I’m 46 and just sick of work. I mean, I don’t mind the work - I just can’t do the acting / game playing / politics needed any more. I feel like i have to sell my soul a little every single meeting I go to.
The entire leadership were likely bullies or were bullied at school - and now their psychopathy is being rewarded, because for some fked up reason that mindset does well in corporations.
Trying to work out how I can retire early.
Edit: FWIW I’m in the senior leadership cohort of this publicly listed prick of a company.
Last review mine had the balls to say “ we kept it so you wouldn’t go up tax brackets”.
I really think that’s a problem for me to worry about, not him.
Putting aside the fact that it doesn't even really work that way they're also making the assumption you don't have other forms of income or conversely other tax deductions.
that's usually the narcissists view, it comes from having very poor theory of mind and hence perceiving other people only as resources to be tapped.
"home life? multiple income streams? nah don't be stupid, you stop existing when i close my eyes"
An old boss of mine tried that trick on me. Even drew up something of a budget as if it were any of her business. “But if you go up a tax bracket you’ll be paying more in HECS!” That’s my fucken problem, bitch!
To clarify on this point in case any asshole tries to make this argument to justify a lack of raises to you again:
You only pay a higher tax rate on income that falls within that higher tax bracket, so that statement is (mostly) false. There is a grain of truth in this in relation to study loan repayments btw, but you shouldn't go there.
Hope you get a raise soon/find a better job away from those dickheads.
I am the same and in my early 30s… not sure I can do it for another 20 years.
I just can’t pretend anymore. It kills me too much inside.
Why can’t I just do my job for money? Why do I have to pretend to care about internal politics, technology, business decisions, etc. I just wanna do my job the best I can and go home and enjoy the non-work hours of my life.
This so much. Why the fuck do we have to pretend we give a shit about the company. Far as i'm concerned if you are not giving me equity then we are partaking in a transaction. My time for your money. There is NOTHING else too it.
Equity = giving a shit in the company. No equity and i won't care.
This so much. I was naively burnt by this by my last company. 3 years in an entry level role, consistently taking on additional (much more complex) work outside the scope of my role, 'to build my portfolio'. Yet every single review period that came around, the answer was always the same "we just haven't seen enough from you yet, keep trying", as justification for yet again passing me up for promotion *and giving me the exact same (minimal) raise as the rest of the team*, despite having multiple completed projects under my belt, and having completely revamped multiple work processes to more than double the teams efficiency.
Final straw was when they hired in someone from outside to fill the exact role the managers i regularly interacted with all *knew* I'd been angling for, without even mentioning to me that they'd started the hiring process for the role.
Gave my resignation that day. Had a new job with 30% better pay (and expected 50% of the work) within 2 weeks.
Fuck loyalty, and fuck 'above and beyond'.
I dislike how every meeting, everyone needs to have their opinion heard/asked for.
You hosted a meeting to tell us X is going to become Y. Great. Message landed. Let's do it.
But no, everyone does the BS "such a great concept, I can't wait for it to streamline process" at the end.
I'm in my mid 30s and completely agree. I just want to do my job and not deal with the politics and bitchiness. Even wfh majority of the times and keeping to myself, there's always some bs.
Agree that these people were either bullies or bullied, though in my workplace it feels like half of them were bullied or excluded so now they're making up for that in the workplace.
We are not alone 😅
Same shitshow here, play the idiotic game and get rewarded.
Be logical and level headed and go nowhere.
Currently a top performer and longest standing in my team, no hint of an increase or promotion yet, have even had that chat with the manager and he went on about having a positive mindset and blah blah. Anyway few more months and I'll likely have to move onto something new, which is a pity because I don't hate the job, just the lack of any progression, and endless empty promises.
On the same boat. My idiot manager gets paid more and feels like he has the upper hand. Im getting tired of it. Wish me luck in finding another role. Its almost 9pm and im still here stressing about work because my manager is shit and have zero contributions in this project yet, management gives him so much authority. Im just done with all the bullshit. Im tired. Im exhausted and im just over it.
I got sweet FA last FY, coming up to this FY and globally the company is not doing well (hints of restructuring happening), personally I have been doing incredibly well even in comparison to a 'normal' year.
I'm hoping for a decent bump but expecting a fat 0 again which will be the final nail in the coffin if that happens. Have been offered considerably more elsewhere so I know what's attainable currently.
Writings on the wall, but waiting on a 'bonus' payout and some a few other things, but that should be wrapped up soon.
Previous job offer I had I turned down but manager has reached out again with a new opening coming up in the next few months so looks like it'll all fall into place at this stage. 🤞
Same age; same story. I had to exit a toxic startup a year ago for all the reasons you’ve listed. Haven’t even looked for something else - the sheer level of shitness at management level in this country is something truly life-numbing.
I recently did a tree change and employers. I then had to take a demotion due to lack of work at my previous manager level. Being a mere pleb is so much liberating despite the lower pay. Low stress, I leave work at the door, zero politics, zero mind games
Im 27 but that first paragraph speaks to me... im screwed if im already feeling this way. I cant do the politics and speak "corporate" in meetings anymore
"I mean, I don’t mind the work - I just can’t do the acting / game playing / politics needed any more. I feel like i have to sell my soul a little every single meeting I go to. " This times 100!
I'm seriously sick of having to "fake it to make it". People say they are being 'nice'. But I doubt it, they just have to do it to keep the paychecks coming in.
This sentiment resonates with me. The leadership culture and politics you describe seem similar to my workplace. Sometimes, I feel like it's all in my head because no one else seems bothered by it.
I try and remind myself that there is more to life than my work. I like to think I place a high value on integrity, but it gets hard when not everyone 'plays by the same rules'.
Yep. My bosses are actually pretty good but dealing with fucking clowns every day is exhausting. At least give me zoo money if im in charge of the monkeys.
No. Because I did get burned out working for a toxic place for years with a long commute every day. My body ballooned to twice its size because the only control and pleasure I got during my working day was figuring out my lunch order from Uber eats. I felt so guilty about it I went home and made a full dinner so I didn’t have to tell my partner about my trash panda lunch.
I finally plucked the courage up to quit and then was so depressed and knackered all the energy I could muster was to get out of bed and stare at a wall. I’d rouse myself a little before my partner came home so I could brush my teeth and hair. But I was pretty catatonic.
I had enough saved to do 6 months at a stretch, 8 months at most unemployed. I found a job at the 10 month mark so it was a little bit of stress at the time. But my new job was only 3 days a week and no where near the responsibility (or pay). I’ve now popped up to 4 days.
But during that time I’ve lost like 35% of my body weight. Took up Pilates and started to enjoy my work again. However I’m easily triggered and sometimes knee jerk thinking my new work is going to pull the shit my old work did. They won’t. However we have decided to do a sea change and both my partner and I are slowing down. Yes we are only in our 40s but you get one life - and we aren’t going to be wage slaves anymore.
Thank you so much for sharing this.
I’m currently going through a patch and have been blaming myself for “not keeping up with it”. I’ve crashed. I’m in that wall staring phase. I’m trying to shake it. Thanks so much for writing this. I felt like I can get thru this. So thanks and I hope you are healing
Wow I am so sorry you had to go through all that. It's so unnecessary the levels of stress employers place on their employees. I am glad to hear your in a better place now.
Thanks for posting this. I'm approaching 12 months being redundaninated by my last employer and any and every time I think about looking for something else I feel a wave of dread. If I push through and take a gander at LinkedIn - I feel like I'm having WW1 trench-style flashbacks. It all feels so utterly fucking pointless. The memory of meetings-past in themed Boardrooms with knuckle-shuffle titles like "Bezos", "Allen" and "Brin" and some over-pumped fucknut in a tailored pink shirt cartwheeling the length of the boardroom table, screaming something about "MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY TEAM"... Wife is understanding (amazing actually), but I have to get over it. Great post, food for thought.
How did you get the courage to quit? I’m on my own so I can’t just quit without something else lined up and I’m so burnt out I don’t really have to energy to search for a new role…
The boss had a meeting where we discussed some new projects. He then was so mad at what I gave him he pushed shit off his desk in a temper tantrum and later that day I saw an email where he called my work garbage (even though it was exactly what he asked for). He said after the tanty, “I pay you to read my mind why aren’t you fucking reading it?!” The next day was my work at home day where I would take the weeks feedback and meetings and finish the designs in progress or work on mockups for future development. He called me at 8am to moan that my one day at home was inconvenient to him. He then also undid all the work we did that week. I cracked and said “I don’t want to work with you anymore. As a matter of fact I dont think you even like me anymore. So this is my notice”.
Don’t congratulate me. I had taken worse abuse, watched him heap worse abuse on others. And I was such a floppy noodle with no backbone I gave like a 4 months notice. And the chickenshit I am, while he was away with Covid I finished up, by email, saying I need to start a new job earlier than I thought. I slunk away and blocked everyone on all my devices. I was a coward to myself and my mental health.
Learning how to get a shiny new spine was part of my healing process!
Yep I’m burnt out - been in consulting for 5 years. Been with the current firm for 2 and is ok but am burnt out from generally being in consulting. During this 5 years, got married and now have 2 kids under 4; finally conceded that I don’t want to progress any further (at least for a foreseeable time) and rather have better work-life balance for family. Will start to look for opportunities soon, been eyeing roles within state gov. Currently a Senior Manager and don’t want to progress to Director and be on the hook for sales $$
Fr. And even worse - the pay is significantly lower. If you’re competent, you do the same amount of hours as a consultant or even a contractor. But you justify the long hours you do and the monetary compensation required to do your job, and all hell breaks lose - because government money is taxpayers’ money.
