Letting Come A Life Until You Can "Just Quit"

Sometimes you have to start building before you are allowed to let go of what is not working. Daily after reviewing the Just Quit survey results I realize that most people feel HOPELESS because they:

1. Hate or feel burned out with what they are currently doing; and
2. Don’t know what they are passionate about; or
3. Can’t seem to do what they are passionate about and make enough money doing that thing. 

I mean basically that is what is boils down to for folks who find this blog.  Even if folks are not at the point of typing into google something that lands them here; there are still those suffering in jobs WORLDWIDE that they are not well-suited for and feel stuck at, because:

1. They fell into professions and they don’t know a way out – 
2. They worked many professions for others and now want to do their own thing – 
3. They have families and pensions depending on them to keep doing their current jobs (they don’t like or where they feel unheard or unappreciated).

Having a Vision

I am big on having a vision and creating a vision so that folks in an organization can know where they are going.  I have come to realize that it is not impossible as an individual to create a vision (AND ACHIEVE IT) for yourself, your family, your community and your life.

Of course we’ve all heard this before BUT after you get to a certain age you come to realize that it is easier said than done.  How many have created plans that haven’t worked out? Dreams that have gone unfulfilled?  Careers that have derailed? Jobs that feel like dead-ends? How many reading this can relate? Too many!

So, I have realized that maybe the problem is…We are dreaming too small…We are hoping for too little…We are being too incremental.

I will have a boat here in this marina in Hampton, VA in 2020 five (5) years from now.

We need to create a life from here on out that is big and bodacious. GO BIG or GO HOME.  Stop being afraid of losing your job (that you hate), applying for jobs similar to the job (that you hate), working for a little bit of money at a job that you hate.

Waking up day-after-day; week-after-week; year-after-year going through the motions. Why are people doing this? Trust me if you can relate to this you are NOT alone, many are in the same boat.

So, what are we going to do about it?

Let’s go on a journey together. From one port to another.  I’ll start the journey and you can watch or participate along with me.  I’ll go back to weekly Sunday blogging as I CRAFT a BIG and bodacious DREAM to CREATE an organization that GIVES PEOPLE COURAGE TO PURSUE MEANINGFUL WORK.  I will take my ideas, my art, my books, my friends, my money, and my skills and pour them into one place for people who stumble on this blog (which will transform and grow) to be a resource for those who desire to live fully and leave a legacy of creativity.

 

 

Enlightened Knowledge Age Workers Considering Taking the "Just Quit" Risk

Below are the survey entries from August 8, 2015 – August 22, 2015.  It has become apparent to me that publishing a weekly Podcast is very time-consuming. I’ll figure something else out to GIVE VOICE to this issue; but for now below are the entries from the last two weeks.

Hang in there everyone.  You are NOT crazy and you are NOT alone. YOU are on the right track.  The working world is changing and some workers are waking up and are what I call the “enlightened knowledge age workers”.  Yes, Just Quitting is a risk…but…

Why Are You Thinking About Quitting Your Job Without Another One?

