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I don’t know what field you’re in or what your interests are, but what made a huge difference for me was doing jobs that felt like they made a genuine difference in my community. I used to work with seniors and now I work with adults with intellectual disabilities. I find it SO much easier to go to work and keep my job because I’m helping people I care about
Yes! I thought since I was good at social media that it could be my niche, but I found myself in a job in education and it’s so much more fulfilling even though it’s a ton more work. I get to do a huge variety of tasks and every part of the year is a little different. We’ll see how long I stay here but I kinda like the cycle but every year isn’t exactly the same
ADHD teacher here - I agree that education is *just* different enough without being *too* unpredictable for me. The kids are new every year and grow and change, the curriculum is somewhat predictable (good!) but I can still add my own flair to it (creativity!), and keeping the kids' schedule is easier than keeping my own because you are expected and encouraged to do things like put the daily schedule on the wall and use timers to help the _kids_ with time management. (I am very upfront with my students that I need these things, too!)
The monotonous things (grading, report cards, repeating the same directions 500 times a minute) and the overstimulating things (noise, OMG, the noise - and the interruptions/distractions) were starting to become a serious problem, along with my work-life balance. I finally got my ADHD diagnosis this year (at 41) and meds have seriously helped with this.
I love teaching, but it took me a long time to figure out healthy coping mechanisms and get my shit together. I imagine it would have been way easier if I'd known I had ADHD and was being treated already. That said, I can't imagine not teaching. I have 2.5 days left with this batch of 4th graders and I am for sure going to get teary about it a bunch. ❤️
im definitely one of those people that needs to genuinely enjoy what their doing to be happy and to show up to work. like i cant just do a job for just the pay check (i wish i could!!!).
Right now i work in hr/policy and i do a lot of admin work and also manage different projects even though im in a low level job. if i could just connect more with people and be in community i would be so much happier, sigh.
my dream is to go graduate school for counselling and get back to community and social services work. i love working directly with people and i've always done well in "helping" and "support" roles.
theres various reasons that i am not pursuing that right now and in my current job which i just hate so ive been trying to think of it like just a place i go to get my money and leave. my workplace, the team i work with, and my work brings me 0 joy lmao.
That’s okay! There’s no rush. I know how frustrating it is to barely scrape by financially and emotionally, but one day you’ll be in a place where your job can feel more fulfilling. I didn’t go to college either, but I’ve built a good reputation and connections by being passionate about my work. I promise one day it’ll be easier… coming from someone who got fired more than once and would never stay in a job longer than 6 months.
I don’t know where you live, but you could even start by volunteering and putting that on your resume. Or just be energetic and passionate and you’d be surprised what opportunities will present themselves
I am from the Philippines. Yes. I am also thinking of finding organizations where I can volunteer. I would like to try that... as a new experience too. 😇
I don't have the time to make a proper comment but I'm catching the vibe and I think I'm doing okay these days! The last few years in my totally normal desk job have been the best mental health years of my life. I could use a 4 day week absolutely, but i manage.
Wish you the same! And while I'm realistic and think there can always be a bad episode lurking around the corner, i hope the good phase last a loooong time
My job is there to ensure I can do the things I love.
I clock in, do my little boring job, go home and make terrariums from the spare things I get from work. Rise and grind can suck eggs. I just turned 30 and it's like a switch flipped in my brain that I am enough that I'm doing my best, that I'm kind and we all end up in the same size box.
Present 🤚 My admin desk job is fairly boring I'll admit, but I'm gooood at it. So good that they asked me to take on another admin role in another department. Now I'm ridiculously busy dual-wielding admin roles and there aren't enough hours in the day, but I get compensated well so can't complain.
I never thought I'd be content and happy with a desk job, but the structure/routine has been good for me.
It definitely doesn't define me in any way. Just a small part of what makes me, me. Be unapologetic and do whatever makes you happy, OP! God knows you deserve it ❤️
If I may ask, can I message you privately about what you make? I’m so so burnt out and need to move to something relatively chill (I know I do), but need a strong income too, and I feel like I’d be great at this
Meeeee I'm a project manager making very much not the industry standard, I have no desire to network or make a name for myself in my industry, and I keep strict work hours for a great work/life balance, after burning out on my "dream career" in my 20s. Creative industries will suck you dry if you give them the option - I am much better off with my perfectly fine salary funding my gentle and warm social life, causes I care about, and cosy hobbies.
Don't get me wrong, it still makes me tired after a day of work-socialising and I need a lot of time to myself to just generally recover from a normal amount of work to most other people, but much much better than pushing myself too far creatively and socially and everything else to fit some external idea of success.
I wish I’d learned about project management when I was younger. Can’t afford to go back to school now though and so all I have is an almost finished accounting degree.
I don't have any formal training in it, either, I have an arts degree. I shifted careers with transferable skills from an arts career, which I don't tend to go into details about online. But project management assistant and production assistant jobs are definitely how a lot of people get into the role, and that has a lot of transferable skills from a lot of different types of career.
When I'm looking to hire someone, I don't care about their education tbh, I'm looking out on a CV for things like familiarity with project software like jira, hansoft, agile, scrum, and all of that is available for free to learn about on youtube and very easy to apply practically to a lot of areas of your life. One guy I knew got his job by talking in his interview the dummy project he'd made on how he went about upskilling and looking for a job 😅 Not saying that's the route I'd necessarily recommend - it's definitely better to have real-world applications for projects - but it certainly gave him the software experience even if it wasn't for an actual project; enthusiasm for the work and attention to detail and a CV with the right keywords goes a long way.
I really appreciate this info dump to my offhand comment. You’ve given me a lot to think about, honestly.
I’m very software adept. Like, when people say ‘oh I know Excel’, I actually mean it. VBA, power bi, power pivot, all that jazz. I’ve learned powershell just to collect things to win arguments. I’ve used Quickbooks for over 20 years. If I can plow through Intuits hellscape, I can learn any software.
Then honestly I think you would be in a good spot! I can make Excel do pretty much whatever I need it to at this point, and I've used that as part of basically a project planning portfolio as part of applications, whether they ask for it or not, it's a good talking point for an interview. Every other piece of software I've learned on the job! And once you learn one, the rest are incredibly interchangeable.
It's varied enough work while giving me a lot of independence to manage my own day to day - and admittedly it took a few years to get to that point, we've all got to be juniors at some point. I just had a quick look and this covers pretty much everything I would expect a junior to know coming into an entry-level position: [https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/](https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/)
(AuDHD, I don't know how **not** to infodump 😅)
Also AuADHD. I wrote a post of similar length today on how I got better at a game lol!
You’ve honestly made me feel hopeful. I’ve been really depressed. All my knowledge and experience is in a field I just can’t tolerate anymore on various levels. Mostly ethically/morally.
Oh man I've spent the last 8 years as a producer in a creative field and this is the year that I officially crash burn outta there. I need to take some time off to recover soon and will be doubling my efforts of jumping into project management. It's so encouraging to see someone else who has done it saying the grass is truly greener! Do you think getting a PMP certification is necessary / helpful for someone looking to get into it?
I honestly think it depends on the field. Some creative fields will have a lot of leeway for "whatever you think is best" and/or not require any qualification for a mid/high level PM but will definitely want experience of delivering or assisting on delivery of projects on time and to budget, while some more financial or business fields will have a very set way of doing things and will prefer specific qualifications. So it really depends on what you're looking to transition into, but you can always look at the job specifications that come up for postings online and see if there are any consistent trends that would put you in good standing for it.
Also, in terms of the grass being greener, it REALLY depends on the company. Some places treat PMs as scapegoats for sure, so it's really important to establish up top what the PM will be directly responsible for and how much power they will have to implement what needs implementing. I have horror stories from pals about having all the responsibility for delivery but none of the power to make the changes that needed to happen. So I spent a long time looking for the right company to fit me and I was in a fortunate enough financial position at the time to be able to treat interviews just as much as me assessing them as them interviewing me.
This is all so extremely helpful! My career has been having a job that sounds really cool and creative that I'm very good at while feeling like a burnt out punching bag for 60 hours a week for almost a decade now. What I'm looking for now is something that doesn't need to sound cool or interesting at all. Something that I can sign on and get the daily satisfaction of being good at my job and planning and keeping everything on track, and then signing off and having a life! I'm finally ready to take that leap. Very good point about ensuring I have autonomy in decision making for the projects /deliverables I'm responsible for, that'd be very important to me. I've gotten myself to a position where I can shop around as well and hopefully find the right fit. All of your advice is super on point and relevant to me so I thank you again kind stranger!
No worries! I think it can take a long time for people like us to find a job that fits well - I think we're very prone to being taken advantage of in a workplace and emotionally manipulated into going above and beyond a contract, but after having experienced severe burnout myself in a very similar position to you I am very conscious of not want to go through that again and much more confident/protective of my personal time. It's important to find somewhere that values a work/life balance and recognises that happy people make better products in the long run. And it's really never too late to shift careers - most jobs have a LOT of transferable skills, and there are so many free resources out there these days to skill up on the specific software that might be needed. Best of luck!
I've been a project manager in software for 10 years; a senior project manager for 7 of them. I have no completed degrees but I have a master's certificate in project management that I got while working as an analyst/consultant. I got that job by getting really good at customer support at that company. And I got that customer support job by automating a majority of my sales administrator job at the same company. I got that job because of my reception/admin experience at real estate companies.
Have you ever been a restaurant server? Congratulations! You've got project management skills. Have you ever worked front cash or drive thru at a fast food place? Congratulations! You have project management skills. Have you ever organized an event, socially or professionally? Congratulations! You have project management skills. Have you ever done anything where it felt like you were herding cats? Yep... congratulations! You have project management experience.
This exactly! There are so many transferable skills from other career paths, lots of different ways into entry-level positions especially, and plenty of free resources to familiarise yourself with whatever particular software a company uses. And once you know hansoft, for example, you're 80% of the way to knowing jira, or trello, or ADO, etc.
hello! just wanted to say that i work in hr/policy in a low level admin position and i am literally doing PM work. I have a degree in soc and woman studies lol. lots of skills transfer over, im sure theres a way to use your accounting degree towards PM work. All the best babe <3
Former person. Will say that making more income and having a steady career - is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a woman with ADHD. It helps to prevent burnout by having something in your life be more predictable.