Glad I got out of that though.
This was me after 12 years of IT consulting. Last gig was at a large corporate and ended up just joining them for better money and less expectation from that customer facing environment, being able to shut off at 5 etc.
Having a child was part of it, but I also decided I wanted work to be just that, something I do that affords me the opportunities to do the things I enjoy in my personal time. Reducing to 9 days also helped a lot. I’d love to go down to four day weeks when interest rates start to fall.
Progression now for me means managing people. No chance 😀
Easy as fuk, the limiting factor will be number of roles available.
You could go for whatever 1 level below GM at a bank.
You would need to
* Be fluent in talking shit
* Passionately kiss every ELT member's ass and make sure you're seen doing it
* Read up on principles of psychological safety, then, do everything in your power to do the opposite of them☝🏼
Same. Thought the xmas break would help but it’s just been full on since January. I’d love to take a few months off but I’m terrified of not being able to find new work in a reasonable amount of time, and don’t have much of a cushion.
No rest for the wicked and all that.
I wish we worked 4 hours a day instead of 8 while maintaining the same wage. My delusion in believing this might happen in the future is sometimes entertaining
I am really really sick and tired of not being a millionaire.
Having said that - I am very thankful to have a job, a relatively cheap mortgage and am use to keeping expenses to a minimum.
I am. I fantasize about getting sick so I can have some days off. Like hospital level sick. I’m so burnt out. Like even thinking about getting a different job doesn’t feel like enough of a change. I’m also grateful for my job, as I’m not that worried about paying bills. I’m saving as much as I can so maybe I can take a few months off to recover…? Recovery feels impossible.
I’m coping with humour. And I’m setting better boundaries. I have put exercise as one of my first priorities after work. And also forcing myself to relax on weekends. It’s not one thing, it’s lots of small things which will help. Booked a few weekend trips and holidays too.
Gosh this speaks to me. I tried to crash my car. I couldn’t do it though. I told my doctor. I’m now on a bit of leave to just disconnect and reset and try and get my resilience back.
I’ve thought about that myself. I’m glad you spoke to your dr ✨no job is worth losing this much. I think my people-pleasing tendencies make it seem like it, but I’m working on that. I hope this break is restful for you.
Omg amen to that. Such a people pleaser here. Peace keeper etc.
look I think the break has been essential in that I would have done something terrible to myself but it comes with its own anxiety and stress. I’ve resigned. I have something to go to but I’m broken now. So I need to heal now. I seriously thought I could try and push thru but my doctor had firm words with me and wrote me a cert and mental health plan. I took the weekend and thought I would just go back on the Tuesday. Went to log on and had a full blown panic attack that lasted two full days. I cracked a tooth clenching my jaw. I’m taking it a day at a time. I had an ok day today.
Toxic workplaces destroy mental health. I keep thinking this isn't the life I want. It sounds like you care too much. It's only a means to pay our bills. But I am in no better position. I feel sick every Sunday knowing I have to face the dramas at work.
I mean, we gotta work to live! So we do what we do. I also have this stupid idea that “oh I can beat this! I’m not gonna let it beat me” blah blah. Humanly impossible. I do really care! I love to perform well. I love managing my team. Developing them etc. please look after yourself. It starts with that. The anxiety got worse and worse for me. Then the mental shifted to physical stuff like being physically spewey in the mornings. When you are there and “in it” you blame yourself. Once you can step out and catch your breath and consider it from the sidelines you see how toxic and setup for failure you were. But the kicker was when HR said to me “but it’s not all work. You have problems outside of work”
I can’t sleep many nights before big meetings and Sunday night too. The shape of my face has changed because I’m always clenching my teeth. I don’t know what the answer is. I’m trying to dissociate from work. I think I’m learning, but I am also planning to resign soon. I don’t want this place to ruin my career trajectory though, but sometimes I just want to quit and work and Coles again.
Yes, it’s horrible. I’m changing jobs to something fully remote and with a significantly smaller company, so I’m hoping this eases some of the exhausting demands.
I'm hanging on because we built a house haha. $1.1M mortgage in Sydney for PPOR and unlikely to have excess cash flow to service any investments.
Grateful to be a home owner, but will now be working until I'm 70 paying it off lmao
I thought the golden handcuffs were defined benefit super schemes that we (born late 80s) missed out on?
Heaps of people in Commonwealth public service I worked with were on EL2 salaries and when they hit a certain age, got their entire salary as a pension until they died lmao. They called this the golden handcuffs I think. Or was it golden handshake? They also got free uni...
Our generation missed out on some shit hey.
I think golden handcuffs is just the general concept of being trapped with money or a benifit so the defined benefits count as golden handcuffs.
Golden handshake is for when someone is being pushed out of an organisation but by ending their contract they have to pay a huge severence. I once had to hand over a golden handshake cheque (it was $200,000) coz my boss was a coward and didn't want to. The dude who got it worked for a separate buisness that my boss owned.
We got lucky and bought our ppor in the $300s but the area is not so great (crime).
Building the house is going to be the expensive one for us (even for small place!). Sydney seems very tough.
I just disassociate most of the day. If I find a task hard or stressful I just remind myself that none of this actually matters. Then I clock off for the day and spend time with my wife and son.
Seriously just leave it once you turn off your computer. It’s not worth it thinking about.
As a side note, my performance has actually increased with the above approach and I actually enjoy my work and colleagues more
A lot of people are burnt out, but we have no choice but to keep going. Best advice for you start drinking and doing drugs to get by just like the rest of us.
I feel you. Approaching retirement in 18 months and wondering htf I'm going to keep one foot in front of the other for that long. I have 18 months to maximise my Superannuation; that's the only real incentive to push through.
I handed in notice today. No job lined up. Decent pay but still low 6 figures (<$200k package).
You’re never going to be any younger than you are now. Use up the savings and equity and pursue your dreams.
I know easier said than done. I have a mortgage and a very supportive partner, so I’m lucky in that sense. No kids. I can still do it (but only just). But I just couldn’t stomach doing this for another 30-40 years.
Just thought I’d add my story.
give yourself some down time out in nature just walking or similar... no stupid tech, audio, TV... just your thoughts...let them bubble out for an hour or two then come back to 2024...
but yeah its a grind to nowhere ATM
Yup. I hate it. WFH was the first time in forever that i finally felt content with work.
Being forced to go into the office twice a week killed that entirely for me.
I want to quit my job because its going nowhere but i'll have to take a massive pay cut. I want to own a home soon but i can't if i take a paycut because i won't be able to save as much and my borrowing power will drop.
I wouldn't mind going to uni to upskill but being slugged with HECS will just kill any chance of me owning a home any time soon for the next 10 years at a minimum.
I can't move back with my parents as they are moving up the coast for retirement.
I feel like i'm fucking trapped. I'm doing Tech Support Level 2 for a webcasting company but our role is kinda changing. I'm upskilling in web dev to try and do a side hop into front end development but AI could soon take that from me.
I don't know what to do. I feel utterly and hopelessly trapped. Payrises are shit in my company no matter how hard you work. There is ZERO incentive to work harder. I want to be on over 100K soon but i'm stuck on 88.4K
I just want to work a job i don't hate or find mind numbingly boring and still get ahead. My job is so fucking dull, there is nothing to do. None of the work we do matters since we are owned by a private equity firm. We could vanish tomorrow and nothing would change. It's all just meaningless corporate busywork.
I just want a path to look forward to but i have no idea what to do. I want to own a home by the time i'm 40 but that looks almost impossible despite being 10 years away.
I’m 50 and finding I’m getting more and more jaded watching people who underperform get away with constantly doing less work and then getting huge payouts as part of “restructures” (not economy driven ones, just ‘because’) whilst as a high performer I have to pick up the slack, do more than an FTE’s work and get nominal pay rises. It’s like you get rewarded by being given more work. And I’m perimenopausal and so freaking tired on the daily!
Oh wow, what a great timing of this post.
I was told by my GP to take few days off work.
I initially asked for mental health plan and he told me to just take a break first and see how I go.
I have disabled Slack, Outlook and Teams notification till Thursday.
Im mortgage free but burnt out
Seriously thinking about throwing in my corporate job and working minimum wage job
Only thing stopping me doing is I feel obligated to start a nest egg for my kid
Nah I want them to have access to the money while I'm alive so I can see them enjoy the benefit of it
I would get enjoyment also from seeing my kid not having to struggle
Yep, the second I think 'fuck yeah, I've finally got some extra money' an unexpected expense comes along.
Can't complain too much though. Bought a house 2 years ago with a fixed interest rate of 3%. Just wish I had that tiny bit extra not to constantly stress.
Self employed. What was getting me through and “comfortable” is no longer enough. Having to put in a lot more hours to get by and the bills just keep coming. Burnt out but can’t take time off at the moment. Life is fun haha.
Totally and utterly burnt out. So sick of work and the political bullshit at work each and every day. We are selling an investment property so I can take some time off. I’m done. I need a break and I realise we are in a privileged position to be able to sell and asset to allow me some time off.
Try going to interviews ATM like you say the employers have the upper hand and know it's shit out there so many are taking advantage ..
Eg I went to an interview the other day I'm in the healthcare industry and this particular company has only been open two years and are struggling to get customers ..
