4 signs that 9-5 life is just not for you
Are you working in a 9-5 job which makes you want to crawl out of your own skin? All of us have been trained to think that we must go to school, get good grades, decent university and then get a stable desk job to be happy! Now a lot of that might be true, but the end goal of working behind a desk from 9 to 5 is not everyone’s cup of tea! Yes, there may be some people who love the stability and routine of 9-5 work life balance, but that is not to say that everyone is the same.
Could this be you? There are some signs that may tell you that you are not cut out for a traditional 9-5 job. Now, this isn’t a bad thing! It just means that you would be more productive and happier doing a different work life pattern to the traditional.
1. You feel trapped when you are in the office
Do you feel like you always need to go out for fresh air? Are you always the one offering to go out and pick up lunch for people? Sometimes, it takes a good few years to realise that actually being in the office and behind a desk day in day out, is the one thing that is making you hate your job.
The initial excitement and novelty of starting your first corporate job eventually wears off, and you are left with either the satisfaction of coming into work and doing what you love, or you will be left with days of feeling unhappy and disgruntled.
What to do:
Now, if you find yourself feeling the latter, then maybe you are just not cut out for a 9-5 job and need to try something new and better suited to you. However, if you actually don’t mind the work you are doing, but just can’t stand sitting in an office and staring at a computer screen from 9 to 5, then here are some tips to help you.
First, maybe consider requesting to work remotely once a week to help mix things up a bit. Secondly, if your role doesn’t require you to be sitting in one place the whole time, then try and plan your day so you run errands at different times of the day to let you get out and about at least once or twice a day.
A monotonous day can crush even the brightest spirits. Find a way to break up this monotonous routine with small changes. But if you really dislike offices and desk culture, then investigate other roles that interest you, which may not require you to sit behind a desk every day.
2. Spreadsheets make you crazy
For some people, having to do the paperwork makes them want to crawl under a rock and hide. A great deal of office roles include a substantial amount of spreadsheets and paperwork. Now, many people dislike this part of their job, but if you are the type of person where spreadsheets actually terrify you and is a definite no no, then maybe you are just not cut out for office jobs!
What to do:
The reality is that this part of the job is likely to not go away! So whether you are afraid of the paperwork or technology involved, or simply annoyed about doing it, you have to remember you cannot really avoid it!
Whether you are working for someone else or for yourself, it will always require a certain level of reporting, documenting, data entry or number crunching. Unfortunately, business is business and it requires paperwork!
That said, if you truly abhor the paperwork side of things, consider finding ways to delegate, outsource or get support. If technology is the problem, consider getting some training and just invest in yourself to make the boring stuff more bearable and ultimately, make you happier!
3. You don’t like having regulated work hours or life
Similar to feeling trapped in an office, being required to punch in and out each day can make you feel like you have no day in your career or life. For some, just being told about what time you can start and leave work, makes them feel like they are not trusted.
What to do:
Now, if having the working hours of 9-5 truly make you unhappy, then there are other options. There are many roles which require in shift work. This means you will be working shifts instead of the traditional 9-5. But if you already work in shift work and its driving you nuts, then you may want to consider changing your line of work, or a new position. If you do not like the idea of shift work, then freelancing can be another route. This gives you the flexibility to start and finish your day as you please and work on projects you decide.
4.You hate Mondays
You hate Mondays, in fact you detest them! You so desperately want to be in a place where you can look forward to Mondays and the week ahead!
What to do:
If you hate Mondays more than an average person, then you are either in the wrong field of work and hate being in the office, or you simply hate that you have to start your week on Monday and not on Tuesday at midday! This again comes down to the regimented hours. Consider shift work or freelancing to help you look forward to Mondays, or even Wednesdays!
No matter how much people have warned you that you need to get a 9-5 office job, that is not always the best options. If you are simply not cut out for one, then don’t spend years pinning away for something that you dislike. Instead, find creative and strategic ways to redefine your role and make you happier. Life’s too short to be stuck in a job that you hate!