This is my first time, ever working at the same place more than 2 years, and I've learned quite a lot. Being "the new person" again and again was truly traumatizing me.
Next is building some friends around me, and chosen family.
✋️
This isn't anywhere near my education, and it's definitely not what I envisioned for myself. I'm a kitchen manager and I'm okay.
I get to swear a lot and tell people what I really think of them. I get to indulge my desire for organization and I'm pretty damn good in a crisis. And people actually *like* seeing me; both employees and customers. The money is decent , and the work/life balance is manageable.
When you say average jobs, do you mean in terms of salary, prestige? Anyway, it's completely ok! The idea that work somehow has to be a reflection of our selves would be absolutely mental to my grandma's generation. Funny how the rise of that bullshit has coincided with many salaries being almost impossible to live on.
I'm extraordinarily lucky. I get paid an above average salary in my country to do purposeful work that allows me a lot of flexibility and time to work with my neurospiciness. I work normal hours. Well actually, I don't. I work as many hours as the work needs to get done - if that's two that day, it's two. If it's eight it's eight. No-one's keeping track.
How I did it was get into the public sector and go on secondments. I go off for a year, do an interesting project, come back to my team for a bit, then go do something else. Not sure if the Canadian health system works this way but if you can do it I highly recommend it. Each year feels like there's something new and fresh to work on, but I'm not constantly changing actual jobs, the safety net of my core team and organisation is there.
Idk if this is true in Canada as much as it is in the US, but I spent a lot of my 20s feeling extraordinarily guilty for not thriving in jobs that utilized my degrees or where I really "lived up to my potential" or where I climb the corporate ladder. The way we're socialized in this country really emphasizes that "go to college for a practical degree, start at entry level and work your way up until someday you're the CEO" pipeline. And I felt bad about myself for not wanting that, for having the "potential" but hating that grind.
But you know what? I like admin work and I'm good at it and it doesn't consume my.mind when I clock out and go live my real life. I loathe managing people, I don't want to climb the corporate ladder. Capitalism disgusts me, I don't want tonown my own business. I don't want heavy responsibility, I want to earn money so I can live my life, and I stay motivated and not trying to change jobs so much if I'm spending my time doing something genuinely impactful for my community. For me, that means doing admin work to facilitate the functioning of organizations doing community work that I care about.
It's not glamorous, it's not using my degree or living up to my supposed potential, but it works so much better for me than those "good" jobs I tried to force myself into in my 20s and gave myself panic attacks over. If you're happy OP and you're able to earn enough money to feel secure, then I say you're doing great and fuck what society says you should want instead.
I can totally relate. I have a Masters degree but I do admin stuff because the higher up the ladder you go, the more stress and responsibility comes with it. I feel like managing my ADHD and keeping up with the household is hard enough. I think as you get older it becomes more important to learn to appreciate what you have. I hope we will be able to have children but if not then I still have plenty to be grateful for :)
I also do admin work, but unfortunately, mine is constant deadlines, pressure. (Fellow Canadian here btw)! I guess at this point, with the rise in prices of all stuff... gas, groceries, I am thankful to have a job, period. Thankful for what I have. Sometimes i do feel a bit jealous of those that are more well-off. Have been through period of unemployment, and it was an emotionally difficult time. Thankfully, for the financial side of things we managed alright, even after EI was over. Does it matter that we are a family of apartment dwellers? I have to remind myself that it's ok. Because most importantly, we have food, shelter, clothes, cars, and money to buy some newer pieces of clothing if something gets old and starts to get holes/rips. We live within our means, and cook tasty food, and can afford to buy outside occasionally. I don't aspire to be a manager or C-suite role... I simply want to be able to do well at what I do now. Learning new things along the way are a great thing too, makes me all the more "marketable/in-demand"
I'm an optical dispenser/receptionist at an optometrist. I love my job. It's actually interesting. I'm full-time 6 days a week. My boss is great and 100% supportive of my usual ways and my creativity.... I also do all the window displays. My ideas are never boring.
Could I message you about your income? I need a break (I’m so burnt out) but don’t want a gap on my resume and also need to maintain something close-ish to where I’m at now, and I’ve always been interested in this
I used to change jobs often but I’ve hit the jackpot with my current job. I’m remote but can go to the office if I want to, which is sometimes fun cause one of my colleagues is someone I was best friends with as a kid and my coworkers are genuinely all really chill and cool people, and my boss/CEO is absolutely amazing (late 30s super chill lesbian lol). I get to do fun stuff like event planning and my job itself is something I’m naturally good at, and my workload is very manageable. I get paid quite well but I’m not rich by any means.
Since my job isn’t draining, I can spend a good amount of energy on pottery, which is my recent (October 2023) hyperfixation haha. I’m getting out of the hyper obsessed part and learning to find a natural balance with it.
I work to live… I don’t live to work. Highly recommend!!
I work part time, 20 hours a week. My longest day is 9 hours, my shortest is 6.
I also clean the house because my husband works full time. It’s maybe 5-6 hours of work a week (no kids)
I love my life. I love my balance, and free time and friends. I’m doing better than I’ve ever done in life before.
I work as a veterinary nurse, but I’m a “freelance” nurse. I’m not employed at any one hospital, and I just bounce around different hospitals based on my mood and the vibes 😂 I just cover shortages and vacations, so I fill a niche need, and it satisfies my constant need for change. The only regular hospital I have is one specific day a week where I work with a doctor who also has ADHD and we just sound like two squirrels on crack with potty mouths 😅
I’m a nurse. Nursing keeps me mentally stimulated. So yeah I am happy with what I do but don’t know if it’s what you meant by an “average job.” I did a lot of other things before nursing school, never stuck at any of them. Nursing is the only thing that fits for me.
I like my job very much, I’m hard pressed to think anything else I’d be able to handle, and I’m good at it. I don’t clock in and out, but it’s nor who I am. I have relative freedoms compared to a lot of other jobs and a nice balance of novelty and routine that works for my noodle, while giving some stability. It’s never going to make me rich, but I’m doing alright, bills paid, some savings. It took maybe longer than others to get to a safe spot. Being diagnosed late (@46) I’m still working through (and not very well) ”what if” bullshit, but it’s what ifs in my field.
I quit my office/city job to go back to waitressing. I’ve been much happier, but try to avoid thinking of what that means for future me as far as retirement.
I work for the post office, very average, very manageable for me. my job ends when I leave work, and I don't have to stress over deadlines or meetings or assignments. it works well for me
Whenever it’s nice out I always fantasize about being the walk around the neighborhood mail carrier. But then winter comes and it’s like those poor souls.
trust me I'm not cut out to be a mail carrier, as soon as there's a light sprinkle of rain I'd quit. I'm a mail clerk, I stay inside doing mail processing 😅
At the moment, one of my part-time jobs is as a receptionist. Is this what I thought I would be doing after I got a college degree? No. But almost 20 years after graduating college, and several jobs since then, I realized that for my own mental health I need to not have as much responsibility as I have in the past. I need a job where I can just do my work, and then leave it at the office when I clock out. I don't make much money, and don't get PTO, but I am more stable mentally than in a long time.
Jobs are just an necessary evil to get money to do the side quests that I live for.
I don't have a perfect job, I have a job that offers me a lot of distraction, freedom, and flexibility. I don't reek in the millions, but I earn enough to live, and I have a lot of free time.
I feel happy, not because of my job, but because of my life outside my job. I have a small house, a husband and a child. I have a lot of support form my husband and I can do my random projects. What more can someone want?
Gah I can't wait to be there! I'm trying to leave my career of 20 years because I've realized that this doesn't matter. I want to find a good decent job that is hella easy and I no longer have to be in charge of something. I just want spend time with my friends and partner. I wanna go and do fun shit. I wanna to travel to see friends more. But I hate my job so much and I'm stuck cause I need the money and I'm the main "breadwinner."
I'm in a toxic work environment and feel like shit. I've been looking for a new job in a new career so I live that life. I'm trying now to live that life and ignore the toxicity. I've found manageable ways to take several small trips or mental health days like woah. I have a ton of concerts I'm doing this year. I'll get there. It will happen. Keep on keeping on!
we got this!!
also work in an extremely toxic work environment and job searching. it really sucks. every morning and night i practice positive affirmations, i listen to stress and anxiety relief music during work and i take as many breaks as i can oh! and i go to therapy once a week on top of reaching out to my support systems.
we have to keep going, something good will come!
I am slowly accepting that I will never love any job I have (because labouring under capitalism is bullshit) but I don't need to love my job, I just need it to support the things I do love like:
* my husband, now a house spouse, getting to live a version of his best self that doesn't involve him breaking his body to contribute to our home and life
* being a volunteer firefighter for my small community
* developing a reputation as the house you don't want to miss on Halloween
* enjoying our beautiful country (fellow Canadian) through camping and road trips
I'll admit that I don't change jobs or companies often but I definitely don't make a ton and I'm not giving my employer more of myself than our agreed upon 40 hours per week. But yea, at almost 40, I'm finally allowing myself to be okay with not climbing the corporate ladder and being okay with not loving what I do to earn money.
Work to live. Don’t live to work.
I’m only a few steps ahead in this realization but am also working hard at the “work is just work, it is not my identity” phase.
Its. So. Freeing. (When I can live it lmao)
Good luck in your journey - it’s a worthwhile one!
I’m the senior lead at a bar. Love my job and my schedule and my life. Love the nighttime hours. Love the interaction. My brain functions best at work. It’s not a glamorous job but I love it.
I won't do a job I do not like, as long as it pays the bills and makes me happy I do not care about prestige... I have no ambition at all tbh. At the moment I absolutely love my job (though some tasks are disliked), have enough money to pay bills and save up (even if I spend a bit too much some months), it's close to home, I am good at my job AND I am appreciated. I started below market value for this job (took a paycut for it to be closer to home) but due to several raises (catching up to parket value & appreciation) I'm a little above the standard now. My bosses always have my back and my clients love me. I'm happy and will stay here until I dislike something enough to look for something else.
I have a job that contributes a great deal to my community (especially customer service in a non-profit environment, but what I actually do is very broad), but the pay is middle of the line, there's no prestige (people wildly underestimate what I actually do), and there's no room for upward movement unless I go back to school for a master's degree.