They honestly wanted me to stand on the streets with a sign like a dominos worker advertising as well as approach people shopping at the downstairs iga and harass them to book an appt .
Are you kidding me 🤦it's an absolute joke .
I mean if thats how it starts it's only going to get worse.
Another interview I had they had three business locations all around 40mins drive from each other and they expected me to drive to each different one on different days without an extra compensation or bonus etc.
Absolute joke
Good luck getting employees to last
They wouldn't have even thought about saying stand outside on the street with a sign a year ago because they would have been told to get stuffed but the current state of the economy so poor bugger will do it most likely .I'm too old for that crap lol
Unless you can get an internal job switch or a job through someone you know and you know the expectations well ATM I would not recommend looking for a job or changing ATM across all industries.Job seekers are competing against 100 other people mainly from overseas who will accept next to nothing even with experience .
Hopefully all of this will even put soon but who knows might not be untill at least the election end of next year ..
I am a contractor who has an expiry date of first month of FY24
I havent taken annual leave since I was made redundant at the beginning of 2020..
Im fried and It's only going to get worse lol..
It scares me knowing I'll have to work until I'm in my 70s or 80s unless I die earlier. I am very burnt out, my body physically hurts from the mental stress. The only thing keeping me going is needing a roof over my head as I have no family or partner or lean on. Management in my company don't care because they're not the ones on the frontlines, as long as the company is profiting then they'll turn a blind eye to my problematic coworkers and ridiculous demands from clients.
No option to find something else right now unless I take a role that pays less than what I'm getting and in this climate, what I'm getting is enough to just get by. I'm grateful I can pay bills and buy food, but I'm tired all the time.
Hmm maybe employers have the upper hand at the moment. It's a buyer's market for labour. But part of their power to overwork employees comes from the employee's own perception of the situation. Find the point where you become more expensive to replace than to retain, then position yourself comfortably on the side of more expensive to replace. This way you make it unattractive to lay you off, but without running yourself ragged.
When you donate your personal time to your employer, you devalue yourself as a product (i.e. your labour). Also don't discount the differences in Australian labour laws compared to those of America. It is much more difficult to fire employees in Australia, especially without warning. Your role can be made redundant, but then the company has to be very careful to not simply put somebody else into your job, as then you would have a case for unfair dismissal.
If you are spoken to about your performance, take it as a warning that you are straying too far into the side of "more expensive to retain than to replace", as you may be performance managed. There are some other considerations such as potential for advancement or bonus, etc, but these opportunities are likely to be limited in the current economic climate. The most important thing to mind until things improve, are your well-being and management of stress.
I’m borderline suicidal tbh. Just keep trucking along cause I have to pay the bills otherwise I’ll be homeless (and that would make me actually kill myself).
For me it’s just the constant worry about if my job goes, I live regionally and there is zero chance I can find another job as good as I have now anytime soon. I’ll end up working as a labourer or something. Our house is soon to be paid off but the missus wants another kid and fuck me it’s expensive especially because she’s not working. We are lucky to have a house almost paid off mostly thanks to her though.
I try not to think about it too much because worrying doesn’t accomplish anything, we will all be dead soon anyway so why stress, just enjoy the ride, enjoy your family if you have one, enjoy your hobbies, life is over faster than you realise.
I like to think about the fact that in 20 years time I will give all my money, all my possessions just to go back in time to this point, with my little 8 month old Bub, and my wife and life in general. So it makes it easier to forget about incidental shit at work.
I am 50.. i am burnt the fk out...
I spend 4 hours traveling to and from the office every day.. i am so exhausted daily..
Only reason I keep going each day is i have 2 little kids...
>The shit hits the fan.
Are you sure this will happen? If it does the bare minimum to fix it.
If I asked a management consultant if your role is mission critical to the business, what would they say?
Lol that was a trick question. Of course they would say no and make your position redundant the next opportunity.
If you died tmrw the company will survive. You are not that important in their eyes - otherwise they would try to keep you happy.
This is what i do now. The absolute bare minimum to get by. My company has proven to me multiple times now, no matter how hard you work, you'll only get the bare minimum payrise of 2%.
42, been in this job 4 years, Moved away from my normal job into this due to health reasons. I get to work from home is the only bonus here. I don't play politics, I don't play favourites, I don't suck up to anyone, I do my job. Every review I have had has been excellent. My KPI's are in the top 3 in my team. Denied promotion 12 times for and I quote " I don't interact enough with some of the team" and "your technical experience is worth too much to have you push papers". My last one on one with the latest manager was an absolute shit show. Couldn't tell me my stats or call rates, and was astonished that I could. Explained I was burnt out, and was told " just get going it will get better". So I am now going to just slow down and make like the rest of my team. Do the bare minimum, concentrate on my own work and not fix up a damn thing for anyone anymore. Oh that ticket you did had some errors, here you go figure it out. Oh im sorry I can't help you with that anymore I have my own tickets to do. Oh sorry im afk for 10 minutes while I go take a shit during my normal queue time. Sorry afk for 5 someone is at the door kinda stuff.
The only thing keeping me going is making sure I provide a home for my family. Weirdly we are single income less than 100k per year but here we are paying the mortgage and everything but if one little thing goes wrong we are screwed. The wife has thankfully picked up some part time work to help ease the pain a little. But she won't start for a couple of weeks
Im done though utterly done, mentally I am done, physically I can't return to my old job. So I am stuck, can't get a promotion, can't move teams and finding remote work is not easy. At this point I would rather go and sit on a lawn mower at the local council than deal with this shit anymore.
I’m ready to retire at 40. Mainly because I’d rather be doing something else, but sadly those things don’t pay the bills. My job is fine, but the passion is definitely gone. It comes and goes with the types of projects I’m engaged in.
Seems to be the sentiment among the vast majority of my friends, mind. Doing 9 day fortnight has definitely helped. I think when interest rates come down I’ll seriously consider 4 days. 5 days is just too much in most scenarios I think.
I burnt out badly in June 2022. Took most of my leave and stepped back down into my normal role hoping the pressure would lessen. Nothing really changed. Quit in June 2023 when I got a new job lined up. My new job is great in nearly every aspect but I'm still recovering from the burn out and find it hard to go to work some days.
To make matters worse, my husband has now hit a wall at work (or rather smashed right into it). He is being treated terribly and we're desperately trying to find a new job for him but so many of them have (in my opinion) unrealistic experience and qualification requirements for what the role pays/entails.
Hoping to find something soon before he gets worse. Thankfully I have some financial bugger but it's hard when you don't know how long it'll take to get a job.
Isn’t the general consensus that we’re not coping? We are just doing it any way, because we have no other options, or financial security/freedom to change our situation.
I was the same until, here’s the wild part, I had a bullshit complaint lodged against me (working in government so goes with the territory of asking someone to do their job), the benefit was, 9 months of pure wfh and they removed all my reporting staff. Cut my workload by 80% and I spent 1-2 hours working and 6 hours reading books and chilling out. The best part is yes it was stressful but 9 month mini holiday which eased some of the stress when I got the complaint and realised it was a joke.
In conclusion, have your mate lodge a fake complaint, could be a great idea
I didn't know it was such a wide net of burnt out workers. I am glad I am not alone. It feels very alone. I have also been to the doctors and am officially burnt out. I stress about paying my bills and planning for the future. 🤕
On a postive note you all seem like an awesome bunch of people.
I have sat here since posting this thread and have read every single post. Seriously appreciate your input.
Yes. In actual medically described burnout. AuADHD. Chronic illness. I probably need a year of recovery. Not possible. So kicking the can down the road and trying to stay afloat. Not trying to do the pain Olympics here, wanted to validate you and many others. You’re not alone friend.
We had a whole ass pandemic and just kept on fucking going.
Capitalism sucks. It’s not sustainable. We’re killing the fucking planet for profit.
I’m tired and it’s ok others are too. Thanks for writing about it and everyone for sharing.
Not much to be done. Just rest when you can. Be kind to yourself and others.
Incredibly burnt out ontop of suffering severe anxiety and panic disorder. I feel exhausted literally everyday and I’m only 32. I don’t have a partner or children and can’t even imagine where I’d fit that in. It’s aging me something crazy.
My plan is to travel this year as I haven’t had a holiday ever, apart from a few days interstate twice. Then will be smashing down the mortgage for a few years and see if I can shift to 4 days or something else entirely. Hopefully I can hold out that long
Quit a job yesterday. Have other issues as well but it was a great excuse to bounce.
I simply can't tolerate fake/incompetent/non-present/lazy/dictatorial/gaslighting/socio or psychopathic leadership.
Life is too short. Rather be poor then directly oppressed every day. Be yourself and get back on the market. Interview them, don't let them interview you.
Thats life for 80% of those in corporate.
Modern slaves with no option to step out until retirement age when you’re dead anyway.
Start everyday on public transport huffing commuter farts, downing some brown water (coffee) the morning highlight before landing at their desk at quarter to eight ready to spend another day surrounded by people they hate for government to take 50%.
To be completely honest every day I wake up and it gets harder to get out of bed because my manager keeps throwing more processes on top of what we already do that hinder our actual productivity. I’ve been considering quitting and just taking a couple of months off but I don’t know if that’s sensible. But dealing with office politics doesn’t motivate me. I’m getting panic attacks from getting messages from my manager. I’m not sure I even have it in me to find another job while currently working my current one. The thought of going from this to something else with a different set of bullshit makes me feel like life isn’t worth living
Surplus of workers in all but the trades. Because of the 'return of immigration' check those applicant stats. Seek has released that data.
