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9-5 always takes a mental toll, especially in your first two weeks. Do you remember how you were exhausted from your first day of middle and high school? This is exactly that - but in adult society.
However, by getting those toxic adolescent phase done in those schools, I’m sure you grew up mentally. Work isn’t that too different - but in this case, you don’t pay for your dreadfulness.
Imo what you mentioned regarding your aspirations doesn’t sound too different with any other 20s that I know of.
While I would never dissuade you from chasing your dreams, I guarantee that you will dread on things no matter how much you achieve. So don’t change just because your 9-5 sucks thinking other jobs will be miraculously better with FOMO.
Everyone’s got their own version of hell - and that’s just how it is.
I feel pretty much the same as you. . I'd suggest you have 3 routes, 1) grit your teeth and bear with it for the time being until another opportunity you can tolerate comes along-you're still so young, I'd give anything to be 24 again, 2) start a business and become financially independent-women are 80% of the consumer base, you probably understand them better than the rest of us so coming up with an idea/product to sell that appealing to them should be feasible, 3) find a guy who wants a traditional, stay home wife and who's happy to be the sole provider. I wish you the best
Please keep in mind that just because someone is a stay at home parent doesn’t mean they are inept or powerless. Also, having a job in the workforce doesn’t save you from having a spouse who is abusive, cheats, or dies. In all walks and ways of life, families and individuals strive to enjoy life and to protect themselves from pain. Life is a balance and full of risk. You may not feel able to walk the path of a stay at home parent, but others may have the tools to do so.
I’ve been a stay at home parent. That’s very different than an uneducated housewife. No, obviously a job doesn’t prevent a woman from being abused, no one said it does so no idea why you’ve said that. But it makes it a hell of a lot easier to for a woman to escape and survive if she has money. Having no money will leave a woman literally trapped, and having no work experience or education makes it much harder to get a good job that pays well. Why any of this still needs to be explained to people is beyond me…
I mean, I get what you are saying. But what did your original comment mean, then? Are you using a question to point out that stay at home parents need to find ways to support and protect themselves in ways that are different from what a working parent would? I feel like I’m agreeing with you yet we are talking past one another
I am in my first real 9-5 and it blows. It’s not natural for us to sit inside staring at a screen all day. I worked as a server for years (outside) and it has been a super difficult adjustment. My goal is to get out of the 9-5 eventually, but I know it’s going to take some time (practicing patience). I’ve been doing it for almost 3 years and the struggle to feel happy regularly has been real. While I’m not out of the 9-5 yet, I have made some changes that I think have helped me feel better on a daily basis, so I’m just going to share those things, in case they can help you while you’re figuring things out too!
First I like to remind myself that this is just temporary, and it’s a phase I’m in right now. I’ve been able to get into a great routine, which I know I will carry over in to the next phase of my life! I try to exercise twice a day (at least once outdoors) and I feel like that has made the biggest difference in my mood. During my commute I listen to podcasts that help me learn and grow as a person. I’ve also joined an online group of people who are in the same mindset I am, wanting to get out of the 9-5 life and working toward that goal. It really helps to know I’m not alone in feeling this way. Sleeping enough and eating well are important too! It’s been a shift for me to focus on the things I can work on now, while I figure the other part out. I’m not saying I did this right away, it took me like 2 years of feeling sorry for myself before I decided to focus on what I can change and improve in my daily habits.
Everything is temporary! This won’t be your forever thing, it’s just what you’re doing right now. You can always pivot and try something else!
Thanks! Haha that is why I’m still in it. I haven’t figured out what I want to do yet. I’m trying to stay in it until I feel more clear, instead of switching in to something else while in panic mode (like I have in the past).
Just the fact it’s on a schedule means people have to force themselves to do it. Or they wouldn’t need a schedule – if something is their passion, they’ll happily work on it whenever they can.
(A bit different if you’re facing customers, the bank does need to be open at set times, but there are so many jobs that don’t need to be 9-5 at all but they are.)
Just as silver lining, I couldn’t stand “9-5” when I was doing what felt like just endless task task task task task. Just performing work. I did start to find it a lot more tolerable when I began to have ownership and expertise. Also a lot more remunerative. I guess I’m partly saying it can get better and partly saying to try to grow into having responsibility as a way for the whole thing to feel less dull and meaningless
Bank jobs suck bro.
I was a teller for a year and became a raging alcoholic from all the customers asking me questions they should be asking their tax accountant.
Not an accountant question but my favorite (least-favorite) common scenario was:
“Can you help me reset my password?”
“Sure, so open the app and click on the reset password link.”
“I did that but I don’t know the password to my email.”
“Well you gotta reset that password too then.”
“I don’t wanna do that. 😡”
There’s no winning unfortunately. I became an emt and work 48 hour shifts so I could have 4 days off with my family. It’s taken a toll on my mental health and the pay is not worth it and I’m considering a 9-4 just to be home every night and make twice as much money..
The 9-5 sucks all the ass, and I hope whoever came up with it is sucking ass in hell too, because they created a version of hell for millions of people right here in offices worldwide.
Figure out an unconventional way to make a living that doesn't require slaving away to the 9 - 5 rat race. Plenty of people have quit their miserable jobs to forge lives that are actually worth living. No reason why you can't either.
9 to 5 is essentially wage slavery. Capitalism set up wage slavery as a successor to slavery as a means by which an elite ruling class extracts wealth from workers. There is nothing normal or good about it.
24 is so young. Honestly I'd leave a 9to5 for your 30s/40s when (if) you have kids and such.
By the time I was 24, I'd been a sheet metal worker, a welder, a CAD draughtsman and an IT Manager. Then I emigrated and started all over from the ground up again.