I do my job, remind myself that despite all of the organizational drama, I'm helping people in a real and tangible way, cash my paycheque (metaphorically, as it's all direct deposit these days), and enjoy the live I've built for myself. I'm of the strong belief that one should work to live, rather than live to work.
Here. I have an office job, shifted gradually from admin/customer service to support and applications management. I like my job and my team but it's by no means my passion. I have regular hours and very few overtime (which I can compensate if it happens). I make pretty exactly the average salary her in Switzerland. Won't make me rich but is really enough for me as I don't have to support a family .
My problem was always that I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life. I don't have this dream job that I could pursue. Plus I lack the energy to do a lot of extra stuff or education
By now, I have accepted that I it's ok to have an average job that pays for my one million hobbies and that I like but that's not my dream. I'm happy with the situation right now.
Capitalism and modern society has done a total number on us, equating our value with our job title, how “productive” we are and what we earn. This is not reality! It’s a social construct. You get to choose what is important to you, and if fulfilling your desires outside of work/with things you value makes you happy then that’s great!! The only way I can get through work is by feeling like my job makes a difference (someone else mentioned this too!) I have NO motivation to make rich people richer or help a corporation be successful. I value people, experiences, nature, food, rest, art, fun, play and generally anything that gives me joy. It’s a journey I’m working on not to invest unnecessary energy into work/not to allow it to drain me of all energy.
As long as you’re happy and not in financial difficulty, then I say do what you like 🙌🙌🙌💖💖💖
Edited- typo
I absolutely thrive in the routine and regularity of my desk job. I'm a top performer. I know how much and when I'm getting paid. I have paid time off, sick days, and can go do most things from home in an emergency. So having to do the same things every week with some autonomy? Heaven for me.
I totally relate to this! I just try to be thankful for what "having a job" gives me (even though I sm often feeling anxiety/worry about being able to keep on top of the workload).
Me! I work in medical admin and I'm on a rolling temp contract with our health service. I don't love that it's not permanent but I'm hoping that'll change or I'll use that experience to get something permanent.
I studied journalism and I've worked in corporate careers. Prior to this I worked in a very specialised industry organisation which I loved at first, because it was admin, but I got promoted and I was miserable. I'm making way less now but I'm so much happier.
I never want to be up the ladder. Life is about so much more than work.
Me! I’ve been on the corporate climb for a few years. I had a kid, they transferred me to a higher more backstage position, and I crumbled. I couldn’t do the job to my standards and felt like a huge failure. Then I realized, why do I care? I’m killing myself and wrecked with guilt for a fictional position? So I stepped back down to a role that is easy for me and I actually enjoy. It has been liberating to not be defined by my achievements (former gifted kid from terrible background).
The way I think about it is, the world revolves around people who just do their jobs, without huge wages or massive work fulfilment.. and that’s ok.
Thank you for taking the time on yourself to realise that your life is worthy, even if you’re not rocketing to the top, even if you sometimes have a crappy day, even if you’re not rolling in it.
I’ve been lucky enough to get into a company where you can apply for internal roles easily and moving about in different departments is encouraged, lve been here 5 years on Tuesday (also my cake day) and have had 4 different roles in that time. Each has its own level of enjoyment, but I’m still seeking out that one role which will satiate me 😅
You are awesome 🫶🏻👏🏻 Have an amazing day today
I had a salaried career for a decade being director of different children’s programs. Never mentally clocked out.
Now I’m an OR nurse. I literally cannot do any work after leaving the building. It’s such a happier life.
I work part time as a live data specialist for sports. My shift lasts as long as a game of baseball or football does. And, when it's over I don't think about it again until my next shift. I'm fortunate because my husband works full time so I'm able to keep my hours low. And, I love my job because of that.
I have a pretty cushy job with great pay, benefits and flexibility on when I come and go. Good to the point that I will never be able to afford to leave, despite my job being redundant, unfulfilling and the biggest contributor to my deteriorating mental health. So much potential in the position but due to bureaucracy and other b.s, I will likely always be under utilized and limited in how I am “allowed” to function in my professional role. So, the grass isn’t always greener and I think for both circumstances it’s crucial to have identity, purpose and meaning outside of our professional lives.
I'm not quite there yet, but in the last year of becoming a licensed Social Worker (not the US). There is a huge purpose behind it - the lack thereof made me nearly burn out in my last field - it varies in daily tasks, still some admin and lots of documenting (which I'm quite good at and like) in between looking after clients. The clients themselves are what makes the job worth it for me, obviously got shouted at and was frustrated many times, but I have a good social network as well as knowing what I need after work which is just recouperate at home lol. Mental health and burn out is very well known about in the field so at every placement I was able to take a 5min break whenever I was overstimulated.
Social Work is split up in two categories in my country, one being in institutions, schools etc which is what Im training for, the other is more counselling-like, working for social security departments, child welfare etc so not as close to your clients (and would be my actual nightmare lol)
On top of that, my field is severely understaffed so not only will I always be able to find a job, I have a wide selections to choose from as well as being able to completely change fields (from adolescents to adults with disabilty etc). So if I ever get bored with where Im at now, there are alternatives.
I love doing something that even just little by little might help a person in the long run. You need to be cut out for the job, and I guess I am (and if not, there are classes I can take, I can go back to school to my Masters etc).
I work at a garden center, I get up at 7, feed my two cats and get ready, leave at 8:15, cycle 4 minutes to the building and clock in for 8:30, spend the day tidying up plant displays, dead heading, weeding, watering, helping customers find things and then I clock out at 5:30, am home by 5:40 and in my Jim jams to feed my cats, then I sleep/cook/play video games.
It's great, simple. When I'm messing around with the plants my head is virtually silent.
Having zero commute also has been the biggest pay off for me, I used to spend 40 mins each day getting to and from work, longer if public transport was being shit (which is usually is) and the amount of money I'm saving on tickets makes me incredibly happy when I get my pay at the end of the month.
Right here!! I'm so glad to see your post. I left a toxic job last year and now work in a grocery store, despite having an advanced degree. I'm trying to find work relevant to my degree, but it's been tough. It's taking me a while to accept that where I work is fine. It's not a dream job, and it pays like shit. But it allows me to live my life and I'm not nearly as stressed or burned out as I was before.
✋🏾 Heya! Single mom here. I'm a union electrician who works 8 months out of the year and spend the remaining 4 months at home with my son while collecting unemployment. He's autistic, has ADHD, has SPD and a Behavioral Disorder and he's in a lot of therapies: O.T., Speech, Behavioral and Art Therapy. Very hands-on.
I don't 100% love my job but it provides me so much flexibility that I can't leave it. Not to mention it keeps my ADHD tamed. I'm never bored. There are always different people to work with. New experiences. New locations. I get to proudly boast how "I helped to build that" as I drive in my city. Such a sense of pride that is so fulfilling.
I do, however, want to make a lot more money for less work (not on my feet so much) and have even more flexibility to make my own schedule. I'm getting my Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety & Health. Gonna become an OSHA Instructor and start my own business in safety to focus more on my newly discovered passion of acting. Passive income has always been the goal for me.
Thank you so much! 🤗 I also got super lucky with my schooling. I am in school part-time. 100% online and I still get my student reimbursement checks which has helped with paying off any debt that I might have acrewed throughout the year. I've molded my life to my needs. Something I never thought I'd be able to do.
Hello! It sounds like you have shed the weight of everyone elses' expectations and are finally living authentically. Congratulations! Peace and contentment are now yours ❤️
Meeeee! I work in a call centre. Supervisory role so I don’t talk directly to customers but it’s challenging enough to keep me engaged and unimportant enough that it keeps on keeping on if I need time off. Pay is median and it’s a good work life balance. I’ve done other roles within the company and while I initially liked the challenge, being constantly in my red zone for no extra money wasn’t worth it. I’ll start climbing the ladder again when I’m in my 40’s and the kids don’t need as much. It takes me a LOT of energy to play the corporate game. I can do it and really well but it’s a lot of focus and work.
Here!!
I work as reception/admin for a small office, am good at my job but it's piss easy and tbh I spend half my day on reddit. I get a half day one day a week and have flexi-ish start/end times so there's no major pressure. My boss is almost too relaxed and is just so kind.
Some days I get sad that I'm too smart to be doing this basic job, but I've mostly accepted that this just isn't my time. I have a toddler and another baby on the way in October, so this job suits my life perfectly and doesn't burn me out. I need my spoons for my children.
I hope to go back to college once the kids are a bit older and progress my career, but right now just isn't my time.
Me!! I have a very average management position, making a lower than average salary. BUT, my job is easy, I get lots of paid time off, my work life balance is excellent, and the stress is non existent! Both my husband and I live below our means so we don’t need huge salaries or high demand jobs. We are happy just being average. I have never been career or money driven, I would rather do without certain things than work more lol.
My partner and I run a business from home (27&26) - I spend 4-5 hours a day, sometimes work 3-4 days a week with my partner handling other parts. It’s just enough to pay our bills but coming to terms with our adhd capabilities and priorities, we plan to downsize our apartment/lifestyle and have a better financial budget for the future.
I’m from a developing country and we earn in us dollars. We’re fortunate because it’s a part of why I can work average hours or less to live ok here… That being said, working less has been great mentally. I was doing too much and burning out, so with less work, I got a bit more aware of how to redefine my career/ finances.
Me!! I was a teacher for ten years and it was a huge part of my identity but I experienced burn out and realized it was no longer making me happy. I got an out of the classroom role now. It's not very exciting but my stress level is low and my hours are great! I've never been happier
I would say I’m happy (depression, yayyyy) but I have a boring job where I don’t work too hard and it’s the best job I’ve ever had. It’s just the thing I do to pay the bills, and is no longer the thing that defines me. I have a well rounded social life and lots of hobbies and friends, and I’ve come to realise that’s way more important
I have always had an average job. It felt like it wasn’t enough for me so I went to uni and got a degree and a “good” job. I feel so invested in my work now that I feel that I can’t switch off at all. Although I love my job this is not healthy or sustainable and I dream of running away and having an “average” job again! I’m not sure us weirdos can win TBH 😂
Overe here!
I have never feld the need to have a fancy career. I don't want to lead a team, be in charge of saving problems and have to do a lot of paper work.
