Hands up all those who never really enjoyed working!

I loved my last job, lovely colleagues, OK management, great working conditions, but I wasn't heartbroken at leaving as I was ready. My previous jobs were totally hard work, but I've met and maintained, some good friends, so not all bad. I do love being at home and having the freedom
to organise my own time, but I wouldn't have missed my working life. It's good to have had a mix.

I loved my job as a medical social worker - I really felt that I was making a difference and doing something worthwhile.

And then so many things went wrong, but basically we were turned from respected professionals whose experience and opinions counted in doing the best for the patients to financial gatekeepers for the LA. Who cares if the patient and their family are made to suffer as long as we make sure the department spends bugger all?

Bitter... moi?

Office work was the only job I didn't enjoy. I loved my time as a mental health nurse, and was sad to retire. I'd done several things before nursing beginning with my Saturday job in Woolworths. I sold loose sweets, and loved every Saturday.

I enjoyed all my jobs, but I was always very anxious about work. I could never sleep on a Sunday, and I was always on edge, even though I was pretty competent.

I've worked part time in casual work for a while but I feel I need a "real" job again. I've got ten years before officially retiring! I've been teaching piano for a bit on a self-employed basis which I love. Maybe I'll try to make a decent go of that.

I think, in general, work is more stressful now, less secure and less well-paid.

My last job was receptionist at a mental health charity. Loved it. I met such interesting people. Even had my own clients who couldn't manage timed appointments. But just as I was coming up to retirement things started to change as bureaucracy took over. Similar to what happened to you Lucky. In the end I was happy to leave.

On the other hand I think my DH is like you*Goose*. He worked because he had to. Now he doesn't have to, so he doesn't!

I liked working, being part of a team, making a difference.

I also enjoyed the years at home with the DC.

I was sorry when I had to retire early.

I have had some good jobs and enjoyed them all, but running up to my retirement I was glad to leave my last job working for a firm of occupational psychologists. I joined a firm of three - me, my boss and his secretary - saw it build from the three of us to twenty four, by which time I had been appointed practice manager, and then go back down to six, including the two partners. There were some very stressful and challenging times, and we had a lot of fun as well, but eventually enough was enough. I still pop in and see the two partners from time to time. We all sit round and talk about fishing!

I loved my job as an engineer, and in IT up until the last couple of years when the constant stress got to me, and I had a breakdown. I was delighted to be made redundant at 57 (My boss, the financial director, knew he was doing me a favour, he knew the financial details and that I would be OK).

Enjoyed nearly all my working life, of course there were bad times but mostly it was great. I worked with people with a learning disability and helping them become as independent as possible was worth every extra minute and hour of work. Unfortunately so called care in the community saw vulnerable people at risk and was not something I wanted to be part of. Politics overtook caring as I'm sure others who worked for local government will know.

Loved my job last few years became very stressful and all about targets glad to get away in end ?

I was born to retire!

I worked in the same place for thirty years. I loved it in the early years, it was a happy, carefree place to work and everyone was friendly. We never seemed to have any bitchiness or back-biting. But it all went pear-shaped about 10 years before I retired, with targets, KPI's, departmental wrangling and so on. Oh and the appraisals . God save me from appraisals, such a complete and utter waste of everyone's time, where everyone just said what they knew their line manager wanted to hear, anything to get the damn thing over with.
The stress was unbearable and I couldn't wait to retire. Just thinking about it now as I type has, I'm sure, raised my BP several notches

I have had two jobs which I loved. My first( In another lifetimes) was as a Veterinary Nurse, and the second many years later was with an Antiquarian Book Dealer. Both very interesting jobs, and both had lovely People to work with. I have moved around the Country a fair bit, so had alot of jobs in between, all of which I hated.

I should be retired now, but still doing a job I hate, although I do work from home. This has advantages and disadvantages too. I have to be stern to give myself some time off.

If I had my wish though I would have been very happy being a " Housewife", sorry hate that word but I expect you all know what I mean. If we had been wealthy enough for me to never work I would have been delighted looking after the home and Garden, Kids and Animals. In my sixties now and still waiting for a bit of peace.

I hate my job with a passion. I always wanted to do some kind of social work. I think I might have been quite good at it despite being described as a "bleeding heart" ! I think I have a lot of compassion. Who knows? I blew it. By becoming pregnant at 17 and have been an unpaid/unrecognized/unthanked social worker ever since .

I have been very lucky as I gave up work when I got married and did DH'S admin which has never been that arduous. This enabled me to be there for the children and the wider family and to do voluntary work which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The downside is that I won't actually ever retire!

