Kate Hackett
User UrbanStroganoff asked Reddit a very interesting question this month:
“How can you tell the difference between hating your current job and hating work in general?”
Putting aside, of course, that Stroganoff is really tilting his hand to his current employer, it got us thinking about the difference … and it got Reddit thinking too!
Here are a few of the best answers to this very interesting question.
1.
I hate work. But I don’t dread going to my job now. That’s the difference. Dread vs annoyance.
2.
For a while I was working two jobs. One four days a week, the other one day a week.
Going to the 4 day/week job, I’d think about how I was tired, or looking forward to doing something at home when the day was over. I wished that I had more free time to do projects and other stuff I like, but going into work wasn’t exhausting or bothersome. In fact, I actually do like it- my boss is great, and the work is really fulfilling.
For the 1 day/week job, each day I woke up thinking what I could possibly do to call off. I dreaded going there each day. Once, the night before I was on the schedule for that job, I had a really traumatizing break-in at my house. I didn’t sleep a wink that night. In the morning, I thought to myself “well, on the bright side, I have a legitimate reason to call in sick”. I hated that job so much that being able to call out due to someone breaking in my house had a bright side. You don’t have to walk into work every day ecstatic to be there, but you shouldn’t have to be grateful that your house got broken into in order to skip work.
3.
I spent 25 years working at a job I hated. For the money. I would get off work, drink until I passed out, get up and do it all again. I hated the type of work, the customers, the management, everything. When I was laid off in 2001, all I felt was relieved. I spent a month resting and sobering up. I lost desire to drink. I was no longer exhausted from the moment I woke up. I started exercising and eating properly again. Once I figured out what I wanted to do, I went back to school and became it. I have now been in a career, not a job for almost two decades. I’m happy. I wake up before my alarm and I sleep well.
4.
I hate the fact that I have to work, it’s not a choice. Like I have to get up and do this every day, week, month, year until I retire in 30-40 years? Sounds excessive and exhausting when you put it like that.
5.
I’m an artist and all I want to do is draw and create art, but I can’t make money from it so I have to work. I have a mindless receptionist job that I can tolerate most days and am studying an arts degree to stop my brain dying.
6.
I don’t pray that I get into a severe car accident on my way to work that puts me in a full body cast so that I can take a vacation to the hospital anymore. Now I just think to myself, “Man, I wish I were playing video games/reading/out for hike right now. Ah well, after work.” and I get back to it.
7.
When I leave my job I can enjoy whatever free time I have. At the jobs I’ve hated I would go home and be miserable and stressed and anxious about the circumstances at work until my next shift.
8.
My job is my job and I’m thankful it’s set hours 730-330pm Monday to Friday. It’s not the most stimulating job but it pays the bills and it allows me to enjoy my life after work!
9.
The company is great but I just stress as I do not like the actual work. I have a different job offer and was swithering not taking it as I’d have to move, but I think I just know that this work is not right for me and I just have to take the plunge – as Dr Thema says, flying is not without fear!
10.
I’ve never had a job that made me happy to get out of bed in the morning and I never will. Work is a burden to be borne so I can keep a roof over my head and I can enjoy my hobbies in my free time. But it makes a difference when you get on with your boss and coworkers
11.
Dread when I’m not there, mostly. Beyond just the waste of time or like “ugh don’t want to get up” or the knowledge that the capitalist system is a failure that I’m just stuck in, that is. Also crying in the bathroom regularly.
12.
I currently have two jobs. The one I work at 3 days a week. I hate it so much. No matter how good of a mood I am in when I get there, I always end up feeling very irritated within an hour. It’s easy work…but I always leave there feeling mentally exhausted from the toxic environment.
My second job I work at 4 days a week. I’m always in a good mood when I get there, and when I leave. I’m tired but I feel like I’ve had a good productive day. I used to think I just hated work in general…but after I got my second job I realized I just really hate my first job. As soon as I become permanent at my second job and get more hours, I will be quitting the first one.
13.
Figure out what about your job you don’t like. I worked in sales for 6 months. I HATED making cold calls. It was the worst thing I could have done. But I liked my coworkers a lot and we all hung out after work most days. Figure out if there are discrete things you could take away that would make your life better and see if you can find something with those. Most people don’t want up in the morning saying “wow! I really want to teach Susan what a PDF is this morning! And wouldn’t it be nice for Kevin to make me take notes and get him coffee?”. But they probably don’t also feel drained at the concept of work.
14.
My last job I hated because of how the office functioned. I loved doing my actual job. I hated all the extra stuff and incompetent people that made it very difficult to do my job. I especially hated it when it became nearly impossible to do my job, and my manager and supervisor both said to my face that they would not change anything or help me in any way, but they would expect me to do more work than I was already doing. F that place.
15.
I always look these major aspects of my job.
Environment. What are the people (clients and coworkers) like, the work culture, benefits, pay, hours etc? What do I like/dislike about those things?
What am I doing on a daily basis? Do I like the day-to-day work and long term goals of my role? Do I have ideas for future plans or a curiosity in general for the field?
Do either of the previously mentioned questions cause me to sacrifice my mental health in ways that I can’t cope? Do I have to go against personal ethics and values to complete the tasks expected of me?
Lastly, in 20 years, will I regret spending my time in this role instead of pursuing other options? Jobs come and go. They are everything from a means to an end or a stepping stone in a new career or a stable life resource. If you think you’ll look back and regret any of your time at the current job, it’s time to change.
16.
If you daydream of “work” that, although laborious or exhausting, still makes you proud of yourself at the end of the day. You’re not against work, just the job you’re at now.
17.
It was interesting to think about this because I don’t know there are many things I’d want to do for 40 hours a week unpaid. Even my favourite hobbies I couldn’t imagine doing them for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. It wouldn’t be as fun to do it that much, like too much of a good thing. Which makes me wonder whether actually for me, variety is more important than doing the same thing for 40 hours a week. Obviously many jobs have variety in the type of tasks you’re doing but they do still tend to be relatively repetitive or there are patterns. I’m just kind of musing out loud here…
18.
Used to hate my job so much that I would daydream of my car wrecking on my way there each morning. I took multiple antidepressants and anxiety meds. I thought I just hated my life, tbh. I quit being a paralegal after 12 years. I went out on a limb and started my own bakery. Scariest shit I’ve ever done bc it took my life savings. Five years later, I work nearly everyday and nonstop during holidays and wedding season. Yet each day, I cannot wait to go in!! Find a job you enjoy and you’ll never work a day of your life.
19.
I love my job. But hate working full time.
20.
-Waking up and not wanting to get up cause I wanted to sleep more or didn’t feel like commuting or would rather just like, be in bed or home. To me that meant I don’t want to go to any type of work today/this week. The place didn’t matter, I just didn’t want to go anywhere or do anything and needed a break. Sometimes you’re just feeling apathetic in general for awhile and maybe need some personal changes (friends, hobbies, etc)
-I didn’t want to get out of bed do spend another day at THAT place or with THOSE people or doing that stupid bs again. That was like a click in my brain that it’s time to leave this specific job or to start making some changes.