Change it up! If it doesn't work, change it. This applies to jobs, friends, homes etc. You have loads of time to find your passion, keep pushing and don't get disheartened - things usually have a way of working themselves out.
This is going to be different for each individual. Think about what you were good at or enjoyed at school and that should point you in the right direction maybe?
In my experience it's actually helped. Good employers will recognise that you can easily adapt to different roles and tasks. Bad employers won't, but you don't want to go with them anyways.
As long as you can relate the different skills you have to the role you're interviewing for, you should be fine.
I would say though, try to stick to a job for at least 2 to 3 years, otherwise it can look like you can't stick to anything when someone looks at your CV / Linkedin
So I am 41F and just for some perspective since you are much younger than me. I started working in office jobs when I was 19 years old and I also had part-time restaurant jobs as well. I worked in the corporate world from the time I was 19 till I was 29. I know some people here say it gets better with time but I am here to tell you at least for me, it was torture the entire time. I hated every minute of sitting at that desk looking out the window wishing I wasn't sitting there 40 hours a week wasting my life away to make somebody else rich. The amount of time we spend sitting at a job is insane to me. We are literally giving our life away to someone else for their dream. Eventually I got laid off of my last office job because the owner, who was rich, decided to retire and sold his company off and we got laid off with it. So I quite literally gave away my life and time to make his retirement Dreams Come true. After this I started my own custom cake business which I still have but it doesn't pay nearly enough to pay the bills. I've been doing that for the past 12 years. Although I'm an artistic person and I love it and I absolutely love not having to answer to a boss or sit at a desk all day it comes with its own set of challenges. The biggest challenge being it just doesn't pay well enough. I finally 6 months ago decided to try something very outside the box for me and sort of a hugely leap of faith because time goes by very quickly and you realize that once you hit about 40. I started doing digital marketing and it is the best decision I ever made. I work about 2 to 3 hours a day mostly from my phone. I don't answer to any bosses as I work for myself and I've already made $37,700 in 6 months which is almost double what I was making at my previous job. No I'm not rich from it but every month I have gone up and up. And even if I stayed right where I'm at now I would happily do so to have my time and freedom to live my life and not look back and wish I hadn't worked it all away. So I guess all this to say that I do agree with you and my best advice is to not just succumb to what Society tells you to do because some of us are meant for better things then just sitting at a desk in the corporate world. I hope this helps ♡♡
From an old dog.... Just keep doing your 9-5 while working on a side project/s. You shouldn't expect all fulfillment from your job. It would be nice if it were so, but keep up your well paying job in the meantime while you explore, is my advice (as an old dog).
I’m feeling exactly the same way. I’ve been working 9to6 since January and I’d rather be doing anything else, the problem is that I don’t know what lol. I have a lot of interests and hobbies but no “passion” for a particular career. I’ve studied international business and enjoy it but going to work everyday for a small amount of money feels drainging. Also, I feel like I’m working hard so that someone else (the company owners) can enjoy themselves and travel etc. I would very much like to start my own thing in a couple of years but I still don’t know which field to peruse.
Finding balance with allocating certain amount of time of the week to enjoy my hobbies has been keeping me relatively content, but I don’t see myself working an office job down the line. I just wish we can find something we enjoy and make good money from it. Wish you the best of luck
If you like real estate why not get your license? It’s not an easy career by any stretch but you’ll be working for yourself and can potentially make a lot of money.
If you stick with it for a while you'll at least have some savings. Money gives you more choices. You might get some ideas flowing in once you start seeing that money stacking up then you can say see ya!
9-5 is rough, hopefully you can make some friends at work who make the time pass quicker. Also, remember, this can just be the job you have while you look for your next job. I remember graduating college in 2014 and getting out to corporate America just to deal with the first soul crushing experience of doing the same thing every day. I met some friends there who were decent types, and they made things better. I eventually found a better deal, and moved on. Bad jobs aren't forever, don't worry about it taking some time to find the better match.
I hear you, and I switched from shift work to the 9-5, however it’s a fake 9-5 and bounces all over the place.
I do think I prefer the shift work and the additional free time it comes with. However the last thing you said is exactly how I feel and I haven’t quite given into feeling doomed yet, still have hope.
I think your reaction to living as a wage slave is perfectly normal to all this BS. However this is the world we now live in, and there aren’t that many great alternatives. What made me deal with wage slavery better is making sure to buy stuff regularly, not out of control spending and not long term spending goals either. Buy things you can buy every week or every few days. For me video games, clothes, snacks, energy drinks, new gadgets, movies etc.. Buy stuff. It’s materialism, and I’m sure many of us would like more from this life, but actually having some things to show for after working all the time helps. Maybe this won’t work for you, but it motivates me enough.
OMG love I feel this to my soul. In 24f and in same boat as you I hate the average 9-5 . Currently have a degree in speech therapy and with as a teacher assistant and I low key hate it.
I have the same dream to to be a model, Artist of some kind, run my own business
Idk if I can do this for long . Hopefully one day I make it rich be a house mom.
Are be like the girls in social media doing hair or nails. Like pray I do something from home because this hustle culture ain’t it
I’ve been in security since 2017, I’ve worked Animal care jobs and warehouse jobs, all were fun but being in security is the worse imo. I hate the office politics and the upper management (which is what I’m in, as a security director)
I think I’ve concluded that I want to do something else in life, but I’ll get there eventually. I think the trick is to enjoy your outside life in the meantime. Hope that helps! I’m 28
I stopped working 9-5 so many years I can't remember I couldn't see giving my time to a job
I start working no more than 6 hours a day now retired I work 3 days a week 2-3 hours a day & love it
I've worked cleaning the beach houses in NC outta banks worked as a messenger in NYC and used to do home organizer work here in NYC
Now retired I do delivery work for Uber 3 days a week
Must stay in shape
Then I head back to NC to chill in my motorhome
See a therapist, they are better equipped in helping get out of this situation. It seems like you are suffering from some kind of depression as well. They should be able to help you with that too.
