I struggle with this as well. Life is short, relationships are the center of what's important, but of course we all need money to live on. I'm making a job change, and getting hard to motivate myself on possible longer commutes or work travel that takes time away from who I care to be with.

Forced telework during covid did to me. Why should I care about moving pixels around a screen and never interacting with other humans?

Work is easy enough because we need money and I want to provide for my kids. We both work and neither is about to make Big Money so that’s that.

But I feel very demoralized about other life goals, like reading some novels I’ve had on my list or learning anything new like playing the piano or pickleball. I’m like “why bother, I’ll be dead soon anyways”.

Part of it is o did have a health scare and feared I would be dead in 6 months. But I’m 49 and life is way past half over I expect.

Yes. Totally. I took a break and it feels impossible to find motivation to go back. It all seems stupid.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Women have been sold a lie. Work isn't everything. Life is about relationships.

but then how do you afford stuff????

Yeah, how can you afford stuff? I hope you’re not suggesting that getting married to get stuff.

Yes. I just don’t really care. I do what I have to do and then log off. I don’t think it’s a problem, though. It actually seems like a healthy way to view work.

I turned 40 coming out of COVID, some big work changes made me realize how futile the whole thing was. I’m pretty highly compensated and seemingly highly valued - but I just can’t get it together to care anymore. The whole thing is broken for me. I still do what I need to do to stay employed, but have realized it doesn’t matter if I advance further.

Yes, and I'm not 40 yet. But I also know I'm in my prime earning years and I want to keep making more money.

Anonymous wrote:Women have been sold a lie. Work isn't everything. Life is about relationships.

Do u say rhe same to men

Anonymous wrote:Women have been sold a lie. Work isn't everything. Life is about relationships.

but then how do you afford stuff????

Women have been sold a lie. Work isn't everything. Life is about relationships.

Anonymous wrote:Yep, work just isn't important anymore. I'm counting down the years until retirement.

but counting down the years till retirement also depresses me!

Mid-40s for me and hitting perimenopause did it for me.

Yep, work just isn't important anymore. I'm counting down the years until retirement.

it's mostly that my understanding of mortality and how close all of us are at any time to just - not being here - has greatly increased due to watching friends and family get very sick, and as a result I really struggle to pay attention to any sort of remotely boring meeting.
In my head on some level there's a sort of low level dread and panic about how I'm spending my time. And a tiny voice screaming 'we are all going to die! I don't care about your linkedin engagement rate!'
anyone else?