When You Don’t Want To Work

Oh OP, I can so relate to your predicament. I loved my job in he NHS until the Cameron- Osbourne cuts decimated our service and all the pressure was put on patient facing clinicians to manage the fall out. The number of changes and downgrading, not to mention redundancies of highly skilled staff meant that the Trust failed the CQC repeatedly. No support, cancelled appraisals and supervisions, continuous change over of managers and bullying were commonplace. I would have worked longer than my state retirement age but I just couldn't in the end. I am now a different person to the one I was before I left my post. Happier. Healthier. Not carrying the weight of working in a service unfit for purpose is liberating. Hold on but in the meantime look for other jobs. There's bound to be something out there that doesn't drain the soul out of you.

Mel1967

pascal30

Germanshepherdsmum

The OP has started another thread saying it will be eight years until she pays her mortgage off and then she can retire. So, find a more enjoyable job or, like many of us, grin and bear it until you can afford not to work.

and also the same OP talking about aged parents.. I'm wondering if it is low mood behind this lack of motivation and joy in life..

Why do you feel that I have low mood and lack motivation and joy in my life?

because you've talked about howmuch you'd liketo retire and travel, how you didn't enjoy boxing day and said that you don't like your job. and now having said you workfor the NHS I can completely understand, having worked there myself. Surely you have transferrable skills.. there must be many charities or smaller places with less chaosthat would welcome you with open arms.. meanwhile treat yourself as often as you can to anything that brings you joy.. 8 years is quite a long time and I hope you find a solution

I worked at a job that I loathed for the last 19 years of my working life. It was the money that attracted me in the first place and what kept me there.

Looking back now, I should have made more of an effort to look elsewhere, money isn’t everything.

Germanshepherdsmum

The OP has started another thread saying it will be eight years until she pays her mortgage off and then she can retire. So, find a more enjoyable job or, like many of us, grin and bear it until you can afford not to work.

I said that I would have to save before I could retire

65KL

That's me too !
I try to concentrate on the parts of my job I enjoy and take pride in doing it the best of my abilities.
Treat yourself , dosent have to cost alot ,
Don't just work to pay the bills .
I've been told plenty of times I should be grateful that I am able to go to work , many can't due health reasons etc. . That comment used to annoy me but yes it is true

Thank you for your reply.
I’m glad it’s not just me.
I do have parts of my job that I enjoy and I too will always do my job to the best of my ability.
I’m tired of the constant change - I work for the NHS.
Your post has been helpful, not judgemental as some are 😊

pascal30

Germanshepherdsmum

The OP has started another thread saying it will be eight years until she pays her mortgage off and then she can retire. So, find a more enjoyable job or, like many of us, grin and bear it until you can afford not to work.

and also the same OP talking about aged parents.. I'm wondering if it is low mood behind this lack of motivation and joy in life..

Why do you feel that I have low mood and lack motivation and joy in my life?

Germanshepherdsmum

The OP has started another thread saying it will be eight years until she pays her mortgage off and then she can retire. So, find a more enjoyable job or, like many of us, grin and bear it until you can afford not to work.

and also the same OP talking about aged parents.. I'm wondering if it is low mood behind this lack of motivation and joy in life..

It’s probably the job that you need to change
I was so desperate to stay at work when I had to retire at 69 but that was because I loved my job

The OP has started another thread saying it will be eight years until she pays her mortgage off and then she can retire. So, find a more enjoyable job or, like many of us, grin and bear it until you can afford not to work.

What Patsy70 said. Is it your job in particular Mell or just generally you don't want to work .

Mell967. As others have asked, what is it about working that you dislike so much?

do you own your house? could you take lodgers, do Airbnb or Equity Release.. could you rent out your property and go travelling...

Is it your job or do you just not want to work? How old are you?

I do sympathise. Even the nicest jobs can become a drag sometimes and lots of people only work because they need the income - which is no consolation for you, of course.

DH thought we'd be worse off when he retired. Fortunately the combinations of pensions and not having to pay to go to work mean that we're a little more comfortable than we expected.

As others have said, and hard though it may be, do try to make your meaningful life outside of work. Fill your time with things you enjoy and can look forward to, even if it's only going for a pleasant stroll at the weekends (walking is good for physical and mental health!).