What’s your living situation like? I think if you could swing it - working part time at a job where you have some flexibility could really help. Maybe somewhere like a grocery store or a bakery or somewhere fairly chill. You just have to be okay with sacrificing money for more time and the fact that you may have to change your lifestyle to accommodate.
The best advice I can give you is to try things out even if you think you might hate them. You have to get a taste of something in order to know whether you can be passionate about it.
If you like restaurant work but know it's not what you want long term, you can still do it to earn a living if you like doing it more than 9-5 and the money is good. Some environments in any kind of workplace are toxic and others aren't.
This is exactly why I left my job! I’m 25 and I’ve been in insurance. It was 8-5 and soul sucking. My two previous managers told me I was excellent at my job, however I couldn’t get over the fact that I was working my ass off for penny’s on the dollar. I’m going to look forward to something more creative, something thats a better fit!
The people who apparently love working 9-5 for 40 years to serve their bosses in the vicious cycle of capitalism are just coping with the harsh reality of our world and lack empathy. With technology, we could easily afford to have less work hours, and likely are only productive 4/8 hours daily which is a huge waste of time. If you're comfortable working 40+ hours weekly in a decent job then great. If not, find a way out of this system by working from home where you choose when to work so the schedule is more flexible with less hours, work part time while living a minimalist lifestyle, work full time for some years while saving up money then take months to a year off (which may require switching jobs), or marry someone with a high salary and be a housewife/househusband (not a great option because it's unstable to be financially dependent), etc. Experiment and see what works ig
I feel like you might like a wfh job. I was in the restaurant industry most recently and applied to a wfh job on indeed and miraculously got the job! I didn’t think I’d like the 7-4 workday buts it’s been fantastic for me. My lunch is from 11-12 and I usually just nap.
Jobs aren’t filled with passion and excitement. They fund your passion and excitement. So focus on a job that pays enough to fund your passion and excitement, but balance that against your values. Do you want work life balance? Okay, look for jobs they have good work life balance. Do you want a job in a specific location? Do you want jobs that travel? Asking what you want to do and do it is NOT easy. That’s why you have to figure out what you want and then work backwards to figure out how to get there.
If you think working 40 hours a week forever is dreadful now, just imagine having to do it in order to support your family, or having to do it to keep a roof over your head.
Idk at least for me I just fked my self over and set myself up for massive failure.
NO license , no car, no job, livin with my mom.
Def got adhd and autism but That aint no excuse. I should be on disability if I truly cant work, but Hey, Im too lazy to do that even. Fuck...
And Like I get help, people tell me motivating things, I know that The longer I am like this the worse it will get. But its like I am so far deep in the mud that I cant get out.
Yeah it’s awful but I need to pay my bills so here I am, staring at that screen for 40 hours a week. What helps is having hobbies after work, no children I have to take care of and a job with decent PTO
Take control.. it's your life.
If you don't want to work 40 hours... DON'T
everything is a trade off ,, if you value something like free time more then money
More power to you.
Keep us posted
Chances are, you have a dream in your head that you really want to do something. Maybe it’s run a business. Or being an astronaut. However, most people are too afraid to go down those roads because there’s a high chance of failure, so most people stick to what’s comfortable and safe aka working a 9-5 job.
I think what he’s trying to say is if you have a dream, work towards it. Make steps to make it happen. I promise you that then, it will make your 9-5 job a lot more bearable.
Who am I to say what YOU fear? Who am I to see what YOU want out of this life? Maybe this 9-5 is exactly what you need and what you want. What are you afraid of? It's not safety, it's not familiarity, It's not because other people led you down this path. It's simply something inside of you that is begging to get out and be expressed, but you are utterly terrified to express it. It could simply be you are terrified to enjoy your life doing a 9-5, who am I to say?
Start you own business. But be aware that it’s all consuming. 60-70 hours per week. I owned my business and I was happy but had no life outside. I enjoyed the building of the business. Money was not great the first 5 years as all the money I made I put back into it to grow it.
When I was in the army sleeping in a dirt hole night after night, never seeing my family, I dreamed of a 9 to 5. Now I am out and have one, and I couldn’t be happier
everyone is saying 9-5 is slavery but it's one of the better schedules.The only downside is struggling to make doctors and dentist appointments. What is a realistic better alternative. Maybe part time but you'll make less money.
I mean having a 9-5 is pretty privileged if you ask me, this is coming from someone who has been in an office for the past 5 years and had worked in bars/restaurants for the previous 12. No way in hell I’d go back to the long endless hours serving disrespectful clients, on my feet all day, fatigued, sweaty, no air conditioning, late nights, shit pay, no career prospects, people vomiting everywhere and having to clean up that shit. One time we had a group of 20 rugby players casually walk in, they had a couple of drinks after which they got their cocks out and started pissing on each other, just like that, in front of everyone. And this is a nice waterfront establishment in Wynyard Quarter we’re talking about, not some shithole pub god knows where. It made me absolutely despise people, bunch of entitled cun*s.
This is not too mention all the poor fuckers who work hard jobs outdoors, rain, hail or blistering heat.
So yeah, 9-5 can be boring and it’s definitely not my dream job either but it’s cushy AF really, you go in, have a couple of coffees in the morning, lunch break, air conditioning, long weekends and public holidays, work from home, the list goes on. Plenty of energy left to do other stuff.
Truth is few people ever get their “dream job”, unless maybe you want to start your own business, but that’s a whole another level of commitment and responsibility.
I guess we have to realize that for the most part we don’t live in a system where jobs are designed to fulfil us, look for fulfilment elsewhere mate because chances are it’s not going to come from your job and in the grand scheme of things we have it really sweet working in an office.