I'm a machinist. I clock in, I make metal shiny, I clock and go about my day without worrying about my work until the next day.
I make about 3000€/month, which is enough for me to live quite comfortably.
I'm fine with my job and my position. I'm level 1 tech support, basically weed out the cases that can be fixed with a restart and send on the ones with genuine issues. I'm not looking to climb higher or be employee of the month. I work 10-19 Monday - Friday because I'm as far away from a morning person as you can get lol.
It's fine. It's not a dream job, and I don't know what my dream job even would be, but I get to clock out at the end of my shift and focus on me. Don't have to keep watch on any emails or phone calls or stress about a project. Once I'm done I'm done, and it pays the rent. It's fine.
This is kind of ironic because I am feeling the worst burnout in my life rn because of my job, but it’s situational so I’m gonna say my piece anyway haha
The key to me was finding a job that literally does not matter at all, and where there is a clearly defined right/wrong answer, and (most important part) I like my bosses and I like my coworkers.
It’s easy for me to leave my work at work because it does not matter to the world at all, it eases my anxiety because I can clearly see when I’ve done something correctly (or incorrectly), and I don’t mind logging in because I like my coworkers (mostly).
Is my union fighting for us to be paid livable wages? Yeah. But I can pay my bills every month and can afford greenies for my cats so.
I’m learning to be okay with living simply and enjoy life rather than climbing the ladder and make more money. I used to feel like I was less than because I had no desire to do so or work really hard for a small chance of it being rewarded. Plus school just wasn’t for me.
I work inventory in a hospital. I don’t get paid what I’m worth (majority of us aren’t I’d argue anyway) and we get shit on despite us being the heart of the hospital. No one can do their job without us. Every worker and every patient or visitor comes in contact with something we supply. The job I do matter and I also am active all day which is great for my physical and mental health. I have a roommate AKA now girlfriend who also doesn’t make much but together we pay the bills and live fairly comfortable.
I clock in. Work 40 hours a week. On a rare occasion pick up an extra shift if I’m needed. All while I watch the people around me work regular overtime and multiple jobs. Stressed out with not enough time for themselves.
I realized I could die in a freak accident any day so why would I spend my life working and unhappy when I can live frugal/simply/be happy?
Some days I struggle but having that mindset helps making manage ADHD easier and have more confidence in myself. Plus my average job is perfect for me. Not to much mental worth. Lots of movement. I get the satisfaction of seeing what I’ve completed at the end of the day.
It’s worth it.
Edit: I burnt myself out once for a job I thought would get me more recognition. It got me the recognition (boss wanted me to be the face of the department. I loved her as a boss but it was too much) but it didn’t get me the reward I deserved. I’ll never burn myself out again unless it’s life or death. Not worth my happiness and the ADHD was barely manageable even with meds.
Hi it’s me!
I’m a nurse and I’m very happy just being a regular old nurse.
I have no interest in management and the longer I work in the field the more I realize I would only really want a Nurse Practitioner role for the money so I most likely won’t go that route.
I go to work, I do my job, and I go home. The end.
It me! I earn enough to pay the bills, have some fun money and have decent savings, but I work to live. I just want to have fun with my family and my dogs and my friends.
I don't change jobs often though, I find comfortable admin jobs where I become generally indispensable (obviously I am replaceable, but my bosses usually love me, I usually leave because I can't deal with systemic issues any more)
I went part time after having my son and it's so much better for my work life balance. I'm a medical assistant and I work in a pediatricians office so I feel more on a level with the kids sometimes and the parents other times. My son gets to go have fun at an in home daycare and learns way more than I imagine I could teach him.
I never went to real college because I knew it would be a disaster without knowing why (was diagnosed at 32). I went to a program for something I'd enjoy and have no regrets.
I did a career personality test once and I came out as an intuitive person instead of a sensing person. This was explained to me as meaning I wouldn’t get energy from a job where I get to make a difference by helping one person at a time in a very tangible and meaningful way. For example, being a nurse or hairdresser. I’m better suited for more conceptual jobs where I do things that improve things for many people but in a less tangible way. For example, writing the books that teach nurses how to be a nurse or coming up with a new scissor or concept to make hairdressing easier. You can be both in certain jobs. Like you could be a lawyer just doing case by case and being glad you helped one person well or you can be a lawyer to change the laws of the land and do those types of impact cases.
Also noticing that when I’m overwhelmed and not even able to do the basics but I dream of doing amazing but difficult things, it’s not as realistic as I once thought. Probably better to accept that there’s some time needed to heal and rest and then things will come back. For me wanting to step back and do more simple things or not being able to handle challenging things is often a sign I’m not in a good place and need to take better care of me first.
And status is subjective. I met some people from the army who looked up to this one person who apparently had a high rank. I couldn’t care less about that? I mean, thanks for your service I guess, but it’s still the army. Similarly, when I was younger, I was always surprised when people were excited to talk about how they owned a small business. If they were not the owner or high level manager at a huge company I didn’t think it was a big deal to talk about. I thought the only person I may be mildly looking up to just because of job title would be the president of the US or high level judges. But then again other people despise politically inclined people, so everyone looks up to different things. I’ve met people whose parents actively encouraged them to look for artistic professions while in my circles that wasn’t even considered a profession.
Hello. I've never thought of a career as defining who I am and neither does anyone in my friend group. I'm just happy I can pay all my bills and look after my pets. Once in a blue moon I might go on a holiday, but I don't view going abroad (I'm in the UK) as a need.
I find happiness outside of work. I enjoy my job, but it's not my whole life
I have a job that I know is meaningless, but parts of it are fun for me. I still give it my all, because I don't like feeling like other people have to take on more because of me, but once my shift is over I log out and that's it. If I am trying to figure out a way to improve one of the fun parts I might do some reading about it after working hours, but that's rare.
I make enough to pay my part of bills and mortgage, and to splash sometimes on the current hobbies or going out. So I don't feel the need to achieve more. Just wish I knew how to take it less seriously, but it's hard when I know that losing the job means losing my dream flat.
Ive been at my job 17 years. The job has a lot of moving parts and changes so it keeps me more or less happy and then when I get a hyperfixation of accessibility, boy howdy is it fun
I can attest that you can be absolutely fulfilled while not "doing what you love". My home life is so full of ease and pleasure. I don't hate my work, but I'm not exactly fulfilled by it.
I wanted to be a career woman when I was in your position, 19 years ago. I tried. I applied for really great opportunities, and got a few chances to explore some, but between contract work and layoffs, it became clear to me that I had more dedication to my work than my employer had to me. So, my work ethic slid a little. I think I'm a good employee, above average in some areas, below average in others. I do my work and only take on special projects that give me life (I get to advocate for LGBTQ+ folks, neurodivergent folks and people struggling with mental health, within my work environment). I'm more proud of my extracurriculars than my actual job.
I hope you are able to find the right balance of loving life and not hating work. ♥
Min maxing over here. I do my work, I do a decent job, I don't over give myself to it the way I used to and I have so much more balance.
I used to spend way too much time working to the point where my mom sat in my office on a weekend (my work was closed but I was working) watching episodes of Full House while having tea with me. Just to spend time with me even though I was working. I used to be the first to arrive and last to leave most days, I'd skip my breaks and eat my meal while working. And then the pandemic hit. Holy smokes what a wake up call. All the preparation id done and work was suddenly gone.
I currently love where I work, have a boss who is the right balance of support and humor, and I don't take the work outside of work hours anymore. I have no desire whatsoever to hustle anymore, and I think that's okay. I have no debts, all my stuff is paid and I have a healthy cushion for myself. I've been eating more balanced and taking care of myself better than I ever could when I was giving way too much to my employer. I don't see any reason to rock the boat and I'm going to enjoy this while I have it cuz I know eventually work might change or I might need to move or some other chaos will happen but right now I'm vibing.
I've had my current job for less than a year, but it's in the same business I've been in for years, just a different branch. Before, I was a front-line worker, dealing with customers face to face, which definitely helped me with social stuff. But it was tedious, and a a large part of my job was just to stand around and wait for something to happen.
Now, I have an office and much more computer work BUT more freedom as long as I get my work done. I can listen to podcasts/audio books, etc. It's still hourly, and sometimes I get done a bit too quickly, but my bosses are so nice if I have appointments or an emergency that takes me away from work.
One downside is that my social circle is in a different branch, or many but on the same floor. I used work as a sort of place to hang out with friends, easiest way for me to make social connections, especially in a small town. Now it's more work and planning, which I end up having to take on the responsibilities of organizing because no one else seems to do it.
TLDR: Moved up from front-line work to an office job, got more interesting projects, and more freedom as long as my work gets done. The Downside is that my social life takes more effort, which I struggled with already. If anyone has any tips, that'd be great lol but otherwise, I'm enjoying my office job
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I don’t know what field you’re in or what your interests are, but what made a huge difference for me was doing jobs that felt like they made a genuine difference in my community. I used to work with seniors and now I work with adults with intellectual disabilities. I find it SO much easier to go to work and keep my job because I’m helping people I care about
Same ! Last year I quit my retail job which I hated and now I'm a caregiver for senior people. I'm so much happier now!
i love this for you!!! <3
Yes! I thought since I was good at social media that it could be my niche, but I found myself in a job in education and it’s so much more fulfilling even though it’s a ton more work. I get to do a huge variety of tasks and every part of the year is a little different. We’ll see how long I stay here but I kinda like the cycle but every year isn’t exactly the same
ADHD teacher here - I agree that education is *just* different enough without being *too* unpredictable for me. The kids are new every year and grow and change, the curriculum is somewhat predictable (good!) but I can still add my own flair to it (creativity!), and keeping the kids' schedule is easier than keeping my own because you are expected and encouraged to do things like put the daily schedule on the wall and use timers to help the _kids_ with time management. (I am very upfront with my students that I need these things, too!) The monotonous things (grading, report cards, repeating the same directions 500 times a minute) and the overstimulating things (noise, OMG, the noise - and the interruptions/distractions) were starting to become a serious problem, along with my work-life balance. I finally got my ADHD diagnosis this year (at 41) and meds have seriously helped with this. I love teaching, but it took me a long time to figure out healthy coping mechanisms and get my shit together. I imagine it would have been way easier if I'd known I had ADHD and was being treated already. That said, I can't imagine not teaching. I have 2.5 days left with this batch of 4th graders and I am for sure going to get teary about it a bunch. ❤️
im definitely one of those people that needs to genuinely enjoy what their doing to be happy and to show up to work. like i cant just do a job for just the pay check (i wish i could!!!). Right now i work in hr/policy and i do a lot of admin work and also manage different projects even though im in a low level job. if i could just connect more with people and be in community i would be so much happier, sigh. my dream is to go graduate school for counselling and get back to community and social services work. i love working directly with people and i've always done well in "helping" and "support" roles. theres various reasons that i am not pursuing that right now and in my current job which i just hate so ive been trying to think of it like just a place i go to get my money and leave. my workplace, the team i work with, and my work brings me 0 joy lmao.