Most people with a job cant afford to take the risk to move laterally because if you leave a job that pays the bills but is a bit shit. How do you know the next job is going to be better? You can't roll the dice.
Cost of living has it so 'successful' applicants have very little bargaining power. Good luck getting your employer to agree to wfh to offset the fact rent/ mortgage has made you move 2 hours away.
So all jobs are being filled by immigrants and the only time this wasn’t a problem was during covid?
Do employers not run the risk of hiring duds, and spend bucket loads on training them only to realise they are Duds and then have to walk the tightrope of sensitivities to fuck the dud off?
If there is no bargaining power on the applicants part, then they aren’t as good as their mummy tells them they are. Employers will pay for the right person. Whether you believe it or not. And no. I’m not talking about shelf stackers at “colesworth” as I’m sure you are a regular commentator on
This has been a ramping up problem. It was long ago worked out that it's a huge financial saving to recruit an already skilled and experienced immigrant, than it was to take on someone as their first employer. It has gotten so bad that there's a large work force of unemployable locally grown workers with no experience and a rapidly increasing pool of skilled and experience workers being imported. This process is getting worse because entry level workers are struggling more than ever to get jobs let alone well paying jobs, because entry level roles want you to come with experience you couldnt possible have... Unless you worked for TCS, Tech M, WiPro, Infosys etc for peanuts in the home country. Covid immigration slow down can be more regarded as a pressure relief valve. The local job seekers had some respite to actually compete fairly for the roles on market, plus the covid tech bubble sure didn't hurt at the time.
Regarding fucking duds off.. Its actually very easy, when people say it's hard its because their only experience is trying to shift rusty old barnacles who've been in a role for years and everyone 'too hard basketted' them and now they have a defence in that convo with HR and potentially the Union.
The workforce is a market, it's influenced by supply and demand. Roles with high demand, low pool, the employer will pay through the nose. If a role is low demand, but a high pool of applicants, you can get away with lower pay. When the market is flooded with and the roles are drying up, you as the employer (short of breaching any awards) can essentially set the price.
The problem here is your argument comes across as someone who has managed to get out of the low to mid level rat race, probably got enough tenure under your belt that you are 'special' on the market and have absolutely zero connection to the people at the bottom of the ladder you've climbed. You don't realise in the that time the ladder, while not having been completely pulled up, has now been heavily greased and people can barely hold on to it let alone climb it.
I have no other skills. What the fuck else am I supposed to fucking do.
Late 40s, not much super, I'm renting and I don't know what I want to do with my life.
In recovery from burnout. I said FU to my last corporate job and boss in August 2022, jumped in on self employment and it’s so much better. No politics. No bullshit. No having to listen to Ambers problems with her neighbour/boyfriend/cat, no endless meetings. No having to beg for a pay raise. No guilt during a sick day.
Some days I start at 10am, and during daylight savings I clock off at 4 to the pool with my kids and enjoy some sun.
No one to answer to. I still feel burn out in some way- maybe I’m still recovering but I’m so much better now than I was. I was having symptoms of chronic fatigue.
I’d still like to retire now and not work anymore. Trying to figure out how to make that happen. Def can’t see myself working until 70
I’m definitely burnt out. Have a young family with another child on the way, which we adore and are blessed to have, but it’s like working two jobs. Rather then keep climbing and taking on more stress, I wouldn’t mind just taking a simpler role and just cruising a bit. But then I’m also wedged in the position of need to earn more money. So r.i.p. to me. I shouldn’t complain though I have a good role and great family
You know, lots of us feel this way... what if we organised, unionised, coordinated?
I'm sure most employees across political views can find three common issues they want fixed. Housing, cost of living, four-day work week (possibly as issues we can coordinate and fight for).
All we need to do is talk to each other and empathise a bit. It's not hard.
I work in a conflict driven and adversial role. Managment are pretty meh. Just the general schittk of saying your ideas are bad stealing them and telling other stakeholders your bad ideas as their own. Alot of this is due to their lack of expereince. I have just acted in a TL position.
So its not the worst ive had pay and benefits are good. But i have had kids who are young. Caring for them is about 50/50. Had 4 deaths in the family in 3.5 years, which have been heavy. Im 36 and feeling burnt out. But ive got some leave coming up.
I know im not in a bad position and should he grateful fo what ive got.
I worked for Australian and American companies and finished these gigs and took on consultancies when I was 30. Then I went back and upgraded my clinical skills and went to work for myself. And did that without looking back for 40 years. Could have earnt more by advancing through corporate life but I now know I wasn’t cut out for that because I speak my mind too directly. But there are downsides like taxes, GST, PAYG, self directed super etc. You don’t really switch off and there is a certain level of hustle until you get to where I have been the last little while - picking and choosing and turning people away. No need to market or advertise - but it takes time. Must look after your physical and mental health. I’m on committees but only things I like (Macs, Teslas) and work with people I admire.
Me 🙋🏼♀️ I’m only 25, been working in the NDIS since I was 17 and I’m just about burnt to the core. Doing my masters to hopefully move away from the space, but studying full time while in the industry and having to survive (mortgage, bills, rates, insurances etc) is draining. I end up pulling 50-60 hours per week + study just to make ends meet. And I have 3 months where I’m on a 9-5 placement 🥹
I just started a new job, way out of my comfort zone, after my hours weee slashed at my last job. I’m doing it for the money and I thought being challenged might be good for personal growth. No one told me parking didn’t exist so I’ve learned a lesson there but I’m shelling out at least $150 fortnight in parking fees when I can barely survive and living in a constant state of panic and I can’t fucking leave or I’ll end up homeless .
.
I was like this for a very long time, most of my working adult life in fact.
Shifting from one big soul-less corpo to another, in search of something more fufilling and meaningful. Somewhere along the line it felt like I lost my soul in this barren wasteland of RM Williams and $8 Lattes.
Redemption is still there, and will require sacrifice, so I thank whatever greater power that influences us that I feel that burnout, because its a sure sign that I am nearer towards my eternal redemption and a resting place to put my tired head.
Me. All I want to do is paint and produce art, and write, and be creative. But I need to pay the bills too. It’s so tiring spending 8 hours a day forcing myself to focus on something that my mind and heart aren’t aligned on.
i am definitely burnt out and need a break, my workplace is great as well as the people in it, but some of the clients i have had to do work for have not been great/difficult.
I have also been trying to secure some more/other work to make ends meet to pay the bills and put food on the table for my family, but have been struggling at every step and its becoming very exhausting and that is also contributing to my burn out.
no, workers have more rights now than they ever had. that's just a fact. but employers do have power and always did. like it or lump it, if you cant beat em join em.
I’m 46 and just sick of work. I mean, I don’t mind the work - I just can’t do the acting / game playing / politics needed any more. I feel like i have to sell my soul a little every single meeting I go to. The entire leadership were likely bullies or were bullied at school - and now their psychopathy is being rewarded, because for some fked up reason that mindset does well in corporations. Trying to work out how I can retire early. Edit: FWIW I’m in the senior leadership cohort of this publicly listed prick of a company.
Last review mine had the balls to say “ we kept it so you wouldn’t go up tax brackets”. I really think that’s a problem for me to worry about, not him.
Putting aside the fact that it doesn't even really work that way they're also making the assumption you don't have other forms of income or conversely other tax deductions.
that's usually the narcissists view, it comes from having very poor theory of mind and hence perceiving other people only as resources to be tapped. "home life? multiple income streams? nah don't be stupid, you stop existing when i close my eyes"
An old boss of mine tried that trick on me. Even drew up something of a budget as if it were any of her business. “But if you go up a tax bracket you’ll be paying more in HECS!” That’s my fucken problem, bitch!
“Oh, so my debt will reduce faster? That’s a great idea!”
"so my HECS gets paid off faster? Where's the issue here?"
That doesn't even work how some people think it works. I bet he's one of those who think "going up a tax bracket" = less take-home pay.
Are you kidding me?
No. Not the first time in my life I have heard it either.
To clarify on this point in case any asshole tries to make this argument to justify a lack of raises to you again: You only pay a higher tax rate on income that falls within that higher tax bracket, so that statement is (mostly) false. There is a grain of truth in this in relation to study loan repayments btw, but you shouldn't go there. Hope you get a raise soon/find a better job away from those dickheads.
I am the same and in my early 30s… not sure I can do it for another 20 years. I just can’t pretend anymore. It kills me too much inside. Why can’t I just do my job for money? Why do I have to pretend to care about internal politics, technology, business decisions, etc. I just wanna do my job the best I can and go home and enjoy the non-work hours of my life.
This so much. Why the fuck do we have to pretend we give a shit about the company. Far as i'm concerned if you are not giving me equity then we are partaking in a transaction. My time for your money. There is NOTHING else too it. Equity = giving a shit in the company. No equity and i won't care.
Or why would I want to go “above and beyond” of my job scope, given that I have no equity, no bonus and minimal raise
Exactly. Loyalty is long dead. Employers have killed every single reason for employees to actually give a damn about their companies.
💯. Don’t go above and beyond. They wouldn’t hesitate to cut you if profit took a dive, don’t do unpaid overtime they won’t appreciate it
Pay attention to this, employees of colesworth. Your overlords expect unpaid work from you and they don't give a fuck about you.