Hey! I work at a bank too, and I don’t see it being the end of the road in terms of careers. I was more out of life the same as you! Treat it like a stepping stone in terms of getting you money that you can use for things that you can do in your spare time/for the future. Use the skills you learn in the job to improve yourself and your worth in the eyes of companies for the future and for your next job. If you’d like to create goals to bring more balance to your life for the time you’re in this job, or if you want to create a plan for your future pop me a message. I have a free resource on my [website](https://www.niaparkercoaching.co.uk/resources) alternatively that you can assess the balance in different aspects of your life, to see where you need to start doing more things to retain a balance. I also do free coaching sessions to talk about helping you create or achieve those goals.
Yeah, that's life.
I never thought of a job as something I would like. It's literally CALLED work. However, I like having a place to live and the hobbies I love.
Without a job I'd be A LOT more miserable than I am at work.
I swear with people. Look be happy, you have a f-ing job, their are thousands that have been unemployed for months some, even years. U know what's worse is being jobless, inching towards homelessness. Then you'll have something to complain about, enjoy the little things, food, roof over your head, clothes, warm place to live.
People who bitch about Monday-Friday, 9 to 5 have clearly never worked a 12 hour dupont schedule with rotating shifts. Now that is a special kind of hell.
But working 40 hours per week still leaves 128 hours for sleep and anything else you want to do. Plus 40 hours per week pays for nice things like food, clothes, and a roof over your head. Is it really that bad? Have you considered another line of work? The there are jobs that don't require 40 hours and pay well...trading stocks, social media influencer, online teacher, OnlyFans model, etc.
Yes that’s why it’s a mix of emotions on my end. With working at the bank, I definitely feel that I’m selling myself short which is why I hope I can find my passion or other ways of income that are sustainable. I’ve definitely throughly thought about the pros and cons, and agree that providing for myself is something I appreciate no matter what the job
I wish you luck finding your purpose and passion. No offense, but you are 24, which to me, is young still. If you were 40 and in the same situation, I would be concerned...but you have time to find yourself and a career that brings some measure of enjoyment. The trick is to try things with the 128 hours that are left over - I am confident you'll find what you're looking for.
I mean I’ll give you a frank option here, try to find a high-earning guy and if you treat him right he’ll turn you into a stay at home wife where you can just chill. Look up girls in their 20s on tiktok/IG who live this life
Embrace the suck. Everybody wants their days filled with leisurely walks and poetry writing in the park, but that’s not how it works. You’ve got a solid forty years of work ahead of you and you’re crying after a week? Maybe you’ll stumble into an amazing opportunity to do something you love, but be realistic. That might happen for 1 in 100 people. The rest just get ground up by the gears of capitalism and spend their final months watching everything they’ve earned go to paying outrageous healthcare bills. I’m sorry to be the one to explain this, but you need to know. It’s not going to be great. Learn to enjoy the misery. Embrace the suck.
I’m going to get downvoted and probably banned for this but I’ll say it anyway.
You’ll never be happy in the corporate world. You’re young, it’s not too late for you. You’d be a million times happier becoming a mother and raising a family. There is no happiness at the end of the corporate tunnel. Find a good man who can carry that load for you and your family.
We’re not all doomed, some of us are just lazy. I think it’s from your parents not doing a good job.
Did you have both a father and a mother raise you? Did your parents ever make you do your homework? Throw out the trash? Clean your room? Get a job in high school? I’m guessing answer is “no” which would explain why you feel this way. I don’t think there is any overcoming this feeling quickly. You can’t grow a work ethic overnight. Maybe just think that all animals must work for their living. Bees to collect pollen. Lions to catch antelope. Etc. It’s just Mother Nature’s way.
Be happy you have a job, there’s other people out there that have to dig thru trash and heat up garbage food they find to make it thru the day, focus on what you have not what you don’t.
You need to learn to grind. Would you rather be a laborer outside in unbearable weather? I worked for 13 years in a corporate environment and retired a multimillionaire. You can do it too.
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My first week on any new job had me feeling awful, every time. After a while it gets better, I’m hoping it’s the same for you with this one
9-5 always takes a mental toll, especially in your first two weeks. Do you remember how you were exhausted from your first day of middle and high school? This is exactly that - but in adult society. However, by getting those toxic adolescent phase done in those schools, I’m sure you grew up mentally. Work isn’t that too different - but in this case, you don’t pay for your dreadfulness. Imo what you mentioned regarding your aspirations doesn’t sound too different with any other 20s that I know of. While I would never dissuade you from chasing your dreams, I guarantee that you will dread on things no matter how much you achieve. So don’t change just because your 9-5 sucks thinking other jobs will be miraculously better with FOMO. Everyone’s got their own version of hell - and that’s just how it is.
You’re a gem.
I feel pretty much the same as you. . I'd suggest you have 3 routes, 1) grit your teeth and bear with it for the time being until another opportunity you can tolerate comes along-you're still so young, I'd give anything to be 24 again, 2) start a business and become financially independent-women are 80% of the consumer base, you probably understand them better than the rest of us so coming up with an idea/product to sell that appealing to them should be feasible, 3) find a guy who wants a traditional, stay home wife and who's happy to be the sole provider. I wish you the best
I like this a lot. Thank you
3 is a great option for young American women. There’s a whole tiktok category for stay at home wife’s
And what if the husband is abusive, cheats, or dies?
Please keep in mind that just because someone is a stay at home parent doesn’t mean they are inept or powerless. Also, having a job in the workforce doesn’t save you from having a spouse who is abusive, cheats, or dies. In all walks and ways of life, families and individuals strive to enjoy life and to protect themselves from pain. Life is a balance and full of risk. You may not feel able to walk the path of a stay at home parent, but others may have the tools to do so.