My job makes me miserable. My boss is a crazy condescending pr*ck he makes it a habit to f*ck with me everyday. I lose sleep cannot eat and have been drinking ALOT. My physical and mental health have gone turn the tubes	Yesterday, 7:48PM
Because the colleagues I am working closely with are driving me mad – 1 with her illnesses, the other one with her aggressive behavior. Also people are leaving and do not get replaced which makes me doing more work without more reward	Yesterday, 5:11AM
1. Unprofessional behaviours are cordoned, thus encouraged 2. Daily dealings and assessment are not fair 3. Disproportionate distribution of work, without due recognition 4. Unsupportive team members and manager 5. The need to protect myself against team member in order to get my due recognition	Yesterday, 4:31AM
I’ve been doing the same thing for five years at a job that was only supposed to help me through school/college now my boss is upset that I’ve said i might be leaving and now she doesn’t talk to me.	Yesterday, 3:56AM
I’ve been doing the same thing for five years at a job that was only supposed to help me through school/college now my boss is upset that I’ve said i might be leaving and now she doesn’t talk to me.	Yesterday, 3:51AM
Toxic work environment.	Friday, Aug 21st 5:56PM
I don’t like my team.	Friday, Aug 21st 5:15AM
I am unhappy.	Thursday, Aug 20th 9:33PM
I can’t find another job, but I know my current job will lead nowhere. I feel like I can’t move on without quitting my current job.	Thursday, Aug 20th 7:37PM
To get rid of the stress, anxiety and general unhappiness and suffocation my current job gives me, and with that space cleared out, knowing I will figure something else out. Because my current job I am not passionate about, because I have no interest in it, and at this point, I feel I’m almost doing my students a disservice by being their teacher.	Thursday, Aug 20th 6:21PM
This job is unfulfilling. It pays the bills, but makes me unhappy and angry. I feel lost in my work life and I don’t have time to explore what I want because I am always working!	Thursday, Aug 20th 3:01PM
i have been disgnosed with depression. i am not in alignment at all. i have no motivation. i am just exchanging time for money at the expense of my dignity.	Thursday, Aug 20th 2:42PM
Stressed and overworked	Thursday, Aug 20th 11:14AM
I am unhappy	Thursday, Aug 20th 10:17AM
My current job has made me a monster. It is cruel to animals, but most importantly my boss has continually crushed my good spirits in a manipulating manner.	Thursday, Aug 20th 9:51AM
I’m unhappy at my current job Relations with my colleagues are irreconcilable I’m not growing in the company I’m not compensated well I’m taken for granted I need something new to do	Wednesday, Aug 19th 3:36PM
Because I am physically and emotionally drained. I have lost all confidence in who I am as a person and cannot bare to go through it any longer.	Wednesday, Aug 19th 1:27PM
current job makes me feel unimportant and small	Wednesday, Aug 19th 11:42AM
Because I want to start a business. I don’t want to work for others, I want life to come first. My life, my way.	Wednesday, Aug 19th 10:23AM
My job makes me feel worthless every day, and I find that the inconsistent schedule and treatment I receive from other employees unnecessarily stresses me out.	Wednesday, Aug 19th 6:17AM
Because My jobs is slowing killing me. I want to work days to actually enjoy family life, and not hate it	Wednesday, Aug 19th 5:14AM
My job is borderline abusive. I get paid less than anyone, work more hours than anyone, am respected the least and am made to feel like a useless idiot on a regular basis.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 9:57PM
Because I have no control there and the stress has affected my health in a serious way. Also My job is boring	Tuesday, Aug 18th 7:07PM
I can’t stand the stress I go through being the one and only service rep in the entire state for a medical equipment imaging company. No hospital wants to or can wait when they have equipment problems, yet I often have to make them wait while I complete repairs. My company offers poor technical training and I don’t have enough of some types of equipment to become familiar enough with them to be able to fully support them without some help on some occasions. I’m on my own and support is not coming to my state were as all the other states have more than one service rep in them and they all work together to resolve difficult problems. I’m on my own, I have a huge territory and often travel2 to 4 hours a day just to get to a location and I can’t take it any longer.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 1:58PM
I’m miserable and can’t stand the thought of working there anymore.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 12:32PM
The position I’m currently in does not utilize my strengths. I am constantly asked to employ my weakest skill sets, which negatively effects my sense of worth. This is not my desired career path – the more time I spend in this position, the further away my dream position feels.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 11:08AM
I am not happy with my current career path and I need a career break to pursue personal passions.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 8:24AM
1. Not challenging anymore 2. Nothing new to learn. 3. Working with average people 4. Not a lot of career growth 5. Not really doing what I want to be doing.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 5:12AM
I hate my job	Tuesday, Aug 18th 3:10AM
I felt miserable and unproductive. Very stress full and been treated unfairly. I have been sideline due to new management came in and brought new team to take over my roll and duties.	Monday, Aug 17th 10:52PM
I can’t take this negative very morbid place anymore. There is no room for growth in the company. My bosses are mistreating me and I am tired of my life being a joke to them. There is no where to run to in this company, no HR, no union so no union reps…nothing! I am tired of being over worked and not paid properly and I am tired of being scrutinized for things that aren’t even my fault.	Monday, Aug 17th 1:26PM
Its a draining boring job that i have no interest in	Monday, Aug 17th 7:50AM
Hate what I’m doing now	Sunday, Aug 16th 7:32PM
It’s making me stressed and drpressed	Sunday, Aug 16th 2:22PM
Boss is unberable	Sunday, Aug 16th 12:20PM
Because I get choked up at the thought of another week of work. Because every day, I think about how much I hate my job. Because I don’t enjoy it and it does not interest me. Because I feel like I am wasting my life. Because my stress levels are through the roof and I spend my weekends worrying about my job (that I hate). Because I cry over it too often. Because I’m not happy. Because I feel so upset all the time. Because I don’t want to do it anymore. Because I believe there’s got to me more to life than this. Because I want to explore the possibilities – what I could be doing instead. Because I want to be happy, and my job is only making me depressed. Because I want to.	Saturday, Aug 15th 12:13PM
Feeling unfulfilled, disastifed, stressed. I am not happy with it anymore.	Friday, Aug 14th 4:25PM