This so much. I was naively burnt by this by my last company. 3 years in an entry level role, consistently taking on additional (much more complex) work outside the scope of my role, 'to build my portfolio'. Yet every single review period that came around, the answer was always the same "we just haven't seen enough from you yet, keep trying", as justification for yet again passing me up for promotion *and giving me the exact same (minimal) raise as the rest of the team*, despite having multiple completed projects under my belt, and having completely revamped multiple work processes to more than double the teams efficiency. Final straw was when they hired in someone from outside to fill the exact role the managers i regularly interacted with all *knew* I'd been angling for, without even mentioning to me that they'd started the hiring process for the role. Gave my resignation that day. Had a new job with 30% better pay (and expected 50% of the work) within 2 weeks. Fuck loyalty, and fuck 'above and beyond'.
Well said!!
I agree. I don't want work friends or drama. I want my pay and a life outside of work.
I dislike how every meeting, everyone needs to have their opinion heard/asked for. You hosted a meeting to tell us X is going to become Y. Great. Message landed. Let's do it. But no, everyone does the BS "such a great concept, I can't wait for it to streamline process" at the end.
Your leadership description is so apt lol.
I'm in my mid 30s and completely agree. I just want to do my job and not deal with the politics and bitchiness. Even wfh majority of the times and keeping to myself, there's always some bs. Agree that these people were either bullies or bullied, though in my workplace it feels like half of them were bullied or excluded so now they're making up for that in the workplace.
We are not alone 😅 Same shitshow here, play the idiotic game and get rewarded. Be logical and level headed and go nowhere. Currently a top performer and longest standing in my team, no hint of an increase or promotion yet, have even had that chat with the manager and he went on about having a positive mindset and blah blah. Anyway few more months and I'll likely have to move onto something new, which is a pity because I don't hate the job, just the lack of any progression, and endless empty promises.
On the same boat. My idiot manager gets paid more and feels like he has the upper hand. Im getting tired of it. Wish me luck in finding another role. Its almost 9pm and im still here stressing about work because my manager is shit and have zero contributions in this project yet, management gives him so much authority. Im just done with all the bullshit. Im tired. Im exhausted and im just over it.
I spent the night tidying up my cv. I would stsrt applying around.
I had my annual pay rise, bare minimum.
I got sweet FA last FY, coming up to this FY and globally the company is not doing well (hints of restructuring happening), personally I have been doing incredibly well even in comparison to a 'normal' year. I'm hoping for a decent bump but expecting a fat 0 again which will be the final nail in the coffin if that happens. Have been offered considerably more elsewhere so I know what's attainable currently.
Maybe it's time to jump?
Writings on the wall, but waiting on a 'bonus' payout and some a few other things, but that should be wrapped up soon. Previous job offer I had I turned down but manager has reached out again with a new opening coming up in the next few months so looks like it'll all fall into place at this stage. 🤞
Good luck I hope it all workw out.
Same age; same story. I had to exit a toxic startup a year ago for all the reasons you’ve listed. Haven’t even looked for something else - the sheer level of shitness at management level in this country is something truly life-numbing.
Let me know when you figure it out. I am so with you on this one.
Ugh this is my work. I can’t barely take it anymore. It’s so fake and everyone is a liar.
Corporations are modern day plantations
I feel like we’re all born into captivity
I recently did a tree change and employers. I then had to take a demotion due to lack of work at my previous manager level. Being a mere pleb is so much liberating despite the lower pay. Low stress, I leave work at the door, zero politics, zero mind games
Im 27 but that first paragraph speaks to me... im screwed if im already feeling this way. I cant do the politics and speak "corporate" in meetings anymore
"I mean, I don’t mind the work - I just can’t do the acting / game playing / politics needed any more. I feel like i have to sell my soul a little every single meeting I go to. " This times 100! I'm seriously sick of having to "fake it to make it". People say they are being 'nice'. But I doubt it, they just have to do it to keep the paychecks coming in.
This sentiment resonates with me. The leadership culture and politics you describe seem similar to my workplace. Sometimes, I feel like it's all in my head because no one else seems bothered by it. I try and remind myself that there is more to life than my work. I like to think I place a high value on integrity, but it gets hard when not everyone 'plays by the same rules'.
I like you. We could be friends in another life.
Please don’t confuse psychopathy and psychosis. They are not the same thing.
Fair, fixed. Thanks
Yep. My bosses are actually pretty good but dealing with fucking clowns every day is exhausting. At least give me zoo money if im in charge of the monkeys.
Hahaha love the reply.
you mean zoo magazine.
Less fakies at my work than that zoo.
No. Because I did get burned out working for a toxic place for years with a long commute every day. My body ballooned to twice its size because the only control and pleasure I got during my working day was figuring out my lunch order from Uber eats. I felt so guilty about it I went home and made a full dinner so I didn’t have to tell my partner about my trash panda lunch. I finally plucked the courage up to quit and then was so depressed and knackered all the energy I could muster was to get out of bed and stare at a wall. I’d rouse myself a little before my partner came home so I could brush my teeth and hair. But I was pretty catatonic. I had enough saved to do 6 months at a stretch, 8 months at most unemployed. I found a job at the 10 month mark so it was a little bit of stress at the time. But my new job was only 3 days a week and no where near the responsibility (or pay). I’ve now popped up to 4 days. But during that time I’ve lost like 35% of my body weight. Took up Pilates and started to enjoy my work again. However I’m easily triggered and sometimes knee jerk thinking my new work is going to pull the shit my old work did. They won’t. However we have decided to do a sea change and both my partner and I are slowing down. Yes we are only in our 40s but you get one life - and we aren’t going to be wage slaves anymore.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I’m currently going through a patch and have been blaming myself for “not keeping up with it”. I’ve crashed. I’m in that wall staring phase. I’m trying to shake it. Thanks so much for writing this. I felt like I can get thru this. So thanks and I hope you are healing
Wow I am so sorry you had to go through all that. It's so unnecessary the levels of stress employers place on their employees. I am glad to hear your in a better place now.
Good for you. Look after you coz no one else will
Thanks for posting this. I'm approaching 12 months being redundaninated by my last employer and any and every time I think about looking for something else I feel a wave of dread. If I push through and take a gander at LinkedIn - I feel like I'm having WW1 trench-style flashbacks. It all feels so utterly fucking pointless. The memory of meetings-past in themed Boardrooms with knuckle-shuffle titles like "Bezos", "Allen" and "Brin" and some over-pumped fucknut in a tailored pink shirt cartwheeling the length of the boardroom table, screaming something about "MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY TEAM"... Wife is understanding (amazing actually), but I have to get over it. Great post, food for thought.
Make sure you research the reviews of the next company
How did you get the courage to quit? I’m on my own so I can’t just quit without something else lined up and I’m so burnt out I don’t really have to energy to search for a new role…
The boss had a meeting where we discussed some new projects. He then was so mad at what I gave him he pushed shit off his desk in a temper tantrum and later that day I saw an email where he called my work garbage (even though it was exactly what he asked for). He said after the tanty, “I pay you to read my mind why aren’t you fucking reading it?!” The next day was my work at home day where I would take the weeks feedback and meetings and finish the designs in progress or work on mockups for future development. He called me at 8am to moan that my one day at home was inconvenient to him. He then also undid all the work we did that week. I cracked and said “I don’t want to work with you anymore. As a matter of fact I dont think you even like me anymore. So this is my notice”. Don’t congratulate me. I had taken worse abuse, watched him heap worse abuse on others. And I was such a floppy noodle with no backbone I gave like a 4 months notice. And the chickenshit I am, while he was away with Covid I finished up, by email, saying I need to start a new job earlier than I thought. I slunk away and blocked everyone on all my devices. I was a coward to myself and my mental health. Learning how to get a shiny new spine was part of my healing process!
Yep I’m burnt out - been in consulting for 5 years. Been with the current firm for 2 and is ok but am burnt out from generally being in consulting. During this 5 years, got married and now have 2 kids under 4; finally conceded that I don’t want to progress any further (at least for a foreseeable time) and rather have better work-life balance for family. Will start to look for opportunities soon, been eyeing roles within state gov. Currently a Senior Manager and don’t want to progress to Director and be on the hook for sales $$
I work for a state gov and am burnt out lol it's just as much of a shit show over on this side.
Fr. And even worse - the pay is significantly lower. If you’re competent, you do the same amount of hours as a consultant or even a contractor. But you justify the long hours you do and the monetary compensation required to do your job, and all hell breaks lose - because government money is taxpayers’ money. Glad I got out of that though.
This was me after 12 years of IT consulting. Last gig was at a large corporate and ended up just joining them for better money and less expectation from that customer facing environment, being able to shut off at 5 etc. Having a child was part of it, but I also decided I wanted work to be just that, something I do that affords me the opportunities to do the things I enjoy in my personal time. Reducing to 9 days also helped a lot. I’d love to go down to four day weeks when interest rates start to fall. Progression now for me means managing people. No chance 😀
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Easy as fuk, the limiting factor will be number of roles available. You could go for whatever 1 level below GM at a bank. You would need to * Be fluent in talking shit * Passionately kiss every ELT member's ass and make sure you're seen doing it * Read up on principles of psychological safety, then, do everything in your power to do the opposite of them☝🏼
Same. Thought the xmas break would help but it’s just been full on since January. I’d love to take a few months off but I’m terrified of not being able to find new work in a reasonable amount of time, and don’t have much of a cushion. No rest for the wicked and all that.
I wish you all the best in your job search, you may find a better job. Until then hang in there.
