@John,
It surprises me a bit that directors feel like this as well. Thank you for sharing. I know director’s schedules are full all day every day with meetings. I would not like that at all. Recently, they have started pushing me into those managerial roles, but, I’ve declined a couple of times. For me, it is better to remain doing actual software work.

I’ve also thought about the own business thing, but, I too realized it would be much much more work and stress.

@Api,
I’m in the same boat as you. I’m burned out. I love programming/science/technology, but not the way evil managers are working us to premature death.

@Swati, I am now doing clerical job which don’t require deep thinking but I am in doubt now whether it’s good or not.
There are some deadlines but not really too hard to meet.
I am not feeling motivated with the mundane jobs.

I would say to all here is to find a passion. Have you always wanted to start a business or turn a hobby into a side hustle. I’m struggling with this myself as a single mom wanted to make a difference in my community but I am paralyzed by fear. Fear of failing, fear of being judged or questioning my value or where I came from which is big in the town I live in. I feel like you must come from somewhere to be included or accepted when that’s not the case.

I would say “go for it” and live out your dreams!

I am not career oriented – might have been many years ago but not any more. Used it to our advantage and paid off a 25 year mortgage after just 15.

The other thing that changed my mindset about a career was my mum dying just a year into her retirement – my parents both spent many years working to have a nice retirement but it was cruelly cut short. This affected me a lot and I didn’t want to be in the same position.

So I quit working for greedy corporate fat cats and started to work at a local charity in a ‘job’ that required me using my skillset and knowledge – unfortunately the grass is not all greener.

Now I’m not paid anywhere near what I was and am still finding that I am suffering with being overworked and stressed out – the difference being the cause is now a worthy one not lining someone’s pockets.

I’d love to be in a position to retire early (I’m 48) but unfortunately even living frugally I do need some sort of income so will need to find something that doesn’t make me wake up every day and not want to go.

I do think that I have some sort of depression that is clouding the issue with regards not wanting to work.

All the best in whatever you choose.

@One Frugal Girl, Hi again! I ran across this blog post once again after googling some variation of “I just don’t care about my career” and until now I’d forgotten that I’d even written this comment. However since I’m here I many as well respond…

So to answer your questions, yes I have been and am currently searching for other jobs. I’m hoping that can find one that is more interesting, although I’m not optimistic about that so I’m focusing on better paid. It’s going not great, a lot of applications followed by few responses and several recruiters telling my my resume and experience are outstanding followed by me not getting hired. I’m only seeking remote work since I kind of hate going in to an office, and I know that is a factor but still, not great.

I’m fortunate that I have free childcare in the form of my mom plus a very affordable preschool that I’d want my kiddo at even if I didn’t work, and a commute of only 6 blocks so neither of those are major costs for us. (Again, I’m very lucky in that regard, I know for a lot of people the situation is much different.)

However I do make the slight majority of the money for our family (it’s maybe 55/45) and we definitely can’t get by on one paycheck. My husband doesn’t like his job/career either, so even if one of us got to quit there would be a question of which one gets to. But we really need both paychecks so that’s a non issue.

All in all, I guess I’m pretty much where is was in December of 2020: same boring job/career I don’t like or care about, but stuck with the need to work because money. You are absolutely right that would like to be a stay at home parent but I don’t see how that’s a possibility. And nothing I’m doing to try to improve things seems to work. And all the so called career help out there seems to be geared towards high powered, high achieving types with no one interested in helping bored office drones such as myself. Oh well, see you again in another year or so with another update on how stuck I feel.