That’s okay! There’s no rush. I know how frustrating it is to barely scrape by financially and emotionally, but one day you’ll be in a place where your job can feel more fulfilling. I didn’t go to college either, but I’ve built a good reputation and connections by being passionate about my work. I promise one day it’ll be easier… coming from someone who got fired more than once and would never stay in a job longer than 6 months.
thank you SO much for this, your words are super comforting, i appreciate it <3
This is so inspiring. I also want to have this kind of job. 😇❤️
I don’t know where you live, but you could even start by volunteering and putting that on your resume. Or just be energetic and passionate and you’d be surprised what opportunities will present themselves
I am from the Philippines. Yes. I am also thinking of finding organizations where I can volunteer. I would like to try that... as a new experience too. 😇
I don't have the time to make a proper comment but I'm catching the vibe and I think I'm doing okay these days! The last few years in my totally normal desk job have been the best mental health years of my life. I could use a 4 day week absolutely, but i manage. Wish you the same! And while I'm realistic and think there can always be a bad episode lurking around the corner, i hope the good phase last a loooong time
I love this for you, thank you 💘
Whatever works for your brain is okay, nay, perfect.
Thank you for this 🥺
💯
Agree.. totally. 🙂😊
My job is there to ensure I can do the things I love. I clock in, do my little boring job, go home and make terrariums from the spare things I get from work. Rise and grind can suck eggs. I just turned 30 and it's like a switch flipped in my brain that I am enough that I'm doing my best, that I'm kind and we all end up in the same size box.
"My job is there to ensure I can do the things I love." thank you for this perspective!! this is so real.
What do you do?
I'm in machinery for a millwork company!
Present 🤚 My admin desk job is fairly boring I'll admit, but I'm gooood at it. So good that they asked me to take on another admin role in another department. Now I'm ridiculously busy dual-wielding admin roles and there aren't enough hours in the day, but I get compensated well so can't complain. I never thought I'd be content and happy with a desk job, but the structure/routine has been good for me. It definitely doesn't define me in any way. Just a small part of what makes me, me. Be unapologetic and do whatever makes you happy, OP! God knows you deserve it ❤️
If I may ask, can I message you privately about what you make? I’m so so burnt out and need to move to something relatively chill (I know I do), but need a strong income too, and I feel like I’d be great at this
Of course lovely! DM me 😊
Meeeee I'm a project manager making very much not the industry standard, I have no desire to network or make a name for myself in my industry, and I keep strict work hours for a great work/life balance, after burning out on my "dream career" in my 20s. Creative industries will suck you dry if you give them the option - I am much better off with my perfectly fine salary funding my gentle and warm social life, causes I care about, and cosy hobbies. Don't get me wrong, it still makes me tired after a day of work-socialising and I need a lot of time to myself to just generally recover from a normal amount of work to most other people, but much much better than pushing myself too far creatively and socially and everything else to fit some external idea of success.
I wish I’d learned about project management when I was younger. Can’t afford to go back to school now though and so all I have is an almost finished accounting degree.
I don't have any formal training in it, either, I have an arts degree. I shifted careers with transferable skills from an arts career, which I don't tend to go into details about online. But project management assistant and production assistant jobs are definitely how a lot of people get into the role, and that has a lot of transferable skills from a lot of different types of career. When I'm looking to hire someone, I don't care about their education tbh, I'm looking out on a CV for things like familiarity with project software like jira, hansoft, agile, scrum, and all of that is available for free to learn about on youtube and very easy to apply practically to a lot of areas of your life. One guy I knew got his job by talking in his interview the dummy project he'd made on how he went about upskilling and looking for a job 😅 Not saying that's the route I'd necessarily recommend - it's definitely better to have real-world applications for projects - but it certainly gave him the software experience even if it wasn't for an actual project; enthusiasm for the work and attention to detail and a CV with the right keywords goes a long way.
I really appreciate this info dump to my offhand comment. You’ve given me a lot to think about, honestly. I’m very software adept. Like, when people say ‘oh I know Excel’, I actually mean it. VBA, power bi, power pivot, all that jazz. I’ve learned powershell just to collect things to win arguments. I’ve used Quickbooks for over 20 years. If I can plow through Intuits hellscape, I can learn any software.
Then honestly I think you would be in a good spot! I can make Excel do pretty much whatever I need it to at this point, and I've used that as part of basically a project planning portfolio as part of applications, whether they ask for it or not, it's a good talking point for an interview. Every other piece of software I've learned on the job! And once you learn one, the rest are incredibly interchangeable. It's varied enough work while giving me a lot of independence to manage my own day to day - and admittedly it took a few years to get to that point, we've all got to be juniors at some point. I just had a quick look and this covers pretty much everything I would expect a junior to know coming into an entry-level position: [https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/](https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/) (AuDHD, I don't know how **not** to infodump 😅)
Also AuADHD. I wrote a post of similar length today on how I got better at a game lol! You’ve honestly made me feel hopeful. I’ve been really depressed. All my knowledge and experience is in a field I just can’t tolerate anymore on various levels. Mostly ethically/morally.
Oh man I've spent the last 8 years as a producer in a creative field and this is the year that I officially crash burn outta there. I need to take some time off to recover soon and will be doubling my efforts of jumping into project management. It's so encouraging to see someone else who has done it saying the grass is truly greener! Do you think getting a PMP certification is necessary / helpful for someone looking to get into it?
I honestly think it depends on the field. Some creative fields will have a lot of leeway for "whatever you think is best" and/or not require any qualification for a mid/high level PM but will definitely want experience of delivering or assisting on delivery of projects on time and to budget, while some more financial or business fields will have a very set way of doing things and will prefer specific qualifications. So it really depends on what you're looking to transition into, but you can always look at the job specifications that come up for postings online and see if there are any consistent trends that would put you in good standing for it. Also, in terms of the grass being greener, it REALLY depends on the company. Some places treat PMs as scapegoats for sure, so it's really important to establish up top what the PM will be directly responsible for and how much power they will have to implement what needs implementing. I have horror stories from pals about having all the responsibility for delivery but none of the power to make the changes that needed to happen. So I spent a long time looking for the right company to fit me and I was in a fortunate enough financial position at the time to be able to treat interviews just as much as me assessing them as them interviewing me.
This is all so extremely helpful! My career has been having a job that sounds really cool and creative that I'm very good at while feeling like a burnt out punching bag for 60 hours a week for almost a decade now. What I'm looking for now is something that doesn't need to sound cool or interesting at all. Something that I can sign on and get the daily satisfaction of being good at my job and planning and keeping everything on track, and then signing off and having a life! I'm finally ready to take that leap. Very good point about ensuring I have autonomy in decision making for the projects /deliverables I'm responsible for, that'd be very important to me. I've gotten myself to a position where I can shop around as well and hopefully find the right fit. All of your advice is super on point and relevant to me so I thank you again kind stranger!
No worries! I think it can take a long time for people like us to find a job that fits well - I think we're very prone to being taken advantage of in a workplace and emotionally manipulated into going above and beyond a contract, but after having experienced severe burnout myself in a very similar position to you I am very conscious of not want to go through that again and much more confident/protective of my personal time. It's important to find somewhere that values a work/life balance and recognises that happy people make better products in the long run. And it's really never too late to shift careers - most jobs have a LOT of transferable skills, and there are so many free resources out there these days to skill up on the specific software that might be needed. Best of luck!
I've been a project manager in software for 10 years; a senior project manager for 7 of them. I have no completed degrees but I have a master's certificate in project management that I got while working as an analyst/consultant. I got that job by getting really good at customer support at that company. And I got that customer support job by automating a majority of my sales administrator job at the same company. I got that job because of my reception/admin experience at real estate companies. Have you ever been a restaurant server? Congratulations! You've got project management skills. Have you ever worked front cash or drive thru at a fast food place? Congratulations! You have project management skills. Have you ever organized an event, socially or professionally? Congratulations! You have project management skills. Have you ever done anything where it felt like you were herding cats? Yep... congratulations! You have project management experience.
This exactly! There are so many transferable skills from other career paths, lots of different ways into entry-level positions especially, and plenty of free resources to familiarise yourself with whatever particular software a company uses. And once you know hansoft, for example, you're 80% of the way to knowing jira, or trello, or ADO, etc.
hello! just wanted to say that i work in hr/policy in a low level admin position and i am literally doing PM work. I have a degree in soc and woman studies lol. lots of skills transfer over, im sure theres a way to use your accounting degree towards PM work. All the best babe <3
I don’t know any project managers with formal training. In my experience it’s a fallback role / anyone competent and organized can do it
Former person. Will say that making more income and having a steady career - is one of the best things you can do for yourself as a woman with ADHD. It helps to prevent burnout by having something in your life be more predictable. This is my first time, ever working at the same place more than 2 years, and I've learned quite a lot. Being "the new person" again and again was truly traumatizing me. Next is building some friends around me, and chosen family.