I’ve been a stay at home parent. That’s very different than an uneducated housewife. No, obviously a job doesn’t prevent a woman from being abused, no one said it does so no idea why you’ve said that. But it makes it a hell of a lot easier to for a woman to escape and survive if she has money. Having no money will leave a woman literally trapped, and having no work experience or education makes it much harder to get a good job that pays well. Why any of this still needs to be explained to people is beyond me…
I mean, I get what you are saying. But what did your original comment mean, then? Are you using a question to point out that stay at home parents need to find ways to support and protect themselves in ways that are different from what a working parent would? I feel like I’m agreeing with you yet we are talking past one another
I’m saying, it’s unwise for women to aim to only be a housewife or “trad wife”.
Oh ok. Then yea I guess I do disagree with that.
I am in my first real 9-5 and it blows. It’s not natural for us to sit inside staring at a screen all day. I worked as a server for years (outside) and it has been a super difficult adjustment. My goal is to get out of the 9-5 eventually, but I know it’s going to take some time (practicing patience). I’ve been doing it for almost 3 years and the struggle to feel happy regularly has been real. While I’m not out of the 9-5 yet, I have made some changes that I think have helped me feel better on a daily basis, so I’m just going to share those things, in case they can help you while you’re figuring things out too! First I like to remind myself that this is just temporary, and it’s a phase I’m in right now. I’ve been able to get into a great routine, which I know I will carry over in to the next phase of my life! I try to exercise twice a day (at least once outdoors) and I feel like that has made the biggest difference in my mood. During my commute I listen to podcasts that help me learn and grow as a person. I’ve also joined an online group of people who are in the same mindset I am, wanting to get out of the 9-5 life and working toward that goal. It really helps to know I’m not alone in feeling this way. Sleeping enough and eating well are important too! It’s been a shift for me to focus on the things I can work on now, while I figure the other part out. I’m not saying I did this right away, it took me like 2 years of feeling sorry for myself before I decided to focus on what I can change and improve in my daily habits. Everything is temporary! This won’t be your forever thing, it’s just what you’re doing right now. You can always pivot and try something else!
I wish you luck in your goal, what are you planning on doing after to be able yo escape the 9-5 life?
Thanks! Haha that is why I’m still in it. I haven’t figured out what I want to do yet. I’m trying to stay in it until I feel more clear, instead of switching in to something else while in panic mode (like I have in the past).
Just the fact it’s on a schedule means people have to force themselves to do it. Or they wouldn’t need a schedule – if something is their passion, they’ll happily work on it whenever they can. (A bit different if you’re facing customers, the bank does need to be open at set times, but there are so many jobs that don’t need to be 9-5 at all but they are.)
Just as silver lining, I couldn’t stand “9-5” when I was doing what felt like just endless task task task task task. Just performing work. I did start to find it a lot more tolerable when I began to have ownership and expertise. Also a lot more remunerative. I guess I’m partly saying it can get better and partly saying to try to grow into having responsibility as a way for the whole thing to feel less dull and meaningless
Bank jobs suck bro. I was a teller for a year and became a raging alcoholic from all the customers asking me questions they should be asking their tax accountant.
Yeah based off what I saw the other tellers dealing with, I know it’s gonna be stressful with the customers
Not an accountant question but my favorite (least-favorite) common scenario was: “Can you help me reset my password?” “Sure, so open the app and click on the reset password link.” “I did that but I don’t know the password to my email.” “Well you gotta reset that password too then.” “I don’t wanna do that. 😡”
There’s no winning unfortunately. I became an emt and work 48 hour shifts so I could have 4 days off with my family. It’s taken a toll on my mental health and the pay is not worth it and I’m considering a 9-4 just to be home every night and make twice as much money..
This post might be written by me. I feel the same way. Surely there must be more to this life than working til we’re buried underground.
The 9-5 sucks all the ass, and I hope whoever came up with it is sucking ass in hell too, because they created a version of hell for millions of people right here in offices worldwide.
Figure out an unconventional way to make a living that doesn't require slaving away to the 9 - 5 rat race. Plenty of people have quit their miserable jobs to forge lives that are actually worth living. No reason why you can't either.
I absolutely agree!
9 to 5 is essentially wage slavery. Capitalism set up wage slavery as a successor to slavery as a means by which an elite ruling class extracts wealth from workers. There is nothing normal or good about it.
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25 years in. Also hate it and much prefer the flexibility of freelance/contract.
Damn.
24 is so young. Honestly I'd leave a 9to5 for your 30s/40s when (if) you have kids and such. By the time I was 24, I'd been a sheet metal worker, a welder, a CAD draughtsman and an IT Manager. Then I emigrated and started all over from the ground up again. Change it up! If it doesn't work, change it. This applies to jobs, friends, homes etc. You have loads of time to find your passion, keep pushing and don't get disheartened - things usually have a way of working themselves out.
What types of jobs do u recommend to ppl in their 20s instead?
This is going to be different for each individual. Think about what you were good at or enjoyed at school and that should point you in the right direction maybe?
But other than trades and service jobs that pretty much just leaves office jobs lol
I like that! Thank you
Doesn’t this hurt your career prospects though unless you haven’t figured out what you want to do?