Start my own company, construction.	Thursday, Aug 13th 12:11PM
I cannot stand the morals, ethos, lack of empathy and management of the company I work for .	Thursday, Aug 13th 9:31AM
I am unhappy	Thursday, Aug 13th 7:53AM
I hate my job	Thursday, Aug 13th 6:48AM
I hate it. It has become hostile. Everyone wants out. I am doing the job of 3 people. They don’t want me there any more.	Thursday, Aug 13th 12:42AM
My job is sucking the life out of me. I am always exhausted and never have energy to play with my kids. I am always frustrated and grumpy. I am unhappy and unfulfilled.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 9:40PM
Unhappy	Wednesday, Aug 12th 6:13PM
Way too much stress. Lack of direction. Not enough resources to complete project. Doubt anyone wants me there and I was told to find work elsewhere by a co-worker before I applied and I wish I would have left that position in good standing and never looked back. I took the job and I failed like I was told I would. My family considers me worthless now that I took a government job and probably disinherited me. Don’t be surprised if this little piggy goes to market and ends up in the obituaries.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 3:26PM
I am miserable. I am in a demanding line of work and am employed by a demanding individual. I spend all day fighting with clients, opposing counsel and my supervisor. I work very hard for nothing. My father is dying, my mother is elderly and my son is growing up and I am missing it. I spend 10 to 12 hours a day working for little money and with no joy, wishing I was with the people I love.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 12:38PM
I had enough I’m sick stressed and feel my soul being destroyed . I’m not motivated to learn at all	Wednesday, Aug 12th 8:22AM
I want to quit because i don’t enjoy the job it makes me unhappy and i hate doing it, the pay is poor and i have to work loads of hours.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 7:14AM
I can’t stand the people I work with, the bosses, I have 5, are almost all mean and stupid, constantly watching me, as if I am going to run away with the store. If I make a mistake, they don’t tell me about it anymore, they just don’t talk to me, they look through me, as if I am stupid. I got passed up for what they call a promotion, I call it Indentured Servitude. Tons more responsibility, no extra pay. There are no raises here, no matter how good you are, or how much money you make for the owner, he doesn’t care. I need to concentrate on the small jewelry business I have. I am always so tired when I get home from work, I have no time to make anything, advertise, design things, or basically anything to do with my small business. Extremely disheartening.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 5:26AM
I’m unhappy, bored, frustrated and over it.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 5:17AM
The stress, toxic environment	Wednesday, Aug 12th 4:33AM
TO SPEND TIME WTTH MY HUSBAND WHO IS STAYING AND WORKING IN A DIFFERENT CITY. 14 YEARS OF DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP INCLUDING 1 YEAR OF MARRIAGE, I NOW WISH TO BE TOGETHER AND TAKE CARE OF HIS HEALTH AND ALSO START A FAMILY. AFTER HAVING A BABY, DOWN THE LANE, I ALSO WISH TO BE SELF-EMPLOYED AND START A VENTURE OF MY OWN RELATING TO EDUCATION.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 3:29AM
I hate this job	Wednesday, Aug 12th 1:15AM
I’m miserable and just want out!	Tuesday, Aug 11th 9:42PM
I feel stifled, strangled, undervalued, and unchallenged.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 7:50PM
Every day is a battle for me, this new job has brought my anxiety out worse than any other job before. I hate feeling so depressed and stressed day after day. It’s not healthy for me, and has made everything, including my health, worse than before.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 6:00PM
because I feel like I’m dead and sacrificing my soul each and every day. I feel like I’m not living an authentic life. I feel like each and every day I come to work, I waste another beautiful day that I didn’t enjoy.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 10:49AM
I am not a corporate person and my company’s values are not up to par.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 10:24AM
I am dissatisfied with the work and I can not see myself in this position for another year.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 12:50AM
Because the stress is killing me	Tuesday, Aug 11th 12:21AM
Too stressful, under paid, no support or team to help, feeling extremely overwhelmed.	Monday, Aug 10th 10:01PM
Because I don’t have any real financial burdens. My money could sit as long as I need it to because I don’t have to spend it. Beyond that the conditions I am made to work in are becoming unbearable. I am being made to work hours I didn’t agree upon. I am being denied breaks that I have earned. I am being abused by the majority of my coworkers and managers who have no appreciation for what I do to make their lives easier. So I quit.	Monday, Aug 10th 9:56PM
my job has become too stressful regardless of how many hours i work, lunch breaks I miss, it is never good enough. my boss is a micro manager and has dinged me as a poor performer. never in my life have i been called THAT. I’ve been at this company for many years and now this.	Monday, Aug 10th 9:49PM
Because my current job is intolerable and I want better hours. And I want to go into a new field.	Monday, Aug 10th 8:29PM
I feel that I have been working for the past two years in a place that does not appreciate my presence and I am not learning anything new. I have a boss that I thought appreciated me who work closely with him, but I have realised that he ‘doesn’t care’ and he will leave in a year or so to another mission (expatriate). He says if I feel sad I can go and nobody makes me stay. He says I have become dark and does not see the bright side of things. But he doesn’t talk about the fact that my nervous break down is the result of taking the responsibilities much more than my job required me for too long that now I am broken. Now that I have broken, he doesn’t ask me why you feel like that he just shouts and says he is not accountable.	Monday, Aug 10th 9:12AM
I cannot stand going in any more I don’t believe in the company and as a team leader I really should	Monday, Aug 10th 1:53AM
I feel bored, less motivated and most Mondays I enter the office feeling bad about another week ahead in the office. I feel that it can be stressful and at times unsupported by my colleagues. I am losing my patience with clients and feel less inclined to be helpful.	Sunday, Aug 9th 12:32PM
Sick of weekend calls Onus is on me ‘c, c, c’ other staff slacking/turn to me instead of working out simple tasks Other staffs constant mistakes I always have to apologise for	Sunday, Aug 9th 9:48AM
Stress, new experience, and searching for a career path.	Sunday, Aug 9th 7:23AM
Total lack of respect grom my line manager and diirector I’m always taking on extra work from my boss without any extra remuneration and yet my boss gets a pay rise and takes all the glory	Sunday, Aug 9th 7:03AM