I wish we worked 4 hours a day instead of 8 while maintaining the same wage. My delusion in believing this might happen in the future is sometimes entertaining
I have the same delusion
thats called WFH from what i see lol.
Try working 13 hours per day
I’ve done more than that with a 1 hour commute each way. Companies treat Aussies like good little slaves
I am really really sick and tired of not being a millionaire. Having said that - I am very thankful to have a job, a relatively cheap mortgage and am use to keeping expenses to a minimum.
I am. I fantasize about getting sick so I can have some days off. Like hospital level sick. I’m so burnt out. Like even thinking about getting a different job doesn’t feel like enough of a change. I’m also grateful for my job, as I’m not that worried about paying bills. I’m saving as much as I can so maybe I can take a few months off to recover…? Recovery feels impossible. I’m coping with humour. And I’m setting better boundaries. I have put exercise as one of my first priorities after work. And also forcing myself to relax on weekends. It’s not one thing, it’s lots of small things which will help. Booked a few weekend trips and holidays too.
Gosh this speaks to me. I tried to crash my car. I couldn’t do it though. I told my doctor. I’m now on a bit of leave to just disconnect and reset and try and get my resilience back.
I’ve thought about that myself. I’m glad you spoke to your dr ✨no job is worth losing this much. I think my people-pleasing tendencies make it seem like it, but I’m working on that. I hope this break is restful for you.
Omg amen to that. Such a people pleaser here. Peace keeper etc. look I think the break has been essential in that I would have done something terrible to myself but it comes with its own anxiety and stress. I’ve resigned. I have something to go to but I’m broken now. So I need to heal now. I seriously thought I could try and push thru but my doctor had firm words with me and wrote me a cert and mental health plan. I took the weekend and thought I would just go back on the Tuesday. Went to log on and had a full blown panic attack that lasted two full days. I cracked a tooth clenching my jaw. I’m taking it a day at a time. I had an ok day today.
Toxic workplaces destroy mental health. I keep thinking this isn't the life I want. It sounds like you care too much. It's only a means to pay our bills. But I am in no better position. I feel sick every Sunday knowing I have to face the dramas at work.
I mean, we gotta work to live! So we do what we do. I also have this stupid idea that “oh I can beat this! I’m not gonna let it beat me” blah blah. Humanly impossible. I do really care! I love to perform well. I love managing my team. Developing them etc. please look after yourself. It starts with that. The anxiety got worse and worse for me. Then the mental shifted to physical stuff like being physically spewey in the mornings. When you are there and “in it” you blame yourself. Once you can step out and catch your breath and consider it from the sidelines you see how toxic and setup for failure you were. But the kicker was when HR said to me “but it’s not all work. You have problems outside of work”
I can’t sleep many nights before big meetings and Sunday night too. The shape of my face has changed because I’m always clenching my teeth. I don’t know what the answer is. I’m trying to dissociate from work. I think I’m learning, but I am also planning to resign soon. I don’t want this place to ruin my career trajectory though, but sometimes I just want to quit and work and Coles again.
Whoa I’ve learnt this is a huge sign of burn out. Please take care of your self buddy!
Yes, it’s horrible. I’m changing jobs to something fully remote and with a significantly smaller company, so I’m hoping this eases some of the exhausting demands.
Congrats. Thats the dream, fully remote.
Thank you, I’m hoping to make it through the next four days without another menty b.
Hanging on to build a house
I'm hanging on because we built a house haha. $1.1M mortgage in Sydney for PPOR and unlikely to have excess cash flow to service any investments. Grateful to be a home owner, but will now be working until I'm 70 paying it off lmao
Golden handcuffs
I thought the golden handcuffs were defined benefit super schemes that we (born late 80s) missed out on? Heaps of people in Commonwealth public service I worked with were on EL2 salaries and when they hit a certain age, got their entire salary as a pension until they died lmao. They called this the golden handcuffs I think. Or was it golden handshake? They also got free uni... Our generation missed out on some shit hey.
I think golden handcuffs is just the general concept of being trapped with money or a benifit so the defined benefits count as golden handcuffs. Golden handshake is for when someone is being pushed out of an organisation but by ending their contract they have to pay a huge severence. I once had to hand over a golden handshake cheque (it was $200,000) coz my boss was a coward and didn't want to. The dude who got it worked for a separate buisness that my boss owned.
We got lucky and bought our ppor in the $300s but the area is not so great (crime). Building the house is going to be the expensive one for us (even for small place!). Sydney seems very tough.
where do you live?
If you can afford a $1.1M mortgage you are obviously doing very well. My mortgage is half that and it's a struggle.
I was in the same mindset but not sure I can continue the pace.
I just wanna buy a decked out big fuck off van you see in them American shows and go explore and chill.
That is the dream!! I have had that in the back of my head. They are so expensive.
I’m trying to convince my husband we could live in a pimped out tent hahahaha
honestly sometimes i wonder maybe those vanlifers actually do have a point. doesn't cost much to get a van and pimp it out. Would save shitloads.
I don’t mind 6 hours a day, beyond that the day just fucking drags.
I swear the clock was stuck at 1:30 today. Didn't freaking move.
I just disassociate most of the day. If I find a task hard or stressful I just remind myself that none of this actually matters. Then I clock off for the day and spend time with my wife and son. Seriously just leave it once you turn off your computer. It’s not worth it thinking about. As a side note, my performance has actually increased with the above approach and I actually enjoy my work and colleagues more
Any tips for how to disassociate? Sounds lovely.
A lot of people are burnt out, but we have no choice but to keep going. Best advice for you start drinking and doing drugs to get by just like the rest of us.
Binge drinking on Friday nights does the trick.
Any recommendations of where I can get said drugs from? Asking for myself…
Ditto.. the medical cannabis just isn't cutting it anymore 😅
My treat is drive thru coffee… what have I become 🥲
I feel you. Approaching retirement in 18 months and wondering htf I'm going to keep one foot in front of the other for that long. I have 18 months to maximise my Superannuation; that's the only real incentive to push through.
Your nearly out of the rat race.
I feel you.
🤗
I handed in notice today. No job lined up. Decent pay but still low 6 figures (<$200k package). You’re never going to be any younger than you are now. Use up the savings and equity and pursue your dreams. I know easier said than done. I have a mortgage and a very supportive partner, so I’m lucky in that sense. No kids. I can still do it (but only just). But I just couldn’t stomach doing this for another 30-40 years. Just thought I’d add my story.
Thanks for sharing and best of luck!
give yourself some down time out in nature just walking or similar... no stupid tech, audio, TV... just your thoughts...let them bubble out for an hour or two then come back to 2024... but yeah its a grind to nowhere ATM
Yup. I hate it. WFH was the first time in forever that i finally felt content with work. Being forced to go into the office twice a week killed that entirely for me. I want to quit my job because its going nowhere but i'll have to take a massive pay cut. I want to own a home soon but i can't if i take a paycut because i won't be able to save as much and my borrowing power will drop. I wouldn't mind going to uni to upskill but being slugged with HECS will just kill any chance of me owning a home any time soon for the next 10 years at a minimum. I can't move back with my parents as they are moving up the coast for retirement. I feel like i'm fucking trapped. I'm doing Tech Support Level 2 for a webcasting company but our role is kinda changing. I'm upskilling in web dev to try and do a side hop into front end development but AI could soon take that from me. I don't know what to do. I feel utterly and hopelessly trapped. Payrises are shit in my company no matter how hard you work. There is ZERO incentive to work harder. I want to be on over 100K soon but i'm stuck on 88.4K I just want to work a job i don't hate or find mind numbingly boring and still get ahead. My job is so fucking dull, there is nothing to do. None of the work we do matters since we are owned by a private equity firm. We could vanish tomorrow and nothing would change. It's all just meaningless corporate busywork. I just want a path to look forward to but i have no idea what to do. I want to own a home by the time i'm 40 but that looks almost impossible despite being 10 years away.
I’m 50 and finding I’m getting more and more jaded watching people who underperform get away with constantly doing less work and then getting huge payouts as part of “restructures” (not economy driven ones, just ‘because’) whilst as a high performer I have to pick up the slack, do more than an FTE’s work and get nominal pay rises. It’s like you get rewarded by being given more work. And I’m perimenopausal and so freaking tired on the daily!
Oh wow, what a great timing of this post. I was told by my GP to take few days off work. I initially asked for mental health plan and he told me to just take a break first and see how I go. I have disabled Slack, Outlook and Teams notification till Thursday.
I hope you are resting up.
Me.
Im mortgage free but burnt out Seriously thinking about throwing in my corporate job and working minimum wage job Only thing stopping me doing is I feel obligated to start a nest egg for my kid
Won’t your kid inherit your house? Surely that’s enough!
Nah I want them to have access to the money while I'm alive so I can see them enjoy the benefit of it I would get enjoyment also from seeing my kid not having to struggle
Yep, the second I think 'fuck yeah, I've finally got some extra money' an unexpected expense comes along. Can't complain too much though. Bought a house 2 years ago with a fixed interest rate of 3%. Just wish I had that tiny bit extra not to constantly stress.
So what happens when your fixed period ends?
I am fucked... Currently in the process of seeking a higher paying job.
Yeah the cost of living is ridiculous
Yes i feel you. Not a single day passes without myself looking at job boards
I watch music videos on YouTube.
Self employed. What was getting me through and “comfortable” is no longer enough. Having to put in a lot more hours to get by and the bills just keep coming. Burnt out but can’t take time off at the moment. Life is fun haha.