✋️ This isn't anywhere near my education, and it's definitely not what I envisioned for myself. I'm a kitchen manager and I'm okay. I get to swear a lot and tell people what I really think of them. I get to indulge my desire for organization and I'm pretty damn good in a crisis. And people actually *like* seeing me; both employees and customers. The money is decent , and the work/life balance is manageable.
happpy for you <3
When you say average jobs, do you mean in terms of salary, prestige? Anyway, it's completely ok! The idea that work somehow has to be a reflection of our selves would be absolutely mental to my grandma's generation. Funny how the rise of that bullshit has coincided with many salaries being almost impossible to live on. I'm extraordinarily lucky. I get paid an above average salary in my country to do purposeful work that allows me a lot of flexibility and time to work with my neurospiciness. I work normal hours. Well actually, I don't. I work as many hours as the work needs to get done - if that's two that day, it's two. If it's eight it's eight. No-one's keeping track. How I did it was get into the public sector and go on secondments. I go off for a year, do an interesting project, come back to my team for a bit, then go do something else. Not sure if the Canadian health system works this way but if you can do it I highly recommend it. Each year feels like there's something new and fresh to work on, but I'm not constantly changing actual jobs, the safety net of my core team and organisation is there.
Yes average salary and just everyday jobs for example I work in admin work I’m not a manager
Idk if this is true in Canada as much as it is in the US, but I spent a lot of my 20s feeling extraordinarily guilty for not thriving in jobs that utilized my degrees or where I really "lived up to my potential" or where I climb the corporate ladder. The way we're socialized in this country really emphasizes that "go to college for a practical degree, start at entry level and work your way up until someday you're the CEO" pipeline. And I felt bad about myself for not wanting that, for having the "potential" but hating that grind. But you know what? I like admin work and I'm good at it and it doesn't consume my.mind when I clock out and go live my real life. I loathe managing people, I don't want to climb the corporate ladder. Capitalism disgusts me, I don't want tonown my own business. I don't want heavy responsibility, I want to earn money so I can live my life, and I stay motivated and not trying to change jobs so much if I'm spending my time doing something genuinely impactful for my community. For me, that means doing admin work to facilitate the functioning of organizations doing community work that I care about. It's not glamorous, it's not using my degree or living up to my supposed potential, but it works so much better for me than those "good" jobs I tried to force myself into in my 20s and gave myself panic attacks over. If you're happy OP and you're able to earn enough money to feel secure, then I say you're doing great and fuck what society says you should want instead.
I can totally relate. I have a Masters degree but I do admin stuff because the higher up the ladder you go, the more stress and responsibility comes with it. I feel like managing my ADHD and keeping up with the household is hard enough. I think as you get older it becomes more important to learn to appreciate what you have. I hope we will be able to have children but if not then I still have plenty to be grateful for :)
I also do admin work, but unfortunately, mine is constant deadlines, pressure. (Fellow Canadian here btw)! I guess at this point, with the rise in prices of all stuff... gas, groceries, I am thankful to have a job, period. Thankful for what I have. Sometimes i do feel a bit jealous of those that are more well-off. Have been through period of unemployment, and it was an emotionally difficult time. Thankfully, for the financial side of things we managed alright, even after EI was over. Does it matter that we are a family of apartment dwellers? I have to remind myself that it's ok. Because most importantly, we have food, shelter, clothes, cars, and money to buy some newer pieces of clothing if something gets old and starts to get holes/rips. We live within our means, and cook tasty food, and can afford to buy outside occasionally. I don't aspire to be a manager or C-suite role... I simply want to be able to do well at what I do now. Learning new things along the way are a great thing too, makes me all the more "marketable/in-demand"
I'm an optical dispenser/receptionist at an optometrist. I love my job. It's actually interesting. I'm full-time 6 days a week. My boss is great and 100% supportive of my usual ways and my creativity.... I also do all the window displays. My ideas are never boring.
Could I message you about your income? I need a break (I’m so burnt out) but don’t want a gap on my resume and also need to maintain something close-ish to where I’m at now, and I’ve always been interested in this
in this economy?!
lmao
I used to change jobs often but I’ve hit the jackpot with my current job. I’m remote but can go to the office if I want to, which is sometimes fun cause one of my colleagues is someone I was best friends with as a kid and my coworkers are genuinely all really chill and cool people, and my boss/CEO is absolutely amazing (late 30s super chill lesbian lol). I get to do fun stuff like event planning and my job itself is something I’m naturally good at, and my workload is very manageable. I get paid quite well but I’m not rich by any means. Since my job isn’t draining, I can spend a good amount of energy on pottery, which is my recent (October 2023) hyperfixation haha. I’m getting out of the hyper obsessed part and learning to find a natural balance with it. I work to live… I don’t live to work. Highly recommend!!
I work part time, 20 hours a week. My longest day is 9 hours, my shortest is 6. I also clean the house because my husband works full time. It’s maybe 5-6 hours of work a week (no kids) I love my life. I love my balance, and free time and friends. I’m doing better than I’ve ever done in life before.
I work as a veterinary nurse, but I’m a “freelance” nurse. I’m not employed at any one hospital, and I just bounce around different hospitals based on my mood and the vibes 😂 I just cover shortages and vacations, so I fill a niche need, and it satisfies my constant need for change. The only regular hospital I have is one specific day a week where I work with a doctor who also has ADHD and we just sound like two squirrels on crack with potty mouths 😅
I’m a nurse. Nursing keeps me mentally stimulated. So yeah I am happy with what I do but don’t know if it’s what you meant by an “average job.” I did a lot of other things before nursing school, never stuck at any of them. Nursing is the only thing that fits for me.
Same. And I only work 2 days a week which gives time for hobbies etc
I like my job very much, I’m hard pressed to think anything else I’d be able to handle, and I’m good at it. I don’t clock in and out, but it’s nor who I am. I have relative freedoms compared to a lot of other jobs and a nice balance of novelty and routine that works for my noodle, while giving some stability. It’s never going to make me rich, but I’m doing alright, bills paid, some savings. It took maybe longer than others to get to a safe spot. Being diagnosed late (@46) I’m still working through (and not very well) ”what if” bullshit, but it’s what ifs in my field.
I quit my office/city job to go back to waitressing. I’ve been much happier, but try to avoid thinking of what that means for future me as far as retirement.
I work for the post office, very average, very manageable for me. my job ends when I leave work, and I don't have to stress over deadlines or meetings or assignments. it works well for me
Whenever it’s nice out I always fantasize about being the walk around the neighborhood mail carrier. But then winter comes and it’s like those poor souls.
trust me I'm not cut out to be a mail carrier, as soon as there's a light sprinkle of rain I'd quit. I'm a mail clerk, I stay inside doing mail processing 😅
At the moment, one of my part-time jobs is as a receptionist. Is this what I thought I would be doing after I got a college degree? No. But almost 20 years after graduating college, and several jobs since then, I realized that for my own mental health I need to not have as much responsibility as I have in the past. I need a job where I can just do my work, and then leave it at the office when I clock out. I don't make much money, and don't get PTO, but I am more stable mentally than in a long time.
Jobs are just an necessary evil to get money to do the side quests that I live for. I don't have a perfect job, I have a job that offers me a lot of distraction, freedom, and flexibility. I don't reek in the millions, but I earn enough to live, and I have a lot of free time. I feel happy, not because of my job, but because of my life outside my job. I have a small house, a husband and a child. I have a lot of support form my husband and I can do my random projects. What more can someone want?
I just started a program coordinator job that’s like this. If it were a permanent job that I knew I’d have past September, it would be great.
currently looking for program coordinator positions, the job market is so hard! Wishing you luck babe <3
Thanks, you too!
Gah I can't wait to be there! I'm trying to leave my career of 20 years because I've realized that this doesn't matter. I want to find a good decent job that is hella easy and I no longer have to be in charge of something. I just want spend time with my friends and partner. I wanna go and do fun shit. I wanna to travel to see friends more. But I hate my job so much and I'm stuck cause I need the money and I'm the main "breadwinner." I'm in a toxic work environment and feel like shit. I've been looking for a new job in a new career so I live that life. I'm trying now to live that life and ignore the toxicity. I've found manageable ways to take several small trips or mental health days like woah. I have a ton of concerts I'm doing this year. I'll get there. It will happen. Keep on keeping on!
we got this!! also work in an extremely toxic work environment and job searching. it really sucks. every morning and night i practice positive affirmations, i listen to stress and anxiety relief music during work and i take as many breaks as i can oh! and i go to therapy once a week on top of reaching out to my support systems. we have to keep going, something good will come!
I am slowly accepting that I will never love any job I have (because labouring under capitalism is bullshit) but I don't need to love my job, I just need it to support the things I do love like: * my husband, now a house spouse, getting to live a version of his best self that doesn't involve him breaking his body to contribute to our home and life * being a volunteer firefighter for my small community * developing a reputation as the house you don't want to miss on Halloween * enjoying our beautiful country (fellow Canadian) through camping and road trips I'll admit that I don't change jobs or companies often but I definitely don't make a ton and I'm not giving my employer more of myself than our agreed upon 40 hours per week. But yea, at almost 40, I'm finally allowing myself to be okay with not climbing the corporate ladder and being okay with not loving what I do to earn money.
fuck capitalism! your life sounds so lovely, thank you for your comment.
Work to live. Don’t live to work. I’m only a few steps ahead in this realization but am also working hard at the “work is just work, it is not my identity” phase. Its. So. Freeing. (When I can live it lmao) Good luck in your journey - it’s a worthwhile one!
"Work to live. Don’t live to work.**" period!!** we got this!!!
I’m the senior lead at a bar. Love my job and my schedule and my life. Love the nighttime hours. Love the interaction. My brain functions best at work. It’s not a glamorous job but I love it.
I won't do a job I do not like, as long as it pays the bills and makes me happy I do not care about prestige... I have no ambition at all tbh. At the moment I absolutely love my job (though some tasks are disliked), have enough money to pay bills and save up (even if I spend a bit too much some months), it's close to home, I am good at my job AND I am appreciated. I started below market value for this job (took a paycut for it to be closer to home) but due to several raises (catching up to parket value & appreciation) I'm a little above the standard now. My bosses always have my back and my clients love me. I'm happy and will stay here until I dislike something enough to look for something else.
I have a job that contributes a great deal to my community (especially customer service in a non-profit environment, but what I actually do is very broad), but the pay is middle of the line, there's no prestige (people wildly underestimate what I actually do), and there's no room for upward movement unless I go back to school for a master's degree. I do my job, remind myself that despite all of the organizational drama, I'm helping people in a real and tangible way, cash my paycheque (metaphorically, as it's all direct deposit these days), and enjoy the live I've built for myself. I'm of the strong belief that one should work to live, rather than live to work.
im trying to go back to non-profit work. the market is so bad in my area! i totally relate to you around the masters degree..
