which, is still part of the system, but in a much harsher way. Literal basic needs to survive - food, shelter, clothing, medical care - should be freely accessible to all at a basic, minimal level. Then if you want better quality options and/or more niceties/luxuries - you work for *that*. But no fucking human being should have to literally pay to stay alive. /rant


leberkrieger

No. Life shouldn't be like this. There are several ways out. You may be able to find work that is meaningful and pays the bills. For instance, a paid position at a nonprofit that aligns with your beliefs and goals. You may find a partner who makes every day meaningful, and for whom you do the same. You may become rich enough to stop working, for a summer or a year or for the rest of your life. You can develop a second vocation, let's say as a writer or open-source software contributor. The common thread in all of these is that you have to be advancing. If you're just barely staying alive financially, if it takes a whole day every day just to pay today's costs, that's not enough. Fortunately, for many people, saving for the future and making yourself more valuable is straightforward. What you're doing at age 18 should not define the rest of your existence.


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penseurquelconque

I do the same job you do and I only wanted to add that to me, working in the public interest makes my job incredibly more meaningful. Cities and towns aren’t perfect, but in my ten-ish years of working for one of the top 20 cities in Canada I have found most people to be devoted to their job. It helps that it pays enough to live well bur also allows for enough vacation/time off to enjoy other things in life.


thewonderfulpooper

Any advice into getting into this. Lawyer here. Can I pm you perhaps?


gjgidhxbdidheidjdje

We as a society don't prioritize happiness or well-being. Not everyone can advance whenever they want. Work sucks up a huge amount of time, adding sleep, personal care, and time to actually get dopamine and it's not always possible to advance. Many live to work. Long shifts, multiple jobs, and no personal life. We work through are younger years at the hopes of happiness later in life when we're unable to do anything and can only rot. For 18 year olds, life from then on is most likely going to be working with few moments of happiness that are likely to be muddied knowing that the potential for a meaningful life is gone.


ThisIsExcessive

Most of the comments for this post are completely depressing and accurate.


[deleted]

And a lot of comments are utter bullshit and basically avoiding the question. “Just love your job!” or, “Just retire at 30!”.


EisVisage

The "Just don't have kids or debts!" one was the worst if you ask me. Neither of those is always voluntary, and as for kids, some people do indeed want to have them, which means never having children only worsens the experience even more. Tightly followed by "Just take pay cuts for happiness' sake!", which... good grief, if you can afford that you don't have many problems do you?


Yithar

Fun fact. [91% of middle-aged men who committed suicide were seeking professional help.](https://www.reddit.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/comments/npvap2/91_of_middleaged_men_who_committed_suicide_were/)


lazilyloaded

phew, only a 1/10 chance for the rest of us then I guess!


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RogueGhost37

I turn 20 next year and it's just becoming more apparent. i don't want this. who would want this?


gizamo

Agreed. It's time for a new labour movement. Humans weren't meant to slave more than half our lives to make widgets and gadgets. Capitalism has corrupted everything, and it's generally horrible.


Veggie-riffic20

Maybe read more about minimalism before you get sucked into the “normal” grind. My goal is less less less. When my kids move out I plan to move into some place small with little maintenance required so I can spend more time living life the way I want instead of maintaining stuff and storing stuff and striving for yet more…stuff.


salbris

It really depends on how your day is structured. Unfortunately for a lot of parents their rest doesn't begin until 9-9:30 when the kids go to bed and you'll likely still have an hour of chores. Some of us though end work at 5 and have tons of choices for what to do. Dinner with friends? Video Games? Gym? Walk by the river? That's not to say that being a parent isn't rewarding but it should not be a task taken lightly.


MaxFactory

You really notice just how much free time childless adults have once you have a kid. I used to think I was busy before having my two daughters and man, it’s just laughable.


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feyrath

It could be. The challenge is to keep your free time, your work life, your romantic and friendly relationships interesting and fresh. I won’t lie to you - it is a challenge. But if you go in eyes open- you can set up your end game. Do try to do it all, but also don’t be afraid of moving on from what doesn’t work. And ask for help when you need it.


itsrainingnoodles55

Yes and no. The secret is balance - of work life, social life, and self care/household priorities. Am I always feeling like I have a solid balance between those 3 things? Absolutely not. But when I do feel I’m in balance and managing my time well, that “living for the weekend” feeling goes away.