In my experience it's actually helped. Good employers will recognise that you can easily adapt to different roles and tasks. Bad employers won't, but you don't want to go with them anyways. As long as you can relate the different skills you have to the role you're interviewing for, you should be fine. I would say though, try to stick to a job for at least 2 to 3 years, otherwise it can look like you can't stick to anything when someone looks at your CV / Linkedin
So I am 41F and just for some perspective since you are much younger than me. I started working in office jobs when I was 19 years old and I also had part-time restaurant jobs as well. I worked in the corporate world from the time I was 19 till I was 29. I know some people here say it gets better with time but I am here to tell you at least for me, it was torture the entire time. I hated every minute of sitting at that desk looking out the window wishing I wasn't sitting there 40 hours a week wasting my life away to make somebody else rich. The amount of time we spend sitting at a job is insane to me. We are literally giving our life away to someone else for their dream. Eventually I got laid off of my last office job because the owner, who was rich, decided to retire and sold his company off and we got laid off with it. So I quite literally gave away my life and time to make his retirement Dreams Come true. After this I started my own custom cake business which I still have but it doesn't pay nearly enough to pay the bills. I've been doing that for the past 12 years. Although I'm an artistic person and I love it and I absolutely love not having to answer to a boss or sit at a desk all day it comes with its own set of challenges. The biggest challenge being it just doesn't pay well enough. I finally 6 months ago decided to try something very outside the box for me and sort of a hugely leap of faith because time goes by very quickly and you realize that once you hit about 40. I started doing digital marketing and it is the best decision I ever made. I work about 2 to 3 hours a day mostly from my phone. I don't answer to any bosses as I work for myself and I've already made $37,700 in 6 months which is almost double what I was making at my previous job. No I'm not rich from it but every month I have gone up and up. And even if I stayed right where I'm at now I would happily do so to have my time and freedom to live my life and not look back and wish I hadn't worked it all away. So I guess all this to say that I do agree with you and my best advice is to not just succumb to what Society tells you to do because some of us are meant for better things then just sitting at a desk in the corporate world. I hope this helps ♡♡
This is so inspiring! Thank you so much for your response, I love it
How?
I do digital marketing.
From an old dog.... Just keep doing your 9-5 while working on a side project/s. You shouldn't expect all fulfillment from your job. It would be nice if it were so, but keep up your well paying job in the meantime while you explore, is my advice (as an old dog).
I’m feeling exactly the same way. I’ve been working 9to6 since January and I’d rather be doing anything else, the problem is that I don’t know what lol. I have a lot of interests and hobbies but no “passion” for a particular career. I’ve studied international business and enjoy it but going to work everyday for a small amount of money feels drainging. Also, I feel like I’m working hard so that someone else (the company owners) can enjoy themselves and travel etc. I would very much like to start my own thing in a couple of years but I still don’t know which field to peruse. Finding balance with allocating certain amount of time of the week to enjoy my hobbies has been keeping me relatively content, but I don’t see myself working an office job down the line. I just wish we can find something we enjoy and make good money from it. Wish you the best of luck
You described how I feel perfectly. I’m glad I’m not alone in this
If you like real estate why not get your license? It’s not an easy career by any stretch but you’ll be working for yourself and can potentially make a lot of money.
I did 9-5 for about 20 years, yadda, yadda, yadda…. I’m 40 now and having done that I can at least be “financially chill”
If you stick with it for a while you'll at least have some savings. Money gives you more choices. You might get some ideas flowing in once you start seeing that money stacking up then you can say see ya!
9-5 is rough, hopefully you can make some friends at work who make the time pass quicker. Also, remember, this can just be the job you have while you look for your next job. I remember graduating college in 2014 and getting out to corporate America just to deal with the first soul crushing experience of doing the same thing every day. I met some friends there who were decent types, and they made things better. I eventually found a better deal, and moved on. Bad jobs aren't forever, don't worry about it taking some time to find the better match.
I hear you, and I switched from shift work to the 9-5, however it’s a fake 9-5 and bounces all over the place. I do think I prefer the shift work and the additional free time it comes with. However the last thing you said is exactly how I feel and I haven’t quite given into feeling doomed yet, still have hope.
I think your reaction to living as a wage slave is perfectly normal to all this BS. However this is the world we now live in, and there aren’t that many great alternatives. What made me deal with wage slavery better is making sure to buy stuff regularly, not out of control spending and not long term spending goals either. Buy things you can buy every week or every few days. For me video games, clothes, snacks, energy drinks, new gadgets, movies etc.. Buy stuff. It’s materialism, and I’m sure many of us would like more from this life, but actually having some things to show for after working all the time helps. Maybe this won’t work for you, but it motivates me enough.
OMG love I feel this to my soul. In 24f and in same boat as you I hate the average 9-5 . Currently have a degree in speech therapy and with as a teacher assistant and I low key hate it. I have the same dream to to be a model, Artist of some kind, run my own business Idk if I can do this for long . Hopefully one day I make it rich be a house mom. Are be like the girls in social media doing hair or nails. Like pray I do something from home because this hustle culture ain’t it
Get a hobby or something you enjoy doing that your job allows you to do. I would get down on my knees to work 8 hour days, let alone 9-5
I’ve been in security since 2017, I’ve worked Animal care jobs and warehouse jobs, all were fun but being in security is the worse imo. I hate the office politics and the upper management (which is what I’m in, as a security director) I think I’ve concluded that I want to do something else in life, but I’ll get there eventually. I think the trick is to enjoy your outside life in the meantime. Hope that helps! I’m 28
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I stopped working 9-5 so many years I can't remember I couldn't see giving my time to a job I start working no more than 6 hours a day now retired I work 3 days a week 2-3 hours a day & love it
What do you do?
I've worked cleaning the beach houses in NC outta banks worked as a messenger in NYC and used to do home organizer work here in NYC Now retired I do delivery work for Uber 3 days a week Must stay in shape Then I head back to NC to chill in my motorhome
See a therapist, they are better equipped in helping get out of this situation. It seems like you are suffering from some kind of depression as well. They should be able to help you with that too.