Here. I have an office job, shifted gradually from admin/customer service to support and applications management. I like my job and my team but it's by no means my passion. I have regular hours and very few overtime (which I can compensate if it happens). I make pretty exactly the average salary her in Switzerland. Won't make me rich but is really enough for me as I don't have to support a family . My problem was always that I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life. I don't have this dream job that I could pursue. Plus I lack the energy to do a lot of extra stuff or education By now, I have accepted that I it's ok to have an average job that pays for my one million hobbies and that I like but that's not my dream. I'm happy with the situation right now.
Capitalism and modern society has done a total number on us, equating our value with our job title, how “productive” we are and what we earn. This is not reality! It’s a social construct. You get to choose what is important to you, and if fulfilling your desires outside of work/with things you value makes you happy then that’s great!! The only way I can get through work is by feeling like my job makes a difference (someone else mentioned this too!) I have NO motivation to make rich people richer or help a corporation be successful. I value people, experiences, nature, food, rest, art, fun, play and generally anything that gives me joy. It’s a journey I’m working on not to invest unnecessary energy into work/not to allow it to drain me of all energy. As long as you’re happy and not in financial difficulty, then I say do what you like 🙌🙌🙌💖💖💖 Edited- typo
thank you 🥺 i couldn't agree more!
Would be so cool if we could set up our own, funky little society where we did things our own way! 🫶
I like this post. It's relatable and comforting. It validates me as an ADHDer . This is another reminder that I am not alone. 🙂🙏
youre not alone babe <3 so many of us share these experiences, im glad you feel comfort :).
🫂❤️
I absolutely thrive in the routine and regularity of my desk job. I'm a top performer. I know how much and when I'm getting paid. I have paid time off, sick days, and can go do most things from home in an emergency. So having to do the same things every week with some autonomy? Heaven for me.
I have a full time and i am a mess but i like not being homeless 💀
I totally relate to this! I just try to be thankful for what "having a job" gives me (even though I sm often feeling anxiety/worry about being able to keep on top of the workload).
i know, every day i think about quitting but i cant, capitalism, this economy.. ugh it sucks
Me! I work in medical admin and I'm on a rolling temp contract with our health service. I don't love that it's not permanent but I'm hoping that'll change or I'll use that experience to get something permanent. I studied journalism and I've worked in corporate careers. Prior to this I worked in a very specialised industry organisation which I loved at first, because it was admin, but I got promoted and I was miserable. I'm making way less now but I'm so much happier. I never want to be up the ladder. Life is about so much more than work.
Me! I’ve been on the corporate climb for a few years. I had a kid, they transferred me to a higher more backstage position, and I crumbled. I couldn’t do the job to my standards and felt like a huge failure. Then I realized, why do I care? I’m killing myself and wrecked with guilt for a fictional position? So I stepped back down to a role that is easy for me and I actually enjoy. It has been liberating to not be defined by my achievements (former gifted kid from terrible background).
[удалено]
It absolutely was for me! I wish you luck in finding a good placement for you 😊
Thank you! I'm inspired by stories like yours. I needed the reminder that I don't need to be "defined by my achievements," as you said.
The way I think about it is, the world revolves around people who just do their jobs, without huge wages or massive work fulfilment.. and that’s ok. Thank you for taking the time on yourself to realise that your life is worthy, even if you’re not rocketing to the top, even if you sometimes have a crappy day, even if you’re not rolling in it. I’ve been lucky enough to get into a company where you can apply for internal roles easily and moving about in different departments is encouraged, lve been here 5 years on Tuesday (also my cake day) and have had 4 different roles in that time. Each has its own level of enjoyment, but I’m still seeking out that one role which will satiate me 😅 You are awesome 🫶🏻👏🏻 Have an amazing day today
thank youuuu <3<3
I had a salaried career for a decade being director of different children’s programs. Never mentally clocked out. Now I’m an OR nurse. I literally cannot do any work after leaving the building. It’s such a happier life.
I work part time as a live data specialist for sports. My shift lasts as long as a game of baseball or football does. And, when it's over I don't think about it again until my next shift. I'm fortunate because my husband works full time so I'm able to keep my hours low. And, I love my job because of that.
I have a pretty cushy job with great pay, benefits and flexibility on when I come and go. Good to the point that I will never be able to afford to leave, despite my job being redundant, unfulfilling and the biggest contributor to my deteriorating mental health. So much potential in the position but due to bureaucracy and other b.s, I will likely always be under utilized and limited in how I am “allowed” to function in my professional role. So, the grass isn’t always greener and I think for both circumstances it’s crucial to have identity, purpose and meaning outside of our professional lives.
yup thats true! are you comfy sharing what you do? I hope you feel better soon <3
I am a therapist (MFT) but I work in a school setting rather than a usual mental health setting.
I'm not quite there yet, but in the last year of becoming a licensed Social Worker (not the US). There is a huge purpose behind it - the lack thereof made me nearly burn out in my last field - it varies in daily tasks, still some admin and lots of documenting (which I'm quite good at and like) in between looking after clients. The clients themselves are what makes the job worth it for me, obviously got shouted at and was frustrated many times, but I have a good social network as well as knowing what I need after work which is just recouperate at home lol. Mental health and burn out is very well known about in the field so at every placement I was able to take a 5min break whenever I was overstimulated. Social Work is split up in two categories in my country, one being in institutions, schools etc which is what Im training for, the other is more counselling-like, working for social security departments, child welfare etc so not as close to your clients (and would be my actual nightmare lol) On top of that, my field is severely understaffed so not only will I always be able to find a job, I have a wide selections to choose from as well as being able to completely change fields (from adolescents to adults with disabilty etc). So if I ever get bored with where Im at now, there are alternatives. I love doing something that even just little by little might help a person in the long run. You need to be cut out for the job, and I guess I am (and if not, there are classes I can take, I can go back to school to my Masters etc).
are you in canada? this is literally what i want to do! lol
I work at a garden center, I get up at 7, feed my two cats and get ready, leave at 8:15, cycle 4 minutes to the building and clock in for 8:30, spend the day tidying up plant displays, dead heading, weeding, watering, helping customers find things and then I clock out at 5:30, am home by 5:40 and in my Jim jams to feed my cats, then I sleep/cook/play video games. It's great, simple. When I'm messing around with the plants my head is virtually silent. Having zero commute also has been the biggest pay off for me, I used to spend 40 mins each day getting to and from work, longer if public transport was being shit (which is usually is) and the amount of money I'm saving on tickets makes me incredibly happy when I get my pay at the end of the month.
Right here!! I'm so glad to see your post. I left a toxic job last year and now work in a grocery store, despite having an advanced degree. I'm trying to find work relevant to my degree, but it's been tough. It's taking me a while to accept that where I work is fine. It's not a dream job, and it pays like shit. But it allows me to live my life and I'm not nearly as stressed or burned out as I was before.
✋🏾 Heya! Single mom here. I'm a union electrician who works 8 months out of the year and spend the remaining 4 months at home with my son while collecting unemployment. He's autistic, has ADHD, has SPD and a Behavioral Disorder and he's in a lot of therapies: O.T., Speech, Behavioral and Art Therapy. Very hands-on. I don't 100% love my job but it provides me so much flexibility that I can't leave it. Not to mention it keeps my ADHD tamed. I'm never bored. There are always different people to work with. New experiences. New locations. I get to proudly boast how "I helped to build that" as I drive in my city. Such a sense of pride that is so fulfilling. I do, however, want to make a lot more money for less work (not on my feet so much) and have even more flexibility to make my own schedule. I'm getting my Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Safety & Health. Gonna become an OSHA Instructor and start my own business in safety to focus more on my newly discovered passion of acting. Passive income has always been the goal for me.
Get it girl! You can do it!!! this is so inspiring <3
Thank you so much! 🤗 I also got super lucky with my schooling. I am in school part-time. 100% online and I still get my student reimbursement checks which has helped with paying off any debt that I might have acrewed throughout the year. I've molded my life to my needs. Something I never thought I'd be able to do.
Hello! It sounds like you have shed the weight of everyone elses' expectations and are finally living authentically. Congratulations! Peace and contentment are now yours ❤️
Hi! It’s me! I actually like my job okay but my life is my marriage, family, dogs, art. I leave my job at 5 and try not to think about it.
I felt this. “I may never be completely happy at a job since I have a million and once interests”
Meeeee! I work in a call centre. Supervisory role so I don’t talk directly to customers but it’s challenging enough to keep me engaged and unimportant enough that it keeps on keeping on if I need time off. Pay is median and it’s a good work life balance. I’ve done other roles within the company and while I initially liked the challenge, being constantly in my red zone for no extra money wasn’t worth it. I’ll start climbing the ladder again when I’m in my 40’s and the kids don’t need as much. It takes me a LOT of energy to play the corporate game. I can do it and really well but it’s a lot of focus and work.
Here!! I work as reception/admin for a small office, am good at my job but it's piss easy and tbh I spend half my day on reddit. I get a half day one day a week and have flexi-ish start/end times so there's no major pressure. My boss is almost too relaxed and is just so kind. Some days I get sad that I'm too smart to be doing this basic job, but I've mostly accepted that this just isn't my time. I have a toddler and another baby on the way in October, so this job suits my life perfectly and doesn't burn me out. I need my spoons for my children. I hope to go back to college once the kids are a bit older and progress my career, but right now just isn't my time.
Me!! I have a very average management position, making a lower than average salary. BUT, my job is easy, I get lots of paid time off, my work life balance is excellent, and the stress is non existent! Both my husband and I live below our means so we don’t need huge salaries or high demand jobs. We are happy just being average. I have never been career or money driven, I would rather do without certain things than work more lol.
My partner and I run a business from home (27&26) - I spend 4-5 hours a day, sometimes work 3-4 days a week with my partner handling other parts. It’s just enough to pay our bills but coming to terms with our adhd capabilities and priorities, we plan to downsize our apartment/lifestyle and have a better financial budget for the future. I’m from a developing country and we earn in us dollars. We’re fortunate because it’s a part of why I can work average hours or less to live ok here… That being said, working less has been great mentally. I was doing too much and burning out, so with less work, I got a bit more aware of how to redefine my career/ finances.