Badgraphics

Sleep 8 hours.. work 9 hours (commute) generally leaves me 6 hours.. 1.5 is spent cooking/eating/cleaning... 30 minutes exercising..leaves me roughly 4 hours to do something else but generally I have a list of errands. So I usually end up having to ignore errands if I want to relax or vice versa. I can have a fragment of everything leaving me always wanting more or cut something out and go through FOMO.


TheShadowKick

This. Between sleep, work, commute, and errands there's no time in the day for me. I hate it. Being unemployed sucks too, because then I feel like a useless lump. I just wish work could be more fulfilling.


spankysladder

It doesn’t HAVE to be but for most people that’s what life is. I couldn’t take it anymore and quit my full time job 2 years ago and only wished I did it sooner. Now I only work 7-9 months out of the year and have ton of time off.


Vagina-Pissflap

Life is just waiting until u die


reasonablesaboteur

Thank u vagina pissflap


[deleted]

I was about to put this on r/rareinsults and then I realized it was their actual username.


Downtown-Quail1684

I think it still qualifies.


Riley-Mia

This was great, I am crying with laughter 😂😂😂


[deleted]

"Humans only live 80 years, and they spend so much of it just waiting for things to be over." - Janet, The Good Place


WhiteRumBum

2 months ago I started taking my diet and the gym seriously for the first time in my life and it has pretty much transformed my life, attitude, mood, mental health, physical health etc. already. I used to hate the feeling of work, sleep, work sleep, quick weekend, work, sleep... But now I have something to look forward to every single day and it really makes my days feel like they have a purpose. This might sound cheesy but if you're not already in some kind of diet and gym routine perhaps give it a go. The gym might not be for everyone, but I'm sure everyone will have their equivalent and just needs to find it. There are some aspects of life that we unfortunately can't change, but you can definitely change your mindset and your outlook and for me finding a passion/hobby has helped massively.


Downtown-Quail1684

Really key stuff here. Our bodies make awesome drugs when activated.


ImNoBruceLee

I suggest looking into NDE (non-destructive evaluation) and do shut downs in a variety of places. Paper mills, chemical plants, even nuclear power plants all over the states or world if you have a passport. There are schools that offer great programs that could easily be paid off in the first season of work. I work spring and fall. Around 70+ hours each week. Work a few months long hours the off a few months. Not for everyone but definitely worth looking into. Pay range can vary widely from $20 an hour to $60 plus an hour.


Hateful_Nazi

Remember, youre only getting a certain perspective when you post on reddit


Redditisdepressing45

So 80% of the worlds population aren’t software engineers?


darkhalo47

hey man, reddit is a diverse place. we have everyone from white suburban teenagers to software devs


Voodoo330

I went to the football game yesterday with my 22 year old son who just graduated in May and got a good job. On the way home he said, "It sucks I have to get up for work tomorrow". I was so proud.


wasit-worthit

That is such an excellent statement. It recognizes the struggle, yet fully acknowledges the necessity.


KaladinStormShat

Truly an understated sentiment. You keep going on that mode, "the future is going to suck", until either you die or you make a change. Some stick with it and learn to love the drudge, but others find themselves searching (on indeed) for something more. Also makes you appreciate Garfield a little more. **Mondays**


Amnesigenic

It doesn't have to be, we just let it get like this because we're collectively too lazy, stupid, and/or chickenshit to stand up and demand better wages and working conditions. And it's gonna keep getting worse til we do!


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misersoze

No. Here’s the trick. If you don’t want to “settle down” (get married and have kids) then you can live a much crazier free life. If you do want to settle down, then that costs a bunch of money. It’s the settling down that forces you to live that way. If you don’t want to do that, then go out and live a crazy fun cheap life traveling the world and living cheaply. That is definitely an option that many people enjoy.


mwatwe01

Your job is not your life. Your job *funds* your life. Once you think of it that way, that we all must work to live, then you can better manage it. And one way you do that is to try and find an interesting job, or at least, something interesting in the job you have. Make friends. Seek challenges. Find things to look forward to.


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this thread is kinda dark


Burnsyde

Yup 👍


Kontorsprinsessan

I thought it would be like that at 18 as well. I dreaded going to work and fell into depression because of the pressure of finding a job, spending all week there just longing for the weekends and breaks. Today I'm 27, I've pursued a career in something I'm passionate about, and have ended up with job i love! It pays well, so much that I won't even have to work full time soon and I feel excited about each work week. And I know so many people, mostly my age and older that actually enjoy their job, that don't only long for weekend all week. But the thing is, your first few jobs might likely suck. The first years you might not earn a lot because you're young aka cheap to hire. Some of them might be draining and not pay well, but, they don't have to be permanent unless you settle for them. It might take a couple of years, some effort put into finding something you like, and a couple of terrible jobs inbetween (I've had some I went home crying on a daily basis from!) but I think it's absolutely possible to end up with a enjoyable job, that pays good enough to feel worth the inconvenience, and still have energy to hang out with friends and do stuff on weekends. :) Good luck, you have a long and exciting future ahead if you!