 

General Comments:

This blog’s making me feel better and more empowered to quit.	Thursday, Aug 20th 6:21PM
strategy and motivation	Thursday, Aug 20th 2:42PM
When I read this blog, I couldn’t believe the words stolen from my head. Unfortunately I am overcome by guilt, due to no one else understanding why.	Thursday, Aug 20th 9:51AM
I feel so encouraged	Wednesday, Aug 19th 3:36PM
I find that with my current job I don’t have the time I want to apply for jobs in my desired field, especially considering the time I need to spend emotionally healing after work.	Wednesday, Aug 19th 6:17AM
I can do this. I have been doing the same thing expecting a different results. INSANITY	Tuesday, Aug 18th 8:29PM
I’d really like to do something different in the last ten years of my career. I’ve been doing the same thing for some 30 odd years and would like to try a change. or at least have a chance to work with a good team of coworkers instead of always being alone responsible for everything all the time in the entire state I live in.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 1:58PM
I am so happy I found this blog. It made me feel less crazy about just quitting.	Tuesday, Aug 18th 12:32PM
My current job situation made me feel very depressed and stressful. Sunday evening really make me down as I have to think and worried of how to go through another stressful week at workplace.	Monday, Aug 17th 10:52PM
I am newly married (2yrs), which means my expenses have gone up. My husband, in laws and I pay for all the bills: mortage, water, heating, property tax etc. Never had this before getting married. Expenses have gone up and I am not sure we could survive if I were to quit. At the current moment I make the most money on a biweekly basis between my husband and I. I have tried to apply for jobs and still am but I am not receiving any call backs and I am kind of lost of what to do now? Should I think about a career change and go back to school? I’m not sure. What I know for sure is I need to get out of this hell whole of a job I have. I can’t take it any longer.	Monday, Aug 17th 1:26PM
The post about how one day your whole body just ached and the doctor said it’s stress and were symptoms of clinical depression really hit home with me. I often have this really strange feeling – I feel like I’m not awake, that I’m in a dream. There are days, weeks from last 6 months that I don’t remember – like I’ve got memory lapses. It’s like I’ve gone into automatic mode or something. I know I want to quit. My colleagues are lovely, they’re the best bit of the job. I just really don’t enjoy what I do – I’m not interested and have no attachment to it. I’m giving it until my birthday next year (about 8 months away). If I still feel the same, I’m handing in my resignation.	Saturday, Aug 15th 12:13PM
I like the success stories, and hope to be one too.	Thursday, Aug 13th 12:11PM
I want to quit badly.	Thursday, Aug 13th 12:42AM
I already quit and its been months. I have yet to get a call about a job I applied for. My situation feels hopeless and I would benefit from some coaching to get myself back up from the fall I took.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 3:26PM
Just my health getting better losing weight and making a transformational change	Wednesday, Aug 12th 8:22AM
I don’t want to die without being able to say I made the effort to improve my outlook on my life, even if I end up in a similar field or occupation, I want to be able to look myself in the eye in the mirror and know I gave it the best I had.	Wednesday, Aug 12th 5:26AM
Faith, inspiration	Wednesday, Aug 12th 4:33AM
I want to have another job to fall back on because income or not my bills don’t quit. But, for the past 3 years I have been at the quitting point and too scared to take the leap for fear of not being able to take care of myself. 3 years later my physical, mental and emotional health has suffered, I truly feel like my job is killing me slowly. I have goals and even a small business, but without steady income I don’t know if I can take the risk…	Tuesday, Aug 11th 7:50PM
I’m very glad I found this blog and got to read other stories, and now I know that when I do pick my quit date- I have this blog to look back to – to not feel so guilty about my decision.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 6:00PM
I really just want the confidence to finally do it. I would love to talk to other people that have “just quit”	Tuesday, Aug 11th 10:49AM
I need out they feel like they can just call me whenever… WHENEVER THEY WANT and have me come in like I just got told 6 hours ago which was about 11 pm to come in asap. Now I have to go in on no sleep and work probably a 16 hour shift. Crazy thing is this happens like twice a week.	Tuesday, Aug 11th 4:52AM
Anything is better than what I put up with.	Monday, Aug 10th 9:56PM
i need a break from the chaos. it is not adding to my life, only subtracting from it. the cycle i am in has sucked the joy from my life.	Monday, Aug 10th 9:49PM
Life is too short.	Monday, Aug 10th 4:56AM
seeing the future	Sunday, Aug 9th 9:48AM

Message to "This Little Piggy"

The below survey entry came in yesterday  –

Way too much stress. Lack of direction. Not enough resources to complete project. Doubt anyone wants me there and I was told to find work elsewhere by a co-worker before I applied and I wish I would have left that position in good standing and never looked back. I took the job and I failed like I was told I would. My family considers me worthless now that I took a government job and probably disinherited me. Don’t be surprised if this little piggy goes to market and ends up in the obituaries.

~From a Business Analyst/Govt/Licensing living in the USA

There is something that is terribly wrong when a person is walking around feeling like this. This came in from a young man 26-35 yrs. old who indicated in the comments section that he’s already quit, he feels hopeless and needs a coach.

Again, this is someone who is young and starting out in the working world.

EVERYDAY  I ASK MYSELF WHAT MORE CAN I DO TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING? 

It feels like people are screaming for help; but no one can hear them because “this is just how it is in the working world today”.

Well, young man who wrote this if you find your way  back to this blog and read this post please know that you do not have to “end up in the obituaries” at such a young age.   If you were strong enough to quit a job like you were in; then YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH to not give up on yourself.  

Wake up every single morning knowing that there is HOPE in a new day.

HOPE is the opposite of despair and it is a very powerful force. 

Clearly, and I mean crystal clearly figure out what you want.  You need to see it like it has already happened – in living color – draw it – write it down – make it real.  It is NOT your job to struggle to MAKE it happen, it is your job to figure out what you WANT TO HAPPEN (or something better).

The universe (HOPE) will then conspire to make it so (if it is in alignment) this is why you have to add or something better.  Sounds hokey?  It’s not.  It works.  Think of it this way – if you are considering suicide then what do you have to lose to dream and dream big and then you have to WAIT.

It is the waiting that is hard, but wait you must. Get out of your head and JUST LIVE while you’re WAITING.  Do things you ENJOY doing (figure that out during the wait).  Things you love don’t have to cost much or any money –  it could be jogging, writing, reading, or flying a kite (whatever floats your boat).   Just start doing things that you enjoy and watch how your life starting changing. (And regarding needing a coach to help you make it through this…the coach that you need is deep within you…it led you to this blog post…) 

May You Be Happy Little Piggy, May You Be Well 

~Ridea  Your ridiculously benevolent superhero

Voices of The Painfully Employed Podcast #4

It is Sunday and time for the voices of the painfully employed.  There have been many entries since my last post and podcast.  I have decided to select just a few entries to record this week.  I’ve tried to cover several countries, generations, salary levels and job titles. (So sorry for all of the spikes in the audio, but I don’t have the time right now that it is going to take to correct them…maybe one day this week I’ll have time to work on fixing it…maybe not…)