I've had lots of jobs. Most have had their good and bad points. If I'm honest I never really loved going to work. If money hadn't been an issue I'd have been happy to stay at home. Why does it feel almost shameful to admit that? Yet here I am past retirement still working. I too have always suffered that Sunday evening dread of 'work' tomorrow. My sister is the same even though she worked hard for a good degree had a well paid job with fabulous benefits she still hated it and has only worked intermittently and at 40 never worked again. It doesn't run in the family because the other three siblings profess to love their work. My husband doesn't mind his stress free job but is starting to find the hours tiring. The targets, appraisals, and constant changes around commissioning make my current job very stressful although the job itself is still rewarding. I do wonder how long I can keep it up. The stress can be almost heart stopping.

I loved my last job and was heartbroken when I had to retire at 69 I know I had more in me I so miss the routine, something to get up for, all the general public I met, and the feeling I was doing something to help I still work part time in a volutary situation
It's probably because I have no interest in myself really So although I like my hobbies and shopping theatre cinema etc they are not the same as making a difference to others I don't mean that to sound sanctimonious it's just as it is I m not that interested in my things

I too have had loads of jobs from dental nurse to working in school kitchens and civil servant. When the children came along I did part time jobs - I can't say I hated any of them BUT at 68 I am happy to be retired. I've always noticed that some people live their life being 'driven' to achieve more and more. Better jobs, more qualifications etc which is great I suppose but I have never been like that. Now I am happy to live a simple life - I enjoy reading (the newspaper, magazines, books), watching tv, walking, talking and, of course, going on gransnet!

My first job at 16 was awful. The office had a history of bullying and I came in for my fair share. However I battled through it and left after 18th months and found a lovely job with lots of people my own age, I was 18 by then.

When I left work at 23 to have our first baby it seemed an amazing luxury to be at home all day. I went on to have two more children and as they grew older I had a variety of jobs, did a degree and went on to be a tutor for adults.

Now I'm retired and a widow I belong to lots of groups and do volunteer work. The best thing about being retired is not worrying about work if I am unwell.

It sounds as if everyone who was involved in social care was caught by the massive cuts and often impossible government time scales to meet.

We were supposed to make decisions about whether to refer social service enquiries within one working day which in many cases was impossible, you cannot always speak to the people you really need to, they have jobs as well.

In real life we were dealing with constant phone calls and priotising the really obvious, but with no proper time to really collect enough information on the less obvious but concerning referrals.

Before these impractical time schedules we could often sort out some enquiries satisfactorily in a couple of days. At the end we were being used as a call centre.

By then we had an idiot manager. He kept popping out of his office asking "whats happening about "jimmy" I did eventually tell him that if he did got keep asking what was going on I could actually sort it out.

That and some total management machinations by him to myself and a colleague who were nearing retirement finished me off.

I did get my own back in my exit interview about all these underhand doings and an apology that should not have happened. I did enjoy that.

I worked in social care for six years after I was made redundant in an Age Concern day centre. Having come from private industry, I could not beleive the inefficiency and wasted money, they couldn't organise the proverbial PU in a brewery. In the end they ran out of money and closed the branch. I am now very cautious of the charities I donate to as so many just waste it.

I was so pleased to be made redundant from my teaching job. I loved teaching but hated the crap which went along with it and often stopped us doing what we could do best. When National curriculum reared its ugly head I found that I was then forced to teach my weaknesses not to my strengths. And as for the appraisals which Indinana mentioned I am in complete agreement about them being a waste of time. When it came to me saying what my aims were for the future I was never allowed to say 'retire sane and in good health'. Due to the redundancy my wish came true !
My neighbour commented the other day that the difference between working and retirement is that when 'working' you got paid and now you work and don't get paid !

Oh how I could say what I feel in my appraisal. My appraiser know me well and giggles when Its finished and I whisper you know I've just talked a load of utter bollocks rubbish don't you. She nods and smiles and says yes and so do I in mine. Somtimes she tells me what to say. It really is a waste of time. It doesn't really give the company any insight because when we fill in the confidential survey the results are in direct contradiction of what we've all said in our appraisals.

I've had two jobs I really enjoyed over the years, but other than that it's just been a slog, especially once I had children as I just wanted to be with them. My current job is my best ever really. I work part-time for a tiny local charity, and to save the charity money I work from home. I have the best employers, one of whom is a close friend, and mainly I just get on with the administration, which I enjoy. Last week I had a stressful time because of an ex service user, but the trustees helped me with that. Then one day a week I have youngest DGS for the day and another day I have the two eldest DGSs before and after school. I'm very lucky.