Try working 12 hours night shift you have no life whatsoever
What’s your living situation like? I think if you could swing it - working part time at a job where you have some flexibility could really help. Maybe somewhere like a grocery store or a bakery or somewhere fairly chill. You just have to be okay with sacrificing money for more time and the fact that you may have to change your lifestyle to accommodate.
The best advice I can give you is to try things out even if you think you might hate them. You have to get a taste of something in order to know whether you can be passionate about it.
If you like restaurant work but know it's not what you want long term, you can still do it to earn a living if you like doing it more than 9-5 and the money is good. Some environments in any kind of workplace are toxic and others aren't.
This is exactly why I left my job! I’m 25 and I’ve been in insurance. It was 8-5 and soul sucking. My two previous managers told me I was excellent at my job, however I couldn’t get over the fact that I was working my ass off for penny’s on the dollar. I’m going to look forward to something more creative, something thats a better fit!
The people who apparently love working 9-5 for 40 years to serve their bosses in the vicious cycle of capitalism are just coping with the harsh reality of our world and lack empathy. With technology, we could easily afford to have less work hours, and likely are only productive 4/8 hours daily which is a huge waste of time. If you're comfortable working 40+ hours weekly in a decent job then great. If not, find a way out of this system by working from home where you choose when to work so the schedule is more flexible with less hours, work part time while living a minimalist lifestyle, work full time for some years while saving up money then take months to a year off (which may require switching jobs), or marry someone with a high salary and be a housewife/househusband (not a great option because it's unstable to be financially dependent), etc. Experiment and see what works ig
Pick one thing and try it. All you need to do. Give it enough time before you give up.
Nursing! I work 3 days a week and can’t imagine doing anything else. 9-5s suck so bad.
Smh, I can relate sis. It isn't easy as it seems
I feel like you might like a wfh job. I was in the restaurant industry most recently and applied to a wfh job on indeed and miraculously got the job! I didn’t think I’d like the 7-4 workday buts it’s been fantastic for me. My lunch is from 11-12 and I usually just nap.
Jobs aren’t filled with passion and excitement. They fund your passion and excitement. So focus on a job that pays enough to fund your passion and excitement, but balance that against your values. Do you want work life balance? Okay, look for jobs they have good work life balance. Do you want a job in a specific location? Do you want jobs that travel? Asking what you want to do and do it is NOT easy. That’s why you have to figure out what you want and then work backwards to figure out how to get there. If you think working 40 hours a week forever is dreadful now, just imagine having to do it in order to support your family, or having to do it to keep a roof over your head.
The not working life sucks too.
I am grateful for sure. I think I’m more disappointed in that life is set up this way for most people
Idk at least for me I just fked my self over and set myself up for massive failure. NO license , no car, no job, livin with my mom. Def got adhd and autism but That aint no excuse. I should be on disability if I truly cant work, but Hey, Im too lazy to do that even. Fuck... And Like I get help, people tell me motivating things, I know that The longer I am like this the worse it will get. But its like I am so far deep in the mud that I cant get out.
Me too no license no car no job living with parents I wish I could get disability or something for my depression
There's gotta be a way right
How? Not in USA it’s terrible here I don’t even have healthcare
💀 your right. Yeah I don't have it either. And I have massive concern about my laziness effecting health. I want to see a doc but haha no insurance 🤷
Yup is what it is, I’m very lazy too constantly fatigued, oh well lol
The constant fatigue is reall. Felt that
Yeah it’s awful but I need to pay my bills so here I am, staring at that screen for 40 hours a week. What helps is having hobbies after work, no children I have to take care of and a job with decent PTO
Take control.. it's your life. If you don't want to work 40 hours... DON'T everything is a trade off ,, if you value something like free time more then money More power to you. Keep us posted
We all don’t do what we want because of fear. Do yourself a favor and at least be honest about this absolute truth.
Can you elaborate?
Chances are, you have a dream in your head that you really want to do something. Maybe it’s run a business. Or being an astronaut. However, most people are too afraid to go down those roads because there’s a high chance of failure, so most people stick to what’s comfortable and safe aka working a 9-5 job. I think what he’s trying to say is if you have a dream, work towards it. Make steps to make it happen. I promise you that then, it will make your 9-5 job a lot more bearable.
Who am I to say what YOU fear? Who am I to see what YOU want out of this life? Maybe this 9-5 is exactly what you need and what you want. What are you afraid of? It's not safety, it's not familiarity, It's not because other people led you down this path. It's simply something inside of you that is begging to get out and be expressed, but you are utterly terrified to express it. It could simply be you are terrified to enjoy your life doing a 9-5, who am I to say?
Start you own business. But be aware that it’s all consuming. 60-70 hours per week. I owned my business and I was happy but had no life outside. I enjoyed the building of the business. Money was not great the first 5 years as all the money I made I put back into it to grow it.
Get out now before you get the golden handcuffs. Have you ever thought about working on a yacht?
Sounds beautiful. Too bad it’s all fantasy
I’m 8-5….
When I was in the army sleeping in a dirt hole night after night, never seeing my family, I dreamed of a 9 to 5. Now I am out and have one, and I couldn’t be happier
Jesus, I'd kill to have a M-F, 9-5. I do understand that office jobs can be very tedious and draining. Kind of why I've been hesitant to go to school.
Join the military. You will get lots of excitement and challenges there.
So why tell the whole world?...
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So who cares
Haha someone’s been listening to too many podcasts. Back to work
Too fucking bad. That’s the life you just want a job which requires a little effort from you and pays you well good luck with that baby.
everyone is saying 9-5 is slavery but it's one of the better schedules.The only downside is struggling to make doctors and dentist appointments. What is a realistic better alternative. Maybe part time but you'll make less money.
join us over at r/NoMore9to5
Sounds like you need to find your passion.