If you can afford to, squirrel some money away. Some could be for treats but some could go into a small pension fund or just be savings. That way you might be able to afford to retire a little earlier than you expect.

I can really empathise with this.... I'm in a very similar situation.
Diagnosed with a chronic health condition around 3 years ago too, which although my employers have been very supportive around, has really impacted my life.
Always been in the 03rd sector so no great pension and personal circumstances meant I've been unable to build anything up.
There's parts of the job I 'enjoy' - a difficult word to use really as my work connects to the Justice system but I'm so tired!
I also try to focus on the positives in life.... outside of work but it's becoming much harder to do that.

I don’t like the idea of counting down the days, it’s wishing your life away.
I still work, but it’s a family business so I can make subtle changes to my working week, like leaving early in the winter so that I’m not driving home in the dark.
I don’t enjoy it as much as I used to, but can’t imagine not working at all, everything has got a bit too clever for me, and I find myself doing quite basic work, but I don’t mind that, as long as I’m paid.

Once He and I had no travel to work or lunchtime expenses, our joint income was only only down a few £££s

When you are retired you dont have to waste money on commuting or clothes for work. So you can wear your old but still good (and possibly unfashionable) stuff and not have to worry about looking professional or people judging you. You can also save on cosmetics and beauty products which can be amazingly expensive. I wore very little makeup as an academic because it was a very casual work look, and gave it up completely once I ceased to be emoloyed.

It costs money to go to work.

I was stuck in a dreadful position as a paid worker in a voluntary organisation, subject to the whims of a useless management committee and with still 2 years to go until OAP age, and having mainly worked in the voluntary sector obviously did not have a work pension. My husband, 7 years older than me did have a private pension + his state pension so I decided to 'retire' when he did.

To my great surprise he was granted £50 per week added to his OAP for me as a 'dependent relative' Once He and I had no travel to work or lunchtime expenses, our joint income was only only down a few £££s.2 years later I got my own state pension

Best thing I ever did. I as still fit enough to tend our huge fruit and veg garden and DH (a Carpenter/Joiner to trade) renovated our house and then those of our DDs, saving them a small fortune. A couple of years later we were blessed with two DGC and were happily fit and able to do loads of baby sitting and childminding, again, a big saving on day care or babysitting costs.
I don't know if you have a retired or working spouse or no spouse at all, nor am I sure that the pension addition for a dependent still exists, But, I can vouch for the sense of freedom and joy we experienced during those 'early retirement' years.

Would you feel happier if you could find a work from home job?

Start a side hustle for something that gives you pleasure and which can look viable as a business (at least on paper).

Register it as a business with the tax office. Do a self assessment once a year. Dont worry if you make a tax loss for a few years. You can offset that against other taxable income.

Most start up businesses dont begin to make a profit for several tears. Some never do. There is no law that says you have to make a profit or be good at business.

Mell1967 - just think of your paycheque at the end of the month. Better still, try to find another job, if you really have to work. Are you isolated? I do feel for you although I’ve never been in that position . Good luck !

That's me too !
I try to concentrate on the parts of my job I enjoy and take pride in doing it the best of my abilities.
Treat yourself , dosent have to cost alot ,
Don't just work to pay the bills .
I've been told plenty of times I should be grateful that I am able to go to work , many can't due health reasons etc. . That comment used to annoy me but yes it is true

How long have you got left before you retire?

Have you identified what it is that you find unbearable about the job.
Maybe you could start a countdown, ticking off the weeks or maybe try to mentally detach yourself a bit from the daily politics or drama that might be dragging you down.

Book short breaks away and activities that interest you.

Alternatively find a different job, a change is as good as a rest as they say.

I’d have thought narrowing down what it is that is making you unhappy is key to changing things. Is it the job itself, the pay, colleagues, your boss, the commute if you have one?

nanna8

Concentrate on the money ! Change jobs if that is possible. Plan holidays and breaks so you have something to look forward to, even just somewhere to go at weekends. Maybe set up a calendar to cross the days off.

Crossing dates off a calendar is wishing your life away. Find a more interesting job. 😉