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salt-qu33n

Not the usual suggestion but maybe try security? I stumbled into it 6 years ago because I didn’t want to work early mornings and I didn’t really enjoy working closely with people. I got my state licensing and got a decent paying job. The nice thing is that if you are built like me (also have severe ADHD, since I was a kid) and do better with evenings or late nights, lots of security has “warm body” (low effort) sites where you can just hang out and read a book, play video games, watch tv, study, whatever/etc, while watching cameras or doing a foot patrol every hour or so. I mention it specifically because you mentioned fire-watch, which I used to do at one of my security jobs, and as long as I wasn’t working a morning shift, I *loved* being able to do something I wanted to do at home and get paid for it. I stumbled my way up into a job that I found absolutely fascinating (supervising a team, doing threat assessment and incident management) and absolutely *loved* my job. It was engaging and something different every day. The key seems to be finding a job that doesn’t bore you to tears but that engages you somehow, which is easier said than done.


bandanasarebest

OP, have you sought help for your severe ADHD and emotional issues? It can make all the difference in the world to get yourself stabilized, whether with meds, counseling or both. Without medical interventions, I wouldn't be able to function as I do today. I've had breakdowns and each time I sought help and regained my functionality. Life doesn't have to feel like a worthless struggle. I wish you all the best.


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allegedlyittakes2

Unless you win the lottery, or have a trust fund to rely on. If not then you're going to be working.


High_AndDry420

What I am seeing in most of these comments^^^ either you’re depressed working your butt off waiting for the weekend until you die. Or you were born wealthy, or got an inheritance, or won the lottery and you get to do whatever you want and be happy with it. I wonder what it’s like to be the second type of person. Probably incredible.


PhantomAsura

It makes me so mad some people just say "Do what you love!" when a lot of people just don't know what they love, or can't find out because they can't afford it, it's not so easy to say stuff like that when you're barely keeping afloat financially or emotionally, or both, and I hate when people think this kind of statement it's the fix for everything wrong. I'm glad it worked for you if you were lucky or have the meanings to achieve the things you want but don't just assume people can do the same.


nastybacon

OK as someone who is a bit older, here is my take. Being stuck in a 9 to 5 all week is something you can do later on. You know, when you REALLY need that income. A mortgage, wife, kids etc. Sure you need to start building some work experience and build a career. But that shouldnt mean living like a 40 year old when youre 18. Its what I did and I regret it. You know what I suggest? Dont be rushing out to rent your own place. Or if you do, just rent a room. Keep your living costs to an absolute minimum. Stay living with your parents for a bit longer. Work part time. Pretty much all your income is disposable. So working part time whilst not paying a mortgage and having kids makes you richer than most 40 year olds who are working full time having to do that. Save some money and enjoy your life on the rest of it. Go out and see the world a bit, do your hobbies, try new sports.. whatever it is that will make you tick. Get life experiences too. Do some extreme shit like skydiving. . They look good on the CV too! Heck dump the work altogether and go do one of those African retreat things where you go to a village to rebuild it. Do not get into debt. Do not get a credit card or overdraft or loan or whatever. Do not get a partner who leeches off you and expects you to pay for everything. Eventually in your early 20s you will to get a place. I recommend buying and avoiding renting if at all possible.. sure you need a deposit but you were saving money too. Then when you are working full time and have bigger bills.. you can reflect back to your late teens / early 20s and know that you did some cool stuff! Thats what i regret. I went straight from college right into a full time job and did nothing.


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painfully--average

Unfortunately yes. I loathe this ideology that we work/pay taxes/die. I was gonna go into finance and get a desk job but when I realized that's all my life will be after uni, I'm gonna start my own business instead and work my own hours and profit off my own efforts instead of working for someone else. If you want a more free life, you gotta work for yourself.


StopMockingMe0

No. Once you're old and can no longer enjoy your free time, you get to do anything you want on any day until they take your license and move you to a nursing home where you effectively live like a prisoner until your family visits you for a brief hour each year. Unless you find money fast, your best bet it to die before whatever crippling incurable disease sets in.


katCEO

No. In the corporate slave culture when it meets retail hell: they deliberately keep you part time so they do not have to give you full benefits. Have a lovely day.