Your working life.

[William Treseder]

Some really interesting replies on this subject, and thanks to everyone who has contributed.
A point that Jimmy the jock made sticks in my mind. Some of us have probably seen more of our work colleagues than our family over the yrs. I’ve always been an easy going guy, and try to get on with most people, but I like to think I’m a good judge of character. I’ll go out of my way to help others, but if you shit on me, I’ve got a memory like an elephant. Although I don’t know how that saying came about 😁

[Nobody's Rep]

I've worked in health or social care for 35 years but been working for 44 years now as had a complete career change mid twenties - I've been fortunate as I can see the difference my day makes to people either directly or indirectly and that's a constant buzz

I'm ready to retire but can't afford to as we have always spent in the moment but had a life I couldn't imagine when I was growing but I don't dread going to work in the slightest. In fact I've been off for nearly four months due to spinal surgery and can't wait to go back in the next week or two

My bad experiences have been a couple of managers and I've tended to move jobs because of them rather than the job itself but equally I have worked for some incredible managers including my current boss 👍

So overall pretty blessed in work and life

[Bobby Dandruff]

That really does sum up how I felt too - though I'm retired now. I left at 59. If I'd been one of those lucky people that felt happy every day going into work, I would have stayed much longer. A friend of mine once told me he was doing a career what he loved and couldn't believe he was getting paid for it too. My experience was a million miles from that.

Exactly.

(I’m 59 as well - for another 3 weeks anyway - but still working….)

[Bobby Dandruff]

I've worked in health or social care for 35 years but been working for 44 years now as had a complete career change mid twenties - I've been fortunate as I can see the difference my day makes to people either directly or indirectly and that's a constant buzz

I'm ready to retire but can't afford to as we have always spent in the moment but had a life I couldn't imagine when I was growing but I don't dread going to work in the slightest. In fact I've been off for nearly four months due to spinal surgery and can't wait to go back in the next week or two

My bad experiences have been a couple of managers and I've tended to move jobs because of them rather than the job itself but equally I have worked for some incredible managers including my current boss 👍

So overall pretty blessed in work and life

I envy you in that what you do makes a difference.

I just look back at all the thousands of stupid meetings that I have been to over my life and wonder what difference it made to anyone. And all of the other people wasting their time in these pointless meetings. We built some successful companies I suppose but to what end?

[Tuerto]

I envy you in that what you do makes a difference.

I just look back at all the thousands of stupid meetings that I have been to over my life and wonder what difference it made to anyone. And all of the other people wasting their time in these pointless meetings. We built some successful companies I suppose but to what end?

Don't do meetings Bob, nor Emails, training days.

[Nobody's Rep]

I envy you in that what you do makes a difference.

I just look back at all the thousands of stupid meetings that I have been to over my life and wonder what difference it made to anyone. And all of the other people wasting their time in these pointless meetings. We built some successful companies I suppose but to what end?

Oh don't worry I still get caught up in the corporate bullshit but it is a necessary evil to keep the organisation legal decent and honest

I have a policy each day where I can, I do the worst aspects of my job first which leaves the more creative development elements to enjoy before I finish for the day 👍👍 doesn't always work like that but that's the aim

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Jim, I'm a decent bloke to get on with if you get to know me, it's work I have no Interest in, the people, the job, the politics, where they're going on holiday and pictures of their kids, grand kids. I don't want to know. I don't want to be there so I make it work for me. Basically I don't give a f uck! Although I'm sure that if I worked with you we'd get on like a house on fire as you jocks like a good old moan.....

A lot of racist arseholes in the construction industry

I often dreaded tea break when some idiot would start reading some cobblers from The Sun

I believe that a lot of people employed in that sector would struggle to work in any other area as they are stuck in the past

[Tuerto]

A lot of racist arseholes in the construction industry

I often dreaded tea break when some idiot would start reading some cobblers from The Sun

I believe that a lot of people employed in that sector would struggle to work in any other area as they are stuck in the past

There are, although it's got better over the years. It's a little more gentle than it was years ago. What i find is that there are a lot of people who can't get their shit together and go from one crisis to the next, many of them avoidable by the sound of things. They then proceed to tell me all about it, and i can't be doing with it. So, i just go stealth, do what i need to do and get out of there. There's one or two that are ok, although they're just not my cup of tea. I know some people love the social aspect of work and all that, and more power to them, it's just not for me. I keep my business to myself

[Bobby Dandruff]

Don't do meetings Bob, nor Emails, training days.

