How can I hate work less?
I’ve been continually employed for 20 years and am relatively successful if you only looked at job title. I get paid decently and have a fair amount of autonomy. On paper it looks great, but I’ve hated every job I’ve ever had but have done them all well in hopes that I would get promoted out of a job I hate into a job I hate less. The problem is that I’ve held seven progressively higher lever positions with three different companies, and I still haven’t found anything I don’t hate. I don’t even want a job I like at this point, I just want one I don’t hate.
I’m in production management It’s not just the companies that I hate either, I legitimately hate the work I do. I have mouths to feed and bills to pay, so I grind through it, but it’s not good.
I’ve tried looking at the good things or trying to change my perspective, but I still haven’t found a way to not hate my day. Weekends are great and I’m a happy camper living life to the fullest, but on Sunday around 4pm, I fall into a deep depression because I have to go back to work on Monday.
I don’t hate work either. I like to workout, I like to garden, I like to do housework, and those are all work. I just hate it when it’s a job.
I’ve looked into changing careers, but at this point, I’m pretty sure I’ll hate any job I have. Anything I find mildly interesting doesn’t pay enough to support a family, at least not entry level, and I’m just lost.
I see folks who keep working well
Into retirement years simply because they WANT to keep working. How!? I don’t want to spend any more time than absolutely necessary at a job.
Does anyone have any advice on how to do this for another 10-20 years without losing their mind?
Posted Sep 14, 2026, 7:53 PM UTC