Below are all the entries that have come in from July 2oth – August 8th; highlighted  are the few selected:

Reason Folks Want to Just Quit	Date of Entry
Location	Yesterday, 2:19AM
The stress is effecting my health, time away from my family	Friday, Aug 7th 10:27AM
Because i have dedicated my all to this company for a period of three years, less pay, unhappy with the treatment and my efforts have never being recognized, been promised a permanent position since a year ago. i am terribly unhappy.	Friday, Aug 7th 5:38AM
It is unsafe where I work. Also the workload is getting more and more with no relief in sight.Also one of my colleagues is treated like she can do no wrong whereas the other 2 (which includes) myself are ignored.	Thursday, Aug 6th 3:51PM
it makes me miserable (to the point where it is affecting both my mental and physical health), i feel i am not very good at it and it doesnt inspire, interest or satisfy me.	Thursday, Aug 6th 9:49AM
Hopelessness — for things to get better to make more money, the ppl etc. Not enough money. Wasting my time.	Thursday, Aug 6th 9:41AM
no room for career growth, lack of management support, no space for my creativity, no promotion and poor remuneration with discrimination	Thursday, Aug 6th 8:27AM
I wake up sick all the time I feel people are mess with me all the time	Thursday, Aug 6th 5:12AM
I’m tired. Physically. Mentally. I just don’t like being there anymore.	Wednesday, Aug 5th 6:53PM
It’s not me	Wednesday, Aug 5th 4:41PM
Because I am miserable and cry every morning before I go to work. I want to be happy.	Wednesday, Aug 5th 10:49AM
Spend more time with my daughter and find a career with retirement benefits and advancement opportunities.	Wednesday, Aug 5th 3:40AM
I have zero interest and no passion for it	Wednesday, Aug 5th 12:31AM
I am unhappy with my life in its present situation. I hate the city and the renting situation. My job makes me feel depressed and inadequate. After one year I do not have the knowledge needed to function effectively on my own. I am treated like an outsider by some of my co-workers whom I need to interact with to get my work done. I have been deprived of learning how to do my job due to lack of learning opportunities and co-workers refusing to share knowledge. I am tired of constantly feeling dumb and having to answer I don’t know when people come to me for help. I am upset that when requests come in I don’t know how to solve them and I have to depend / beg others for the information I need. I do not feel like I am growing as an employee and I feel that I have not acquired skills I can use elsewhere.	Tuesday, Aug 4th 6:33PM
I feel like I am trapped in an endless circle. I do not enjoy my job any more but it consumes every inch of my time and I will never get ahead enough to get out.	Tuesday, Aug 4th 6:22PM
The company I work for is completely ignorant to our industry, is disrespectful to me, doesn’t value me, and is asking me to treat others that way.	Tuesday, Aug 4th 5:13PM
my job leaves me feeling depressed and unhappy. i dread each and everyday I have to go	Tuesday, Aug 4th 1:17PM
I don’t have passion for doing what I do anymore. Waking up every morning to the same office, same pressures is draining me.	Tuesday, Aug 4th 12:40PM
Freedom	Tuesday, Aug 4th 7:13AM
The job is too overwhelming, can never catch up, feel anxious most of the time and don’t like being the third prson	Tuesday, Aug 4th 2:30AM
The job is too overwhelming, can never catch up, feel anxious most of the time and don’t like being the third prson	Tuesday, Aug 4th 2:30AM
Overworked and swamped working overtime, personal life has deteriorated due to lack of free time. Many long time coworkers have already resigned and left me doing additional work. Working conditions are hazardous and my general outlook has become jaded as a result of constantly dealing with deep issues. My passions and joys are cast aside as I try to recuperate for the next day.	Monday, Aug 3rd 2:39PM
I do not want to work for an organization..any organization. I want to be free to live life	Monday, Aug 3rd 11:34AM
Too stagnant, too overprotective and making me feel demoralised. As though I can’t make or do decision by myself. Feel very sick and tired of all the shit.	Monday, Aug 3rd 9:25AM
Because I can’t take being here any more. I can’t manage my work. I feel awful	Monday, Aug 3rd 4:46AM
Want to start my own Business. Feeling stressed out & not fitting the current job position	Monday, Aug 3rd 2:36AM
1. Bad Boss 2. Bad CEO 3. Bad Culture 4. No support 5. No future	Sunday, Aug 2nd 10:14PM
Don’t like the actual work, or the interactions with management. I dread every day and would be ok being fired because then at least it would be over.	Sunday, Aug 2nd 8:45PM
More and more is being added to my portfolio with no extra help. There is a big component of travelling to ensure my team is on track. When asked about extra help there is no money, I would have to take that FTE from the team and they are already at capacity . I have already done this and there is no more left to take. I am tired, I feel overworked, I keep thinking there must be more to life than being the hamster on the wheel. I want to just stop.	Sunday, Aug 2nd 6:30PM
Over worked w/ out compensation/ burned	Sunday, Aug 2nd 3:40PM
Over worked w/ out compensation/ burned	Sunday, Aug 2nd 3:37PM
Too much stress underpaid	Sunday, Aug 2nd 1:10PM
Yes	Sunday, Aug 2nd 10:49AM
I dont want to go working feeling nervous everyday	Sunday, Aug 2nd 2:41AM
– physical symptoms of stress- arms in pain, eyelashes fluttering, anxiety, constantly emotionally exhausted, no support at work, don’t agree with the management decisions, not same focus on education, all about budgets	Saturday, Aug 1st 9:30PM
I hate almost everything there is about my job other than the pay and that it is 1.8 miles from my home.	Saturday, Aug 1st 6:28PM
Because I am tired of the same shit at work every single week. Its like they all think that becausenrhey chose to be in the consulting field the rest of us want the same grinding hours every single week.	Saturday, Aug 1st 4:55PM
job is not satisfying to me. it makes me dread going to work	Saturday, Aug 1st 4:12PM
I hate by boss. Stress is making me ill. Ready for new endeavors and possibly entrepreneurship.	Saturday, Aug 1st 7:40AM
Not happy	Friday, Jul 31st 11:09PM
I want to quit because nearly everyday at work I feel like crawling to the bathroom to cry. We’re overworked and underpaid. I have stayed many times until 8 or 9 pm or even midnight and come in weekends to finish my work. Because I don’t want to underperform. But it absorbs so much of my time and energy that when I get home I barely have times for hobbies I love doing, such as drawing and painting. Hobbies that I wish would lead to a job.	Friday, Jul 31st 9:58PM
Think in new ideas a new path.	Friday, Jul 31st 4:40PM
I hate my job, hate the people i work with, want to phone in sick all the time, its making me depressed	Friday, Jul 31st 2:49PM
I don’t want to do this work anymore	Friday, Jul 31st 1:55PM
Every day is a struggle. I wake up every morning feeling more and more depressed.	Friday, Jul 31st 7:00AM
Management	Friday, Jul 31st 2:56AM
Job wants to relocate me to California again; this will be my 3rd move with this company in less than 18 months; second time in California; I was miserable in California and could barely make ends meet; the only reason I came out in the black was due to 1 3-paycheck month and the fact that one of my student loans hadn’t kicked in yet	Thursday, Jul 30th 8:25PM
I work too hard and don’t feel appreciated. I miss my kids and feel I need to be there more for them. My housework is slipping. I want to relax for a bit. I want to go back to school.	Thursday, Jul 30th 5:33PM
Being takin advantage of	Thursday, Jul 30th 3:21PM
stress	Thursday, Jul 30th 9:56AM
I feel like am an amateur in the office	Thursday, Jul 30th 8:17AM
Tired of my boss	Wednesday, Jul 29th 4:35PM
