Help! I hate my job

[mickj]

I know this has been a common thread, but....

I have almost doubled my salary since I started working 6 1/2 years ago but I hate my job. I find my self constantly looking at other jobs that I might enjoy more but none of them would match my current salary. I am trying to balance my desire to FIRE with having a job that I would really enjoy. It just doesn't seem worth it to have a job that hate when I have so many more years of work ahead of me before I can consider FIRE.

any suggestions?!?!?!

 

[brewer12345]

Spit-shine that resume and start seriously looking. If the gig is getting old and you can do as well (or better) elsewhere, what are you waiting for?

 

[HFWR]

In my case, one list is approaching zero, the other infinity...

Guess which is which.

 

[Howard]

The expression is Golden Handcuffs.

A Rut is a coffin with the ends kicked out.

 

[Marshac]

I have almost doubled my salary since I started working 6 1/2 years ago but I hate my job.  I find my self constantly looking at other jobs that I might enjoy more but none of them would match my current salary.  I am trying to balance my desire to FIRE with having a job that I would really enjoy. 

You only live once, and there is a possibility that you will NEVER make it to RE (untimely death, etc), regardless of how much you whore yourself out. I suspect that once you're doing something you really enjoy, your desire to RE will wane somewhat. For me, I will always have the desire for FI, but once i'm happy, the RE will hopefully become less of a priority... the ONLY reason I want to RE as of this moment is because I don't enjoy what i'm doing.

 

[Howard]

People with Jobs need to find Careers.

 

[flipstress]

You only live once, and there is a possibility that you will NEVER make it to RE (untimely death, etc), regardless of how much you whore yourself out.

I agree--really, if you are not enjoying the job, it's like being very miserable on a very l-o-n-g trip without even being sure that you would get to your destination (FIRE).

I would try to find a more enjoyable job even if the journey to FIRE takes a little longer.  At least, you'll get there intact psychologically and maybe even physically.

 

[Marshac]

I've never really understood how the possibility of dying tomorrow should impact my decisions today. 

Report back to us on this once you have been diagnosed with a terminal disease.

 

[HFWR]

I have 3 things that I like about my job... one of which is getting paid.

There are 105 things I do not like.  I add at least a few to this side of the list every week it seems.

And you couldn't think of the other two...

 

[flipstress]

I've never really understood how the possibility of dying tomorrow should impact my decisions today.  I may die tomorrow, but I won't be around to wish I had done things differently.  Why dwell on something now that you'll never need to dwell on in the future?  I think it's prudent to plan like you're going to live quite a bit longer than another day, month year or even decade... unless you're approaching the age of statistical death (currently 75 for a man and 80 for a woman).

I don't recommend dwelling/obsessing on the fact that one may die tomorrow.  I agree that I could die tomorrow although I should have added that it is hard to internalize this--I feel almost immortal in the sense that even if I hear about other people dying, it hasn't really sunk in that I, too, would die.  If I really believed it, then maybe I would choose to do other things than what I'm doing now.  Maybe people who've had close calls to death have felt such and a near-death event causes people to stop and think what's important to them.

All I'm suggesting is that the journey for some to FIRE might be long so there's need to find something more enjoyable so that one doesn't burn out.  If you add on the fact that there are no guarantees you could get to FIRE (Marshac's reminder that we could die anytime), there's added incentive to have a tilt towards less misery now, which is what OP seems to be suffering from, even if the arrival to the bliss of FIRE is delayed.

 

[mickj]

The expression is Golden Handcuffs.

A Rut is a coffin with the ends kicked out.

In my case they are aproaching brass not quite gold yet. I do appreciate everyone's comments. It is nice to get different views from others.

 

[sgeeeee]

I've never really understood how the possibility of dying tomorrow should impact my decisions today.  I may die tomorrow, but I won't be around to wish I had done things differently.  Why dwell on something now that you'll never need to dwell on in the future?  I think it's prudent to plan like you're going to live quite a bit longer than another day, month year or even decade... unless you're approaching the age of statistical death (currently 75 for a man and 80 for a woman).

This isn't a very popular sentiment on these boards, but I agree with you, Dave. If I really believe I'm going to die tomorrow, my current portfolio would hold no value to me. I would not hesitate to trade all of my money for enjoyable experiences. I might not be able spend my money fast enough to go broke in a day, but if I lived a week or two like I was going to die tomorrow, I would be flat broke. I would have had a heck of a ride, but then what? I have to live every day like I might live beyond 100. When people tell me to live every day like it may be my last, I just shrug and ignore. That is not practical advice you can use.