;-)

[Jimmy the Jock]

Oh don't worry I still get caught up in the corporate bullshit but it is a necessary evil to keep the organisation legal decent and honest

I have a policy each day where I can, I do the worst aspects of my job first which leaves the more creative development elements to enjoy before I finish for the day ���� doesn't always work like that but that's the aim

As a youngster I was head hunted into a huge company on a local level , quickly working my way up to Branch manager , turning a depot losing money back into profit in charge of people way my senior . I loved it till I had to go to corporate meetings, listening to clueless suits spouting absolute nonsense , I quickly learned to play the game you kept your mouth shut no matter how unpleasant it was .
The huge company decided they no longer wanted to be in the game I was in and closed all their branches nationwide including mine.
At that point I decided if something I was in charge of was going to be closed down , it would be my doing not outside influences.
I started my own business not long after .
It will be 30 years old this year .
I only work when it suits me these days , spend most of my life travelling either in my camper or jumping on a plane to whatever .
I am always on the phone if the business needs me , I am working in the office at the moment to cover illness .
I enjoy working more than I ever have , not sure when to say enough is enough , I am a few years away from retirement but could pack it all up tomorrow if I wanted. I have run my race , its a lot more complicated than this little piece, on the whole I have enjoyed it , always got up with zest , sometimes kicked down but always came back for more .

[Jimmy the Jock]

Jim, I'm a decent bloke to get on with if you get to know me, it's work I have no Interest in, the people, the job, the politics, where they're going on holiday and pictures of their kids, grand kids. I don't want to know. I don't want to be there so I make it work for me. Basically I don't give a f uck! Although I'm sure that if I worked with you we'd get on like a house on fire as you jocks like a good old moan.....

As you are a friend of Tyte , I guess we would get on.
I am an extremely private person , although quite sociable. I tend to keep fools far far away from me and my business , even my customers.....
I rarely speak about work when I am out of it .
Despite the little piece above.

[blue matt]

Ive been working 37 years now

I always disliked working for others ( the man making money from my hard work ), but I always got bored after a few years and moved on, being a decent Chippie, I could always get new starts with old work mates who had moved on and I always did, a phone call or text on Friday and I would have a start on Monday morning

in hindsight, they were most probably the best working days I had, good work mates ( and ive had some very good work mates ), good laughs and being part of a team, I must have been a right PITA to employ, always looking to get one over on the management, just doing enough work to get by, BBQ and a few beers on the beach at the Bendricks on a hot day, yea why not, I would always get the work done, but never really pushed myself, I wouldnt have employed myself

then I moved away from being a Chippie 21 years ago, working on my own, while I can earn alot more money ( and I do ), I miss working with people, I thought about building garden buildings, did mine as a show building, did a few for customers, then got offered a job ( by a ex work mate who works for the company ), so 1 day a week now for a company snagging new build garden rooms, but while im part of a team, I actually go and inspect the work at customer handover and either put things right ( the money is taken from the install teams money ) or I get them back out and they put it right ( for free ), so as you can guess, im not really part of a team, im the bad guy taking money from people

work to me is a chore, it gets in the way of life, I admire people who enjoy work, maybe I havent found the right work ? ? maybe I never will, but the trade off is I get to do what I want, do the fun things in life and im fortunate to be able to do that, which I will forever be grateful for

[insider]

I envy my wife in many ways not all, she's worked in the NHS for over 35 years. Seen some horrible things but also recoveries and people getting better.
The part I envy is she left school with 2 o levels and has studied ever since she started , she is now currently studying for her PHD and I couldn't be prouder of her.

[Tuerto]

As you are a friend of Tyte , I guess we would get on.
I am an extremely private person , although quite sociable. I tend to keep fools far far away from me and my business , even my customers.....
I rarely speak about work when I am out of it .
Despite the little piece above.

Jesus, you sound like me! I'm very private, i guess that's why i don't like sharing info in work

[splott parker]

There are, although it's got better over the years. It's a little more gentle than it was years ago. What i find is that there are a lot of people who can't get their shit together and go from one crisis to the next, many of them avoidable by the sound of things. They then proceed to tell me all about it, and i can't be doing with it. So, i just go stealth, do what i need to do and get out of there. There's one or two that are ok, although they're just not my cup of tea. I know some people love the social aspect of work and all that, and more power to them, it's just not for me. I keep my business to myself

In the construction industry, it’s interesting just to stand back and listen, some of the tales that co workers come out with as a matter of fact. The chaos in some people’s lives that is just run of the mill to them astounds me. I was, very often, the odd one out coming in with my sandwiches & flask, while the others were off spending £10/15 a day on rubbish, then complaining that they were skint Work, for me, was very much an eye opener on the darker side of society. Self imposed poverty in many cases, (my ‘not drinking at home ‘ policy very often bore this out), blokes caning the cans at home, missing work the next day, too busy on the cans at night to make a bit of grub, too late in the morning to.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s way more ‘straight down the middle’ decent blokes in construction but, my God, some of the folk you come across would shock the wider public. It’s been an interesting career with memories that would be unbelievable to many not involved in the game.