I am at a point in my life where I know what I don’t want in a career. I have spent years climbing the ladder in hopes of my success making me happy. It hasn’t. I place much more value on the intangibles. I know that any time I have taken a risk like this, I have landed on my feet and have been grateful for the experience. I am done wasting my time in a job that I’m not passionate about.	Wednesday, Jul 29th 3:47PM
I have another job lined up but I absolutely hate the place I am working and I want out. I want to be done with it.	Wednesday, Jul 29th 10:26AM
I hate my job and I have valid reasons to quit	Wednesday, Jul 29th 9:46AM
I wake up every day hating my job and my life	Wednesday, Jul 29th 9:16AM
I am not able to grow or learn new things, and the business has no strategy or direction.	Wednesday, Jul 29th 12:47AM
I suffered medically for 2.5 years. I need a break. I wake up with pain going to work, while there and one the way home. I feel my best when I am not there.	Tuesday, Jul 28th 11:45PM
DAILY STRUGGLE. I AM NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT I DO. STRESS FROM INCOMPETENCE, PROCRASTINATION, UNKNOWLEGEABLE AND LAZINESS NO BACK BONE CO WORKERS AND MANAGERS. DO NOT WANT TO EVER WORK FOR SOMEONE ELSE IN THE OTHER HALF OF MY LIFE. WANT TO ENJOY LIFE.	Tuesday, Jul 28th 1:20PM
I hate it. Every soul sucking minute. I work as a manager in retail and so tired of the constant lazy help and unrealistic corporate expectations.	Tuesday, Jul 28th 6:44AM
Because my boss has no appreciation for any of the work I do. She constantly belittles all accomplishments and creates road blocks because she doesn’t listen or pay attention to the emails, meeting and documents I created to improve alumni relations.	Monday, Jul 27th 7:45PM
work is monotonous. been working at a paint/hardware store for 17 months. too much sitting down when the store is not busy. depressed and feel like im stuck here. I work 52 hours, 6 days a week every week (holidays excluded). im burnt out, feel like a robot going to work everyday. I only stay because of societal pressure and living with mom and sister. if i quit I would probably end up staying home and eating/playing video games doing nothing productive. im 20 soon to be 21 years old.	Monday, Jul 27th 5:08PM
It’s soul destroying I hate the drive over, I feel put on and used.	Monday, Jul 27th 2:01PM
The stress and dissatisfaction of this job are consuming me, potentially threatening my health. It is completely unfulfilling.	Monday, Jul 27th 11:35AM
It’s a drain on my mental health. It inhibits my ability to tend to things that matter such as my physical health, personal relationships, etc.	Monday, Jul 27th 10:57AM
Because my jobs drains away all the energy in me. The environment undermines my selfconfidence. I am unhappy everyday and I don’t feel like this is how I want my life to be.	Monday, Jul 27th 2:41AM
I have lots of reasons. I don’t have time to write it all down	Sunday, Jul 26th 8:34PM
learn	Sunday, Jul 26th 3:19PM
Because I am moving overseas, am unhappy and afraid they will fire me first	Sunday, Jul 26th 11:07AM
The old company is moving too far away.	Sunday, Jul 26th 9:12AM
To find a better job for long term and growth.	Sunday, Jul 26th 2:00AM
I do a job that requires 100% presence and compassion. I have started to despise the people I should want to help. I am bored. I am restless. I often feel like I am simply going thru the motions. I hate the corporate culture. I am starting to dislike myself for not doing my job wholeheartedly. Somewhere I have said ‘yes’ to quitting and now I am on an endless loop of talking myself out of it because I crave financial security. Deep down I know I will not find doors opening for me until I take a leap of faith….	Saturday, Jul 25th 4:53PM
This career is not my passion. I want to be in control of my time and spend my waking hours doing work I love. When I am writing I can work for hours without stopping…when I am at work i am working in between socializing.	Saturday, Jul 25th 2:44PM
I have nothing left to give	Saturday, Jul 25th 10:34AM
I am not happy with my team members i am not happy with my director i dont find my job motivational i dont find my job moving me forward i am getting paid high i am stress with my working environment i havd to work on weekend team members are not tolerant	Friday, Jul 24th 5:59PM
I want my peace of mind back. I want to enjoy my life and not carry work with me everywhere i go.	Friday, Jul 24th 8:44AM
stressfull unstable hours constant schedual shfts	Friday, Jul 24th 7:12AM
I WANNA QUIT MY JOB WITHOUT ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE I FELT LIKE SOMETHING WILL COME IF I DO IT.	Friday, Jul 24th 1:16AM
No room for advancement	Thursday, Jul 23rd 1:32PM
Tired frustrating no work life balance	Thursday, Jul 23rd 10:23AM
Going into work each day sucks the life out of me little by little. I do not care about my work nor does it interest me. I find myself daydreaming and only giving tasks half my attention and as a result I’ve been making mistakes. i am so depressed and down all the time looking for another job seems impossible.	Thursday, Jul 23rd 6:22AM
Because I wake up depressed and miserable each and every day, knowing I have to go back to that and deal with people who make me wish I were dead.	Thursday, Jul 23rd 4:57AM
want freedom my own busines and career move	Thursday, Jul 23rd 2:02AM
Totally burned out. My performance is lagging and my physical health is suffering	Thursday, Jul 23rd 1:13AM
I’m 3 people in 1 not appreciated underpaid emotionally harassed and crapped on and overworked and exhausted	Wednesday, Jul 22nd 10:15PM
The stress of dealing with my boss’s poor management skills is making my anxiety and depression worse.	Wednesday, Jul 22nd 7:39PM
I couldnt eat and sleep well, Im exhausted and unable to adapt to very long weeks of work. I dont think staying any longer is healthy for me.	Wednesday, Jul 22nd 6:06PM
To travel and look for a life partner	Wednesday, Jul 22nd 2:33PM
For pursuit of a bigger goal. It has an examination and has a preparation period of a year.	Wednesday, Jul 22nd 12:38AM
Toxic work environment and scared my license is at risk. Don’t want to be the fall guy.	Tuesday, Jul 21st 8:05PM
This is not the line of work I want to be in. I do not like working with my current managers, this position does not offer any opportunity for growth. I am miserable with this job. I am ready to go.	Tuesday, Jul 21st 3:11PM
Peace of mind… enjoy life. Fulfill dreams	Tuesday, Jul 21st 9:33AM
Hate the job, love being creative, painting, etc	Monday, Jul 20th 2:45PM
Work enviornmwnt is stifling The pay is low The work is mundane & the same The commute is terrible for the position No growth	Monday, Jul 20th 11:21AM
very stressed…too lonely…living alone..no one to talk to …too sad.	Monday, Jul 20th 5:27AM
I am an engineer by education, workinginaMaharatna PSU in India for last 4.5 years. My work schedule is 9:30am -5:30 pm, 5 days/ week andworkburdenis bare minimum. Apart from it, I get ample time to pursue my hobbies like sports,novelreadingetc etc. Additionally, I actively take part in a number of events sports/ cultural that are being organized by societies, year round.I am a thinker type of person. This has led me to trouble, as my work doesn’t fascinate me at all. When I see 10-15 years in future, I see myself working in same monotony, which brings tension/ confusion as I feel like I will be bored to death in office.I really want to be free. Free to do whatever I like to do. Life without obligation, issues, sanctions & tensions. No burden at all. I want to be happy. Going to an office put restrain on me. It makes me what I am not i.e. it enslaves me. I want to roam around world carefree. I want to work with people because I want to and not because it will pay me off. I want to stuff solely because I want to do that and not because it will serve me money.At the present job, I feel like that I am working because I am getting paid. I want to feel the other way round. People across me says that you need money to survive and I get paid handsomely (all leisure of PSUs included), but I really want to change this idea altogether. I want to live in a world where survival is because of the work I like to do and is completely independent of money