 

[Nords]

If I really believe I'm going to die tomorrow, my current portfolio would hold no value to me.  I would not hesitate to trade all of my money for enjoyable experiences.  I might not be able spend my money fast enough to go broke in a day, but if I lived a week or two like I was going to die tomorrow, I would be flat broke.  I would have had a heck of a ride, but then what?

Ed McBain (Evan Hunter) wrote that theme in his last book. In this case it was a terminal cancer patient nursing a number of grudges.

Ironically for the book's main character, on his way to a prison sentence he met the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

It was Hunter's final book before dying of cancer, so there must've been quite a few nights where he pondered his next move...

 

[unclemick]

Hmmmm

"Today is a good day to die." Thus one can live forever.

The Norwegian widow takes her dividend checks and lets the principle ride.

A plan, backup plan, and dire straits plan - a busy - nothing in particular schedule and some hope Seattle makes a credible showing in the Superbowl.

To each his own. Steady practice at whining, bitching, bemoaning the state of things - can be crafted into curmudgeonism once one learns his/her own individual melody.

First cup.

heh heh heh

 

[Andre1969]

I'm pretty much going through this with my job. I'm burned out, and there are a few co-workers that can piss me off in record time. I'm a government contractor, and oddly enough, most of the gov't people I support are really cool, easy to work with, and appreciative. It's my fellow contractors that get into the petty backstabbing, namecalling, crying, whining, and so forth.

I'm basically on cruise control right now, for lack of a better word. I've been doing the same thing for too long. The job has its moments, but then when we go through slow spells, and I think the main problem is just that there are too many people that don't have enough to do. What's that old cliche about idle hands being the devil's workshop? I try to tune out the BS as much as possible, and try to just let it roll off my back. It's hard sometimes.

Sometimes I do think about just quitting. I'm honestly at a point right now where I could probably just drop out of this job and pick up a part time job that brings in a lot of cash, like bartending or waiting tables. But those types of jobs can be irritating as well, and as you get older they can sometimes take their toll on you and wear you down. Plus, I'd probably end up making just enough to get by, where right now I've got a pretty good accumulation phase going on.

I think that's the main thing that keeps me going. Knowing that every month I put up with this job, something like $1250 goes into my 401k, reducing my tax burden. And another $1300 into mutual funds. So I figure every month I work funds at least a month of retirement, and that's before you consider the compounding that will occur over the years from that money invested. I could easily live off $2000-2500 per month. Provided no huge catastrophes pop up, of course.

 

[Dawg52]

I hate my job too, but I'm sticking it out a few more months. Maybe I will go work for Kitty on her KY farm. 

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Whats that old joke?

Guy walks into the doctors office and says "doc...it hurts when I do this" and waves his arm sorta funny, and the doctor says

"Then dont do that".

Enjoy yourself and your job. Find another one if you dont.

I had a bunch of jobs I hated that should have made me rich. They didnt. I had one I liked that shouldnt have made me much money at all. I FIRED from that job seven years later.

 

[Andre1969]

Wait, they make KY jelly on farms?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Its a little known fact that farmed beavers excrete ky jelly.

 

[mickj]

Well, someone sure knows how to kill a thread....

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Dont try this at home, I *am* a professional.

 

[yAyA]

I hate my job too. I just got a call about a interview for a job I really want, so I'm so excited. I won't be arrogant until I actually get the job, so I will still smile at work like I really want to be there

 

[sgeeeee]

I hate my job too. I just got a call about a interview for a job I really want, so I'm so excited. I won't be arrogant until I actually get the job, so I will still smile at work like I really want to be there

Good luck YaYa. Keep smiling.

 

[mickj]

My update...

I would say I have lived through depression at this job all this time...
I have looked into several other career/job options and I can't see anything that provides the money I need and/or some expectation that it would be more satisfying than what I am currently doing.

Even more depressing for me is the inability to get out of debt, I am stuck at the same debt level... not really going up but not down either. Retirement accounts are growing but that isn't much consolation when I realize I have 20+ years left of work.

Any ideas

 

[Milton]

I have almost doubled my salary since I started working 6 1/2 years ago but I hate my job. I find my self constantly looking at other jobs that I might enjoy more but none of them would match my current salary. I am trying to balance my desire to FIRE with having a job that I would really enjoy. It just doesn't seem worth it to have a job that hate when I have so many more years of work ahead of me before I can consider FIRE.

Get out now.

I appreciate that the grass is always greener. It is quite possible that you will not find greater satisfaction in any of the other, lower paying jobs.

However, since you've only been working a few years, the risk of grinding away at something you hate is much greater than the alternative. Not only is it likely that you will burn out (or be let go) long before you reach FIRE, but the longer you stay in your current job, the older you'll get and the less marketable you will be for other occupations. Your sense of being trapped will increase exponentially.

If you were five or fewer years away from FIRE, my advice would be different.