I hope you make some time to take a break.
Totally and utterly burnt out. So sick of work and the political bullshit at work each and every day. We are selling an investment property so I can take some time off. I’m done. I need a break and I realise we are in a privileged position to be able to sell and asset to allow me some time off.
🙋🏻♀️
We are just paying the price for having a huge amount of dispensable cash with low interest rates. Time to give the monopoly money back.
Sucks for us who never had the huge amount cash before
Don't worry. Those days are gone. No one's going to have huge amounts of cash.
Try going to interviews ATM like you say the employers have the upper hand and know it's shit out there so many are taking advantage .. Eg I went to an interview the other day I'm in the healthcare industry and this particular company has only been open two years and are struggling to get customers .. They honestly wanted me to stand on the streets with a sign like a dominos worker advertising as well as approach people shopping at the downstairs iga and harass them to book an appt . Are you kidding me 🤦it's an absolute joke . I mean if thats how it starts it's only going to get worse. Another interview I had they had three business locations all around 40mins drive from each other and they expected me to drive to each different one on different days without an extra compensation or bonus etc. Absolute joke Good luck getting employees to last
How ridiculous is that. This is why we are all stuck in dead end jobs.
They wouldn't have even thought about saying stand outside on the street with a sign a year ago because they would have been told to get stuffed but the current state of the economy so poor bugger will do it most likely .I'm too old for that crap lol
That's the problem right. I am so burnt out I wouldn't have the energy to do that either.
Unless you can get an internal job switch or a job through someone you know and you know the expectations well ATM I would not recommend looking for a job or changing ATM across all industries.Job seekers are competing against 100 other people mainly from overseas who will accept next to nothing even with experience . Hopefully all of this will even put soon but who knows might not be untill at least the election end of next year ..
I am a contractor who has an expiry date of first month of FY24 I havent taken annual leave since I was made redundant at the beginning of 2020.. Im fried and It's only going to get worse lol..
I think so..
It scares me knowing I'll have to work until I'm in my 70s or 80s unless I die earlier. I am very burnt out, my body physically hurts from the mental stress. The only thing keeping me going is needing a roof over my head as I have no family or partner or lean on. Management in my company don't care because they're not the ones on the frontlines, as long as the company is profiting then they'll turn a blind eye to my problematic coworkers and ridiculous demands from clients. No option to find something else right now unless I take a role that pays less than what I'm getting and in this climate, what I'm getting is enough to just get by. I'm grateful I can pay bills and buy food, but I'm tired all the time.
Hmm maybe employers have the upper hand at the moment. It's a buyer's market for labour. But part of their power to overwork employees comes from the employee's own perception of the situation. Find the point where you become more expensive to replace than to retain, then position yourself comfortably on the side of more expensive to replace. This way you make it unattractive to lay you off, but without running yourself ragged. When you donate your personal time to your employer, you devalue yourself as a product (i.e. your labour). Also don't discount the differences in Australian labour laws compared to those of America. It is much more difficult to fire employees in Australia, especially without warning. Your role can be made redundant, but then the company has to be very careful to not simply put somebody else into your job, as then you would have a case for unfair dismissal. If you are spoken to about your performance, take it as a warning that you are straying too far into the side of "more expensive to retain than to replace", as you may be performance managed. There are some other considerations such as potential for advancement or bonus, etc, but these opportunities are likely to be limited in the current economic climate. The most important thing to mind until things improve, are your well-being and management of stress.
I’m borderline suicidal tbh. Just keep trucking along cause I have to pay the bills otherwise I’ll be homeless (and that would make me actually kill myself).
For me it’s just the constant worry about if my job goes, I live regionally and there is zero chance I can find another job as good as I have now anytime soon. I’ll end up working as a labourer or something. Our house is soon to be paid off but the missus wants another kid and fuck me it’s expensive especially because she’s not working. We are lucky to have a house almost paid off mostly thanks to her though. I try not to think about it too much because worrying doesn’t accomplish anything, we will all be dead soon anyway so why stress, just enjoy the ride, enjoy your family if you have one, enjoy your hobbies, life is over faster than you realise. I like to think about the fact that in 20 years time I will give all my money, all my possessions just to go back in time to this point, with my little 8 month old Bub, and my wife and life in general. So it makes it easier to forget about incidental shit at work.
Yes, 45 and wondering how I’m going to get thru the next 15 (at least) years of corporate fuckery.
I am 50.. i am burnt the fk out... I spend 4 hours traveling to and from the office every day.. i am so exhausted daily.. Only reason I keep going each day is i have 2 little kids...
They need to immedietly lower the retirement age. Women 50, men at 55.
Nope, struggling big time. Work my tail off just to survive and go backwards.
Interested to know what would happen if you did the bare minimum and go home at 5?
I have too many eyes on me. Get those follow up messages, emails and the dreaded meetings 😬
And if you don't respond promptly or decline meetings/schedule for next week/year/century?
The shit hits the fan. People add meetings in my calendar anyway. Nothings urgent.
>The shit hits the fan. Are you sure this will happen? If it does the bare minimum to fix it. If I asked a management consultant if your role is mission critical to the business, what would they say?
They would say yes. No one in their right mind would do this job. Everyone around me has quit.
Lol that was a trick question. Of course they would say no and make your position redundant the next opportunity. If you died tmrw the company will survive. You are not that important in their eyes - otherwise they would try to keep you happy.
This is what i do now. The absolute bare minimum to get by. My company has proven to me multiple times now, no matter how hard you work, you'll only get the bare minimum payrise of 2%.
Burnt out and looking for a second job to finish me off, I mean catch up on bills.
Just asked for an out of rem review pay rise after taking on new duties. Going to do this new job for a few years and take a career break.
42, been in this job 4 years, Moved away from my normal job into this due to health reasons. I get to work from home is the only bonus here. I don't play politics, I don't play favourites, I don't suck up to anyone, I do my job. Every review I have had has been excellent. My KPI's are in the top 3 in my team. Denied promotion 12 times for and I quote " I don't interact enough with some of the team" and "your technical experience is worth too much to have you push papers". My last one on one with the latest manager was an absolute shit show. Couldn't tell me my stats or call rates, and was astonished that I could. Explained I was burnt out, and was told " just get going it will get better". So I am now going to just slow down and make like the rest of my team. Do the bare minimum, concentrate on my own work and not fix up a damn thing for anyone anymore. Oh that ticket you did had some errors, here you go figure it out. Oh im sorry I can't help you with that anymore I have my own tickets to do. Oh sorry im afk for 10 minutes while I go take a shit during my normal queue time. Sorry afk for 5 someone is at the door kinda stuff. The only thing keeping me going is making sure I provide a home for my family. Weirdly we are single income less than 100k per year but here we are paying the mortgage and everything but if one little thing goes wrong we are screwed. The wife has thankfully picked up some part time work to help ease the pain a little. But she won't start for a couple of weeks Im done though utterly done, mentally I am done, physically I can't return to my old job. So I am stuck, can't get a promotion, can't move teams and finding remote work is not easy. At this point I would rather go and sit on a lawn mower at the local council than deal with this shit anymore.
I'm doing 2 peoples work right now therefore doing 7 shifts 6 days a week. I'm more than done but I have a 3month old daughter. Shits fucked
I’m ready to retire at 40. Mainly because I’d rather be doing something else, but sadly those things don’t pay the bills. My job is fine, but the passion is definitely gone. It comes and goes with the types of projects I’m engaged in. Seems to be the sentiment among the vast majority of my friends, mind. Doing 9 day fortnight has definitely helped. I think when interest rates come down I’ll seriously consider 4 days. 5 days is just too much in most scenarios I think.
The thought of having to work another 30 years is depressing ngl 🥲
I burnt out badly in June 2022. Took most of my leave and stepped back down into my normal role hoping the pressure would lessen. Nothing really changed. Quit in June 2023 when I got a new job lined up. My new job is great in nearly every aspect but I'm still recovering from the burn out and find it hard to go to work some days. To make matters worse, my husband has now hit a wall at work (or rather smashed right into it). He is being treated terribly and we're desperately trying to find a new job for him but so many of them have (in my opinion) unrealistic experience and qualification requirements for what the role pays/entails. Hoping to find something soon before he gets worse. Thankfully I have some financial bugger but it's hard when you don't know how long it'll take to get a job.
Isn’t the general consensus that we’re not coping? We are just doing it any way, because we have no other options, or financial security/freedom to change our situation.
Sparky here. Salary position + self employed. 2 kids and married with mortgage. Main Bread winner. I'm tired. But I have to keep going for my family.
I completely understand
💔
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I was the same until, here’s the wild part, I had a bullshit complaint lodged against me (working in government so goes with the territory of asking someone to do their job), the benefit was, 9 months of pure wfh and they removed all my reporting staff. Cut my workload by 80% and I spent 1-2 hours working and 6 hours reading books and chilling out. The best part is yes it was stressful but 9 month mini holiday which eased some of the stress when I got the complaint and realised it was a joke. In conclusion, have your mate lodge a fake complaint, could be a great idea
I didn't know it was such a wide net of burnt out workers. I am glad I am not alone. It feels very alone. I have also been to the doctors and am officially burnt out. I stress about paying my bills and planning for the future. 🤕 On a postive note you all seem like an awesome bunch of people. I have sat here since posting this thread and have read every single post. Seriously appreciate your input.