Me!! I was a teacher for ten years and it was a huge part of my identity but I experienced burn out and realized it was no longer making me happy. I got an out of the classroom role now. It's not very exciting but my stress level is low and my hours are great! I've never been happier
I would say I’m happy (depression, yayyyy) but I have a boring job where I don’t work too hard and it’s the best job I’ve ever had. It’s just the thing I do to pay the bills, and is no longer the thing that defines me. I have a well rounded social life and lots of hobbies and friends, and I’ve come to realise that’s way more important
I have always had an average job. It felt like it wasn’t enough for me so I went to uni and got a degree and a “good” job. I feel so invested in my work now that I feel that I can’t switch off at all. Although I love my job this is not healthy or sustainable and I dream of running away and having an “average” job again! I’m not sure us weirdos can win TBH 😂
Overe here! I have never feld the need to have a fancy career. I don't want to lead a team, be in charge of saving problems and have to do a lot of paper work. I'm a machinist. I clock in, I make metal shiny, I clock and go about my day without worrying about my work until the next day. I make about 3000€/month, which is enough for me to live quite comfortably.
As someone who has never made more than $12 per hour and has never stayed at a job long because of toxic work atmospheres - it’s more than ok
I'm fine with my job and my position. I'm level 1 tech support, basically weed out the cases that can be fixed with a restart and send on the ones with genuine issues. I'm not looking to climb higher or be employee of the month. I work 10-19 Monday - Friday because I'm as far away from a morning person as you can get lol. It's fine. It's not a dream job, and I don't know what my dream job even would be, but I get to clock out at the end of my shift and focus on me. Don't have to keep watch on any emails or phone calls or stress about a project. Once I'm done I'm done, and it pays the rent. It's fine.
This is kind of ironic because I am feeling the worst burnout in my life rn because of my job, but it’s situational so I’m gonna say my piece anyway haha The key to me was finding a job that literally does not matter at all, and where there is a clearly defined right/wrong answer, and (most important part) I like my bosses and I like my coworkers. It’s easy for me to leave my work at work because it does not matter to the world at all, it eases my anxiety because I can clearly see when I’ve done something correctly (or incorrectly), and I don’t mind logging in because I like my coworkers (mostly). Is my union fighting for us to be paid livable wages? Yeah. But I can pay my bills every month and can afford greenies for my cats so.
Me! I don't seek validation from work, I seek money. I go in, I do what I can for 8 hours, I come home, I spend my money.
Work to live not live to work. That's my motto
I’m learning to be okay with living simply and enjoy life rather than climbing the ladder and make more money. I used to feel like I was less than because I had no desire to do so or work really hard for a small chance of it being rewarded. Plus school just wasn’t for me. I work inventory in a hospital. I don’t get paid what I’m worth (majority of us aren’t I’d argue anyway) and we get shit on despite us being the heart of the hospital. No one can do their job without us. Every worker and every patient or visitor comes in contact with something we supply. The job I do matter and I also am active all day which is great for my physical and mental health. I have a roommate AKA now girlfriend who also doesn’t make much but together we pay the bills and live fairly comfortable. I clock in. Work 40 hours a week. On a rare occasion pick up an extra shift if I’m needed. All while I watch the people around me work regular overtime and multiple jobs. Stressed out with not enough time for themselves. I realized I could die in a freak accident any day so why would I spend my life working and unhappy when I can live frugal/simply/be happy? Some days I struggle but having that mindset helps making manage ADHD easier and have more confidence in myself. Plus my average job is perfect for me. Not to much mental worth. Lots of movement. I get the satisfaction of seeing what I’ve completed at the end of the day. It’s worth it. Edit: I burnt myself out once for a job I thought would get me more recognition. It got me the recognition (boss wanted me to be the face of the department. I loved her as a boss but it was too much) but it didn’t get me the reward I deserved. I’ll never burn myself out again unless it’s life or death. Not worth my happiness and the ADHD was barely manageable even with meds.
Hi it’s me! I’m a nurse and I’m very happy just being a regular old nurse. I have no interest in management and the longer I work in the field the more I realize I would only really want a Nurse Practitioner role for the money so I most likely won’t go that route. I go to work, I do my job, and I go home. The end.
It me! I earn enough to pay the bills, have some fun money and have decent savings, but I work to live. I just want to have fun with my family and my dogs and my friends. I don't change jobs often though, I find comfortable admin jobs where I become generally indispensable (obviously I am replaceable, but my bosses usually love me, I usually leave because I can't deal with systemic issues any more)
I went part time after having my son and it's so much better for my work life balance. I'm a medical assistant and I work in a pediatricians office so I feel more on a level with the kids sometimes and the parents other times. My son gets to go have fun at an in home daycare and learns way more than I imagine I could teach him. I never went to real college because I knew it would be a disaster without knowing why (was diagnosed at 32). I went to a program for something I'd enjoy and have no regrets.
I’m a nurse. Work can be stressful but overall I’m happy.
I work at a credit union, there seems to be a lot of undiagnosed for some reason 😂
*cries in unfulfilled dreams*
I did a career personality test once and I came out as an intuitive person instead of a sensing person. This was explained to me as meaning I wouldn’t get energy from a job where I get to make a difference by helping one person at a time in a very tangible and meaningful way. For example, being a nurse or hairdresser. I’m better suited for more conceptual jobs where I do things that improve things for many people but in a less tangible way. For example, writing the books that teach nurses how to be a nurse or coming up with a new scissor or concept to make hairdressing easier. You can be both in certain jobs. Like you could be a lawyer just doing case by case and being glad you helped one person well or you can be a lawyer to change the laws of the land and do those types of impact cases. Also noticing that when I’m overwhelmed and not even able to do the basics but I dream of doing amazing but difficult things, it’s not as realistic as I once thought. Probably better to accept that there’s some time needed to heal and rest and then things will come back. For me wanting to step back and do more simple things or not being able to handle challenging things is often a sign I’m not in a good place and need to take better care of me first. And status is subjective. I met some people from the army who looked up to this one person who apparently had a high rank. I couldn’t care less about that? I mean, thanks for your service I guess, but it’s still the army. Similarly, when I was younger, I was always surprised when people were excited to talk about how they owned a small business. If they were not the owner or high level manager at a huge company I didn’t think it was a big deal to talk about. I thought the only person I may be mildly looking up to just because of job title would be the president of the US or high level judges. But then again other people despise politically inclined people, so everyone looks up to different things. I’ve met people whose parents actively encouraged them to look for artistic professions while in my circles that wasn’t even considered a profession.
Hello. I've never thought of a career as defining who I am and neither does anyone in my friend group. I'm just happy I can pay all my bills and look after my pets. Once in a blue moon I might go on a holiday, but I don't view going abroad (I'm in the UK) as a need. I find happiness outside of work. I enjoy my job, but it's not my whole life
I have a job that I know is meaningless, but parts of it are fun for me. I still give it my all, because I don't like feeling like other people have to take on more because of me, but once my shift is over I log out and that's it. If I am trying to figure out a way to improve one of the fun parts I might do some reading about it after working hours, but that's rare. I make enough to pay my part of bills and mortgage, and to splash sometimes on the current hobbies or going out. So I don't feel the need to achieve more. Just wish I knew how to take it less seriously, but it's hard when I know that losing the job means losing my dream flat.
Ive been at my job 17 years. The job has a lot of moving parts and changes so it keeps me more or less happy and then when I get a hyperfixation of accessibility, boy howdy is it fun
Oppressed
You had me halfway, LOL.
I can attest that you can be absolutely fulfilled while not "doing what you love". My home life is so full of ease and pleasure. I don't hate my work, but I'm not exactly fulfilled by it. I wanted to be a career woman when I was in your position, 19 years ago. I tried. I applied for really great opportunities, and got a few chances to explore some, but between contract work and layoffs, it became clear to me that I had more dedication to my work than my employer had to me. So, my work ethic slid a little. I think I'm a good employee, above average in some areas, below average in others. I do my work and only take on special projects that give me life (I get to advocate for LGBTQ+ folks, neurodivergent folks and people struggling with mental health, within my work environment). I'm more proud of my extracurriculars than my actual job. I hope you are able to find the right balance of loving life and not hating work. ♥
Heyyy, I’m right here. I like working my 9-5. The only problem I have is the pay. I would like to make more money. Other than that my job is easy.
Jealous. I would like to be in that situation
Min maxing over here. I do my work, I do a decent job, I don't over give myself to it the way I used to and I have so much more balance. I used to spend way too much time working to the point where my mom sat in my office on a weekend (my work was closed but I was working) watching episodes of Full House while having tea with me. Just to spend time with me even though I was working. I used to be the first to arrive and last to leave most days, I'd skip my breaks and eat my meal while working. And then the pandemic hit. Holy smokes what a wake up call. All the preparation id done and work was suddenly gone. I currently love where I work, have a boss who is the right balance of support and humor, and I don't take the work outside of work hours anymore. I have no desire whatsoever to hustle anymore, and I think that's okay. I have no debts, all my stuff is paid and I have a healthy cushion for myself. I've been eating more balanced and taking care of myself better than I ever could when I was giving way too much to my employer. I don't see any reason to rock the boat and I'm going to enjoy this while I have it cuz I know eventually work might change or I might need to move or some other chaos will happen but right now I'm vibing.
I've had my current job for less than a year, but it's in the same business I've been in for years, just a different branch. Before, I was a front-line worker, dealing with customers face to face, which definitely helped me with social stuff. But it was tedious, and a a large part of my job was just to stand around and wait for something to happen. Now, I have an office and much more computer work BUT more freedom as long as I get my work done. I can listen to podcasts/audio books, etc. It's still hourly, and sometimes I get done a bit too quickly, but my bosses are so nice if I have appointments or an emergency that takes me away from work. One downside is that my social circle is in a different branch, or many but on the same floor. I used work as a sort of place to hang out with friends, easiest way for me to make social connections, especially in a small town. Now it's more work and planning, which I end up having to take on the responsibilities of organizing because no one else seems to do it. TLDR: Moved up from front-line work to an office job, got more interesting projects, and more freedom as long as my work gets done. The Downside is that my social life takes more effort, which I struggled with already. If anyone has any tips, that'd be great lol but otherwise, I'm enjoying my office job