Voices of the Painfully Employed Podcast #3

 Podcast #3 Survey Entries July 12th – 19th, 2015

If you’ve stumbled on this Blog and Podcast and you’re painfully employed just know that you will weather this storm…hold on…just hold on.  You are not alone.  There are others feeling like you are. You are validated.  Work the Just Quit Steps while you hold on. 

 

Below are the job titles/industries for this week:

Research Nurse

Events

Hospital Registrar

Vice President of sales

Healthcare

Sales

market research

Sales Assistant in a Retail Bakery

lawyer

Business Analyst/All kinds of industries/Information Technology

Insurance administration

Manager

Education manager

Financial Services

Architect

research

Administration for a labor union

health care

admin

retail

Junior Graphic Artist

Senior Manager – Information Technology

Engineer

Registered nurse

Graphic Specialist for a simulation company

Sales

Sales

Human Resources

Higher education

Manager

Human Resouces Manager

Park Ranger

Law

Deposit Product Management

Paralegal/Legal

care worker

Marketing

Quality executive

Programmer Analyst / Web Developer

rv industry

Trucker

Communications assistant

Manager in Commercial Banking

Software Developer in Test/Telecommunications

Rn

deputy director of a small family held contemporary art museum

Financial coordinator

Landscape Architecture

Behavior tech

Risk consultant

Senior Executive /manufacturing /hr

Consultant

Network support specialist/hr specialist

Voices of the Painfully Employed Podcast #2

It is Sunday at 4pm which is the hour of doom for those painfully employed.