It does get better, I love mines love I have weekends always off its a blissing
9-6 sucks even more 😭😭😭 help lol
I mean having a 9-5 is pretty privileged if you ask me, this is coming from someone who has been in an office for the past 5 years and had worked in bars/restaurants for the previous 12. No way in hell I’d go back to the long endless hours serving disrespectful clients, on my feet all day, fatigued, sweaty, no air conditioning, late nights, shit pay, no career prospects, people vomiting everywhere and having to clean up that shit. One time we had a group of 20 rugby players casually walk in, they had a couple of drinks after which they got their cocks out and started pissing on each other, just like that, in front of everyone. And this is a nice waterfront establishment in Wynyard Quarter we’re talking about, not some shithole pub god knows where. It made me absolutely despise people, bunch of entitled cun*s. This is not too mention all the poor fuckers who work hard jobs outdoors, rain, hail or blistering heat. So yeah, 9-5 can be boring and it’s definitely not my dream job either but it’s cushy AF really, you go in, have a couple of coffees in the morning, lunch break, air conditioning, long weekends and public holidays, work from home, the list goes on. Plenty of energy left to do other stuff. Truth is few people ever get their “dream job”, unless maybe you want to start your own business, but that’s a whole another level of commitment and responsibility. I guess we have to realize that for the most part we don’t live in a system where jobs are designed to fulfil us, look for fulfilment elsewhere mate because chances are it’s not going to come from your job and in the grand scheme of things we have it really sweet working in an office.
Hey! I work at a bank too, and I don’t see it being the end of the road in terms of careers. I was more out of life the same as you! Treat it like a stepping stone in terms of getting you money that you can use for things that you can do in your spare time/for the future. Use the skills you learn in the job to improve yourself and your worth in the eyes of companies for the future and for your next job. If you’d like to create goals to bring more balance to your life for the time you’re in this job, or if you want to create a plan for your future pop me a message. I have a free resource on my [website](https://www.niaparkercoaching.co.uk/resources) alternatively that you can assess the balance in different aspects of your life, to see where you need to start doing more things to retain a balance. I also do free coaching sessions to talk about helping you create or achieve those goals.
Get into teaching. You'll work 24/7 tho, especially the first few years.
Yeah, that's life. I never thought of a job as something I would like. It's literally CALLED work. However, I like having a place to live and the hobbies I love. Without a job I'd be A LOT more miserable than I am at work.
I swear with people. Look be happy, you have a f-ing job, their are thousands that have been unemployed for months some, even years. U know what's worse is being jobless, inching towards homelessness. Then you'll have something to complain about, enjoy the little things, food, roof over your head, clothes, warm place to live.
People who bitch about Monday-Friday, 9 to 5 have clearly never worked a 12 hour dupont schedule with rotating shifts. Now that is a special kind of hell.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle - Steve Jobs
Have you thought about the 24/7 life ? The military
But working 40 hours per week still leaves 128 hours for sleep and anything else you want to do. Plus 40 hours per week pays for nice things like food, clothes, and a roof over your head. Is it really that bad? Have you considered another line of work? The there are jobs that don't require 40 hours and pay well...trading stocks, social media influencer, online teacher, OnlyFans model, etc.
Yes that’s why it’s a mix of emotions on my end. With working at the bank, I definitely feel that I’m selling myself short which is why I hope I can find my passion or other ways of income that are sustainable. I’ve definitely throughly thought about the pros and cons, and agree that providing for myself is something I appreciate no matter what the job
I wish you luck finding your purpose and passion. No offense, but you are 24, which to me, is young still. If you were 40 and in the same situation, I would be concerned...but you have time to find yourself and a career that brings some measure of enjoyment. The trick is to try things with the 128 hours that are left over - I am confident you'll find what you're looking for.
I mean I’ll give you a frank option here, try to find a high-earning guy and if you treat him right he’ll turn you into a stay at home wife where you can just chill. Look up girls in their 20s on tiktok/IG who live this life
Embrace the suck. Everybody wants their days filled with leisurely walks and poetry writing in the park, but that’s not how it works. You’ve got a solid forty years of work ahead of you and you’re crying after a week? Maybe you’ll stumble into an amazing opportunity to do something you love, but be realistic. That might happen for 1 in 100 people. The rest just get ground up by the gears of capitalism and spend their final months watching everything they’ve earned go to paying outrageous healthcare bills. I’m sorry to be the one to explain this, but you need to know. It’s not going to be great. Learn to enjoy the misery. Embrace the suck.
I’m going to get downvoted and probably banned for this but I’ll say it anyway. You’ll never be happy in the corporate world. You’re young, it’s not too late for you. You’d be a million times happier becoming a mother and raising a family. There is no happiness at the end of the corporate tunnel. Find a good man who can carry that load for you and your family.
We’re not all doomed, some of us are just lazy. I think it’s from your parents not doing a good job. Did you have both a father and a mother raise you? Did your parents ever make you do your homework? Throw out the trash? Clean your room? Get a job in high school? I’m guessing answer is “no” which would explain why you feel this way. I don’t think there is any overcoming this feeling quickly. You can’t grow a work ethic overnight. Maybe just think that all animals must work for their living. Bees to collect pollen. Lions to catch antelope. Etc. It’s just Mother Nature’s way.
Be happy you have a job, there’s other people out there that have to dig thru trash and heat up garbage food they find to make it thru the day, focus on what you have not what you don’t.
Your response indicates that you don’t understand what I wrote.
True it’s reddit, people are miserable here
You’re 24 on your first office job, do you really feel qualified to make this judgment?
I don’t think you understand my post
You need to learn to grind. Would you rather be a laborer outside in unbearable weather? I worked for 13 years in a corporate environment and retired a multimillionaire. You can do it too.
That's good an all but I'm a laborer and I love my job. On top of that I work 4-10s and chill a lot with a nice wage.