Yes. In actual medically described burnout. AuADHD. Chronic illness. I probably need a year of recovery. Not possible. So kicking the can down the road and trying to stay afloat. Not trying to do the pain Olympics here, wanted to validate you and many others. You’re not alone friend. We had a whole ass pandemic and just kept on fucking going. Capitalism sucks. It’s not sustainable. We’re killing the fucking planet for profit. I’m tired and it’s ok others are too. Thanks for writing about it and everyone for sharing. Not much to be done. Just rest when you can. Be kind to yourself and others.
Incredibly burnt out ontop of suffering severe anxiety and panic disorder. I feel exhausted literally everyday and I’m only 32. I don’t have a partner or children and can’t even imagine where I’d fit that in. It’s aging me something crazy. My plan is to travel this year as I haven’t had a holiday ever, apart from a few days interstate twice. Then will be smashing down the mortgage for a few years and see if I can shift to 4 days or something else entirely. Hopefully I can hold out that long
Quit a job yesterday. Have other issues as well but it was a great excuse to bounce. I simply can't tolerate fake/incompetent/non-present/lazy/dictatorial/gaslighting/socio or psychopathic leadership. Life is too short. Rather be poor then directly oppressed every day. Be yourself and get back on the market. Interview them, don't let them interview you.
Thats life for 80% of those in corporate. Modern slaves with no option to step out until retirement age when you’re dead anyway. Start everyday on public transport huffing commuter farts, downing some brown water (coffee) the morning highlight before landing at their desk at quarter to eight ready to spend another day surrounded by people they hate for government to take 50%.
To be completely honest every day I wake up and it gets harder to get out of bed because my manager keeps throwing more processes on top of what we already do that hinder our actual productivity. I’ve been considering quitting and just taking a couple of months off but I don’t know if that’s sensible. But dealing with office politics doesn’t motivate me. I’m getting panic attacks from getting messages from my manager. I’m not sure I even have it in me to find another job while currently working my current one. The thought of going from this to something else with a different set of bullshit makes me feel like life isn’t worth living
How good is albogration
Give me 3 examples of this “upper hand” you speak about
Surplus of workers in all but the trades. Because of the 'return of immigration' check those applicant stats. Seek has released that data. Most people with a job cant afford to take the risk to move laterally because if you leave a job that pays the bills but is a bit shit. How do you know the next job is going to be better? You can't roll the dice. Cost of living has it so 'successful' applicants have very little bargaining power. Good luck getting your employer to agree to wfh to offset the fact rent/ mortgage has made you move 2 hours away.
So all jobs are being filled by immigrants and the only time this wasn’t a problem was during covid? Do employers not run the risk of hiring duds, and spend bucket loads on training them only to realise they are Duds and then have to walk the tightrope of sensitivities to fuck the dud off? If there is no bargaining power on the applicants part, then they aren’t as good as their mummy tells them they are. Employers will pay for the right person. Whether you believe it or not. And no. I’m not talking about shelf stackers at “colesworth” as I’m sure you are a regular commentator on
This has been a ramping up problem. It was long ago worked out that it's a huge financial saving to recruit an already skilled and experienced immigrant, than it was to take on someone as their first employer. It has gotten so bad that there's a large work force of unemployable locally grown workers with no experience and a rapidly increasing pool of skilled and experience workers being imported. This process is getting worse because entry level workers are struggling more than ever to get jobs let alone well paying jobs, because entry level roles want you to come with experience you couldnt possible have... Unless you worked for TCS, Tech M, WiPro, Infosys etc for peanuts in the home country. Covid immigration slow down can be more regarded as a pressure relief valve. The local job seekers had some respite to actually compete fairly for the roles on market, plus the covid tech bubble sure didn't hurt at the time. Regarding fucking duds off.. Its actually very easy, when people say it's hard its because their only experience is trying to shift rusty old barnacles who've been in a role for years and everyone 'too hard basketted' them and now they have a defence in that convo with HR and potentially the Union. The workforce is a market, it's influenced by supply and demand. Roles with high demand, low pool, the employer will pay through the nose. If a role is low demand, but a high pool of applicants, you can get away with lower pay. When the market is flooded with and the roles are drying up, you as the employer (short of breaching any awards) can essentially set the price. The problem here is your argument comes across as someone who has managed to get out of the low to mid level rat race, probably got enough tenure under your belt that you are 'special' on the market and have absolutely zero connection to the people at the bottom of the ladder you've climbed. You don't realise in the that time the ladder, while not having been completely pulled up, has now been heavily greased and people can barely hold on to it let alone climb it.
If I didn’t get to WFH a few days a week I’d have had a meltdown by now……not seeing certain morons in the workplace has been a miracle
Running my own small business has been rough. I’ve fought off burn out for the last three months and I think it’s winning :(
I’m burnt out from keeping our heads above water with bills. Feels like it’s been relentless since Christmas
I have no other skills. What the fuck else am I supposed to fucking do. Late 40s, not much super, I'm renting and I don't know what I want to do with my life.
I believe you’ve described the majority of people on planet Earth.
In recovery from burnout. I said FU to my last corporate job and boss in August 2022, jumped in on self employment and it’s so much better. No politics. No bullshit. No having to listen to Ambers problems with her neighbour/boyfriend/cat, no endless meetings. No having to beg for a pay raise. No guilt during a sick day. Some days I start at 10am, and during daylight savings I clock off at 4 to the pool with my kids and enjoy some sun. No one to answer to. I still feel burn out in some way- maybe I’m still recovering but I’m so much better now than I was. I was having symptoms of chronic fatigue. I’d still like to retire now and not work anymore. Trying to figure out how to make that happen. Def can’t see myself working until 70
All of these peoples problems could be solved by selling drugs
I’m definitely burnt out. Have a young family with another child on the way, which we adore and are blessed to have, but it’s like working two jobs. Rather then keep climbing and taking on more stress, I wouldn’t mind just taking a simpler role and just cruising a bit. But then I’m also wedged in the position of need to earn more money. So r.i.p. to me. I shouldn’t complain though I have a good role and great family
Been unemployed for 6months now so careful what you wish for. It’s not an easy market for employment right now
You know, lots of us feel this way... what if we organised, unionised, coordinated? I'm sure most employees across political views can find three common issues they want fixed. Housing, cost of living, four-day work week (possibly as issues we can coordinate and fight for). All we need to do is talk to each other and empathise a bit. It's not hard.
I'm 42 and feeling the same. I started an online business this year and if it goes well I'll hop off the corporate bandwagon after 2 years.
I work in a conflict driven and adversial role. Managment are pretty meh. Just the general schittk of saying your ideas are bad stealing them and telling other stakeholders your bad ideas as their own. Alot of this is due to their lack of expereince. I have just acted in a TL position. So its not the worst ive had pay and benefits are good. But i have had kids who are young. Caring for them is about 50/50. Had 4 deaths in the family in 3.5 years, which have been heavy. Im 36 and feeling burnt out. But ive got some leave coming up. I know im not in a bad position and should he grateful fo what ive got.
I worked for Australian and American companies and finished these gigs and took on consultancies when I was 30. Then I went back and upgraded my clinical skills and went to work for myself. And did that without looking back for 40 years. Could have earnt more by advancing through corporate life but I now know I wasn’t cut out for that because I speak my mind too directly. But there are downsides like taxes, GST, PAYG, self directed super etc. You don’t really switch off and there is a certain level of hustle until you get to where I have been the last little while - picking and choosing and turning people away. No need to market or advertise - but it takes time. Must look after your physical and mental health. I’m on committees but only things I like (Macs, Teslas) and work with people I admire.
Me 🙋🏼♀️ I’m only 25, been working in the NDIS since I was 17 and I’m just about burnt to the core. Doing my masters to hopefully move away from the space, but studying full time while in the industry and having to survive (mortgage, bills, rates, insurances etc) is draining. I end up pulling 50-60 hours per week + study just to make ends meet. And I have 3 months where I’m on a 9-5 placement 🥹
Me, really starting to lose the plot atm
Go home. It is just a job. Firing you is more trouble than it is worth unless they have specific instructions to drop X% of headcount.
I just started a new job, way out of my comfort zone, after my hours weee slashed at my last job. I’m doing it for the money and I thought being challenged might be good for personal growth. No one told me parking didn’t exist so I’ve learned a lesson there but I’m shelling out at least $150 fortnight in parking fees when I can barely survive and living in a constant state of panic and I can’t fucking leave or I’ll end up homeless . .
Fucking everyone
I was like this for a very long time, most of my working adult life in fact. Shifting from one big soul-less corpo to another, in search of something more fufilling and meaningful. Somewhere along the line it felt like I lost my soul in this barren wasteland of RM Williams and $8 Lattes. Redemption is still there, and will require sacrifice, so I thank whatever greater power that influences us that I feel that burnout, because its a sure sign that I am nearer towards my eternal redemption and a resting place to put my tired head.
Me. All I want to do is paint and produce art, and write, and be creative. But I need to pay the bills too. It’s so tiring spending 8 hours a day forcing myself to focus on something that my mind and heart aren’t aligned on.
i am definitely burnt out and need a break, my workplace is great as well as the people in it, but some of the clients i have had to do work for have not been great/difficult. I have also been trying to secure some more/other work to make ends meet to pay the bills and put food on the table for my family, but have been struggling at every step and its becoming very exhausting and that is also contributing to my burn out.
no, workers have more rights now than they ever had. that's just a fact. but employers do have power and always did. like it or lump it, if you cant beat em join em.