If you found this post, please know that you are not alone. Above is Episode 2 of Just Quit & Live Giving Voice to the Painfully Employed.

Hang in there and remember you have the power of choice.

Do something this week to work your “Just Quit” & Live Plan.

Below are the job title/industries represented in the above podcast:

Risk Consultant
Senior Executive /manufacturing /hr
Consultant
Network support specialist/hr specialist
Surgical tech
Legal Consultant, governemnt agency
factory worker
Transportation Supervisor
Bussing
retail
clerk / cashier
Chef
Supervisor
Tourism
Enterprise Client Partner / Tech / Marketing
Quality Assurance manager/Manufacturing
customer logistics
Media planner / advertising
fast food
Technician
Forensic accounting
Program Assistant
Labourer
customer service
administrative assistant
Assistant branch manager
Retail manager
customer service
Mental Health
Computer technician in retail setting
Information Technology
Sales
Supply Chain
Restaurant manager
health
Director of Volunteer…but previous to that 14 1/2 years of recruitment…staffing
Accountant
Server
director
Pharma
corporate paralegal
Fast food manager
food and beverage
Sports Media
OFFICE WORK
Cleaner / student
catering Attendant
Youth and Family Conselor for behavioral children.
Retail
restaurant manager
Flight Attendant
Health Services
Gov
IS
Airline Customer Service Agent
accountant
Hospitality
customer services
Counsellor
supervisor in retail
Banker
Digital Marketing Specialist

The 8th Habit - Finding Your Voice

Not sure how this one got past me, but I listened to the 8th Habit yesterday by Stephen Covey. Before scouting/shopping for boho stuff to add to my Etsy site I went to the library to find a play-away to listen to when I ran across the 8th Habit. It was written 10 years ago, but is relevant today.

Covey talked about moving from the Industrial Age to the Knowledge Age and how Knowledge Age workers will not be satisfied with the old ways they were “managed” –  like things.  Knowledge workers would be looking for “meaning and purpose”.  

The main idea was that people would need to “find their voice” and help others to find their voice. Wow, that concept resonated with me.

I was most intrigued about the PAIN that he said Knowledge Workers would start to face.  It is the PAIN that I read about everyday in the “Just Quit” survey.  Some days the entries are worse than others.  It seems that June 16th was a particularly bad day. Below are the entries that came in:

I’m not a good fit for corporate culture, I’m not in position to truly impact change, and I’m tired of the politics game (I just don’t play it well). I want to do something that means something more than impact the bottom line or make my boss happy.	Tuesday, Jun 16th 10:33PM
its making me miserable..	Tuesday, Jun 16th 6:07PM
I get treated horribly, hurt, Be littled, treated like crap, work all the time, go unheard, be harassed,paid little, stressed to the max, unhappy and suicidal	Tuesday, Jun 16th 12:32PM
I am tired and fed up. I feel like working here is draining me physically, as well as creatively and this is extremely important to me. It is sucking the life out of me.	Tuesday, Jun 16th 8:19AM
A high level of unhappiness	Tuesday, Jun 16th 7:40AM
I’m suicidal.	Tuesday, Jun 16th 2:38AM

Workers are fed-up all over the world.  More than fed-up – suicidal. Something is dreadfully wrong.

When I listened to Covey’s 8th Habit it was like a siren going off.  Over the past year after blogging the book I’ve been contemplating what to do NEXT about this issue and WHY I can’t find anyone trying to solve this problem. Now, today, I realize that maybe MY voice is to GIVE voice to the PAIN that is happening all over the world.

In all honestly I’ve been hoping, wishing and praying that SOMEONE would do something, but it’s been TWELVE YEARS since I Just Quit and FOUR YEARS of blogging about it  and still I don’t see much help  out there for folks.   I see a bunch of coaches, self-help books, seminars, retreats and stuff for companies BUT I don’t think those approaches are working for the everyday person struggling to make it through this.

So, my next project is to give it voice, my voice. It’s not like people who find my blog and fill out the survey can tell anyone that they are in so much pain…pain, even to the point of suicide. Which is part of the pain…the loneliness…the suffering in silence…the “no one understands what I’m going through” feeling.  BUT…there is a community of people who do understand.  Almost 6,000 people have felt the need to complete the survey.  6,000 people from 106 countries.

If you’ve read this far and you are suicidal about your job, just know that you will make it through this madness.  You will survive this.  You will not kill yourself because of how you’re being treated at work or how much you hate your job.  I don’t type that lightly because I know how serious this is BUT there is hope.  You are not a victim.  You have the power of choice. You are strong enough to get through this and find your voice or your place in this world.  You are. Have Hope.  Have Faith. Believe.  Even if you have to go day-by-day; hour-by-hour; or minute-by-minute to survive then that is what you need to do.

DO NOT GIVE UP. 

P.S.

There is no time like the present. It’s now 7 p.m. and after going to buy a microphone from Best Buy and finding the software I needed I created my first podcast so I can give VOICE to the issue of chronic job stress for today’s workers.  In addition to blogging I’ll start sharing some of the weekly survey entries. Join me on Sunday afternoons. Don’t worry I hope to get better as time goes on and I hope to help those who find my site. Cheers! Ridea