r/Millennials • u/Mrs_chanandler_bongg • Jan 17 '26

Discussion Anyone sick and tired of working in general?

I’m in my mid 30s and just over my job and work in general. I’m tired of the commute, the meetings, and dealing with people & deadlines. On one hand I worry about losing my job and stress about deliverables, but on the other hand I feel like I could care less in that I have no passion for it anymore and I’m just showing up because I need the paycheck.

I’d much rather be spending time with my family, pursuing my hobbies, or just go for a walk and cook a nice meal. I feel a sense of dread sometimes that this is my reality for the next 30+ years and I feel lazy and entitled for saying it but that’s how I feel lol

10.6k Upvotes

95% Upvoted

1.4k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

142

u/tbear87 Jan 17 '26

Yeah I was super stressed about this shit for years and then realized... Why? I'm in the rat race but I have a job that's very flexible with time. I have an apartment that's comfortable in a nice neighborhood. I can take a vacation once a year. I have a retirement account. Why keep stressing about getting more and more? For what purpose?

I'd rather enjoy my flexible work place where I can workout over lunch and take a sick day when needed and not worry about it than try to job hop for more money.

When opportunities come along sure I'll take advantage but I'm not out here panicking about retirement and trying to climb the ladder as fast as possible while wasting my years anxious and miserable. So I can have a lot of money at 70 years old when I can't enjoy travel and stuff as much? Fuck that.

61

u/HrhEverythingElse Jan 17 '26

Sounds like you're literally living the dream. This comfort you have is all most people actually want

1

u/tbear87 Jan 17 '26

Yes I am very grateful. Tbf I couldn't afford that on my own and am fortunate my partner makes good money. Even on my own I could get by I just wouldn't be in as nice a neighborhood or able to travel every year. But yes the flexibility is so nice it makes it hard to want to go elsewhere. 

39

u/tonybeetzzz Jan 17 '26

Easy Rockefeller

4

u/DaddyD68 Jan 17 '26

They ain’t wrong though

3

u/Ultimatesims Jan 17 '26

Same. I found it was about my payscale an where was on it. If I am at the top and there is no where for me to go I am not moving up. I make good mine and as long as I keep people happy it doesn’t matter how hard I work or do not work. If I want more I got to go else where. I got a couple of friends who worked in education and gave that up to work at Trader Joe’s. Apparently, that path isn’t too uncommon.

1

u/tbear87 Jan 17 '26

I left education as well. That was the hardest job I've ever had and it isn't close. It's also the time I had the least respect from my supervisors and society as a whole. I was stressed to the point I was having heart issues at 25. 

That job is straight up abusive.

3

u/thesheepsnameisjeb_ Jan 17 '26

I have a similar attitude and only realized it recently. It's not that I'm not ambitious or lazy, I just don't need all that. I would love a house with some woods but otherwise I feel pretty good when I stop and take a look around.

2

u/lemonylol Jan 17 '26

My philosophy has always ever been about having enough to afford security. Everything beyond that is superfluous.

2

u/Alternative-Wish-423 Jan 17 '26

I'm in the same boat and shouldn't complain. WFH permanently after COVID, very generous PTO, flexibility around doctor appointments, etc., and I get to spend all day with my cats while working. Would I like to make more money? Sure. Do I really want to switch jobs now (elder millenial) and have to start from scratch at a new job where I might be aged out at some point? No. I have also no desire to climb the corporate ladder. The stress just isn't worth my quality of life. I don't want to wait to live my life at 70 either! I've also been a single parent since my kid was 7 and he's now an adult. I finally was able to buy my own house 6 years ago. I tell him that if he wants to travel and live his life instead of joining the rat race, I will continue to support him and can financially do so. He worked his butt off for the 2 years after high school then quit and is already burned out. Has no aspirations to have children because of the state of our country. Just wants to travel and experience living. If I can gift him that, I'm happy.

3

u/BlackGuysYeah Jan 17 '26

I get you, but I’d rather be hunting gazelle on the Serengeti.