[Robin Friday's Ghost]

Took me a long time to get where I really enjoyed my job. Started in admin, then a short academic career, then research and finally software development. I had a ten year spell where I loved my job and the company I worked for. Then it grew from an exciting small company into a financial giant and wasn't as much fun. On the plus side it made me a lot of money in share options but it was frustrating to have finally found something I really enjoyed only for it to become a bit meh.

[WJ99mobile]

I’ve been working now for 44 yrs, and thinking of either retiring altogether, or semi retiring and getting a part time job.
I can honestly say in all of those 44 yrs, I’ve never woken up once, and not wanted to go to my work because I didn’t like the job.
I’ve woken up with stinking hangovers when I was younger, but always managed to struggle through the day.
Including the job I’m doing now, I’ve had 3 spanning over those 44 yrs.
Has anyone on here ever had a job that they disliked so much, that they’ve woken up and not wanted to turn in ?

Yes.

My job is pretty well paid and pretty easy.

I'm horrendously bored.

That's life. Puts food on the table.

[Henry Hill]

I work to live, not live to work.

No point being the richest man in the cemetry.

[JumpersforGoalposts]

I spent 30 years climbing the corporate greasy pole, always enjoyed the work but hated the corporate politics. Realised in my 40s that everyone hitting 50 was being shown the door but somehow made it to 52 before the jobs market "retired" me. Tried for years to find a lower level role but it just doesn't happen so after a few years of ad hoc consulting packed it all in.
I did find my social life would involve work colleagues more than friends, but I guess that was inevitable as I was working abroad quite a lot in the 2000s.

[Wales-Bales]

Used to work with a lad who would say "I'm not here to make friends I'm here to make money" he was the biggest wanker I've ever met in my life.

I never knew you worked with Tuerto!

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Worst job you ever had ?

Sony Bridgend

Death Factory

[North Cardiff Blue]

I've had a good working life, 42 years proper not including the paper rounds and spar while in school.
I've enjoyed it, a lot of performance-related pay, so that was great when you and I needed to move up the housing ladder quickly with a young family and that set me up to ease up as I got older. I moved roughly every seven years or so for new challenges and you get a bit stale and undervalued if you stay in the same place too long. I want to retire in the next year but the Winter weather (constant rain) and lack of stuff to do outside is putting me off.

When I do retire I'm looking forward to plodding around locally at 20mph and 50mph in the middle lane on the motorway

[J R Hartley]

Worst job you ever had ?

Sony Bridgend

Death Factory

Didnt expect to see on a thread about work. Then again, it shouldnt surprise me really, you have form for sticking your nose into things you havent got a clue about.

[jeepster]

I've had a good working life, 42 years proper not including the paper rounds and spar while in school.
I've enjoyed it, a lot of performance-related pay, so that was great when you and I needed to move up the housing ladder quickly with a young family and that set me up to ease up as I got older. I moved roughly every seven years or so for new challenges and you get a bit stale and undervalued if you stay in the same place too long. I want to retire in the next year but the Winter weather (constant rain) and lack of stuff to do outside is putting me off.

When I do retire I'm looking forward to plodding around locally at 20mph and 50mph in the middle lane on the motorway

I knew you would grow into it

[Swiss Peter]

I've had a good working life, 42 years proper not including the paper rounds and spar while in school.
I've enjoyed it, a lot of performance-related pay, so that was great when you and I needed to move up the housing ladder quickly with a young family and that set me up to ease up as I got older. I moved roughly every seven years or so for new challenges and you get a bit stale and undervalued if you stay in the same place too long. I want to retire in the next year but the Winter weather (constant rain) and lack of stuff to do outside is putting me off.

When I do retire I'm looking forward to plodding around locally at 20mph and 50mph in the middle lane on the motorway

I've got to say - as someone who has just spent the morning pottering around down the allotment in the sun - being retired is much more fun in the summer than winter months!