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Having a job can be both a blessing and a curse. A few lucky ones have managed to pave the career path they have always dreamed of, but the rest are just putting on a clean shirt and fake smile combo and barely getting through the eight-hour bender five days a week.

While having a meaningful job ranked 13th out of 29 sources of happiness in a global survey, only 40 percent of American workers say that they work in good jobs, according to this survey. Many reasons can be to blame, from poor pay to unfair treatment, long working hours, and job insecurity.

Luckily, for anyone who feels that way about their job, here is a safe place to talk about it. Welcome to the Free From Work subreddit which, according to the description, “is the right place if you hate working!” Created back in 2021, the community is still pretty young, but it already features impressive content that is “mostly memes and tweets to brighten up your day.”

Below, we wrapped up some of the funniest and most soul-soothing Free From Work posts that work like a band-aid for our overworked souls.

More people than we think have been in a position where the hatred for their job became overpowering. For some, it happened suddenly, for others it started from the first day at work, while for most employees, the sense of loathing came gradually but became too strong to ignore.

So in order to find out what to do in such a situation, how to navigate a job you don’t like or even hate, and when is it better to part ways with it, Bored Panda spoke to Christine Mitterbauer, a licensed and ICF-approved career coach based in the UK.

#4

Freefromwork

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BadCat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a fear and a sound one, especially if you're working to support others.

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From her experience as a career coach, people often start hating their job when there’s a clash between their personal values and the values of the company or sector they work in, Mitterbauer argues. “The longer this goes on, the more the dislike, or even hate, can grow.”

“Another common reason people hate their job is that they have a hard time with specific people, a boss or colleagues they work closely with,” she said and added, “Whether it’s better to quit or not is a matter of your life circumstances and whether you can afford to quit, but of course, it’s better to notice your dislike for your job growing before it becomes all-consuming.”

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#5

Freefromwork

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DKS 001
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

as an introvert .... I would LOVE to permanently work remote so that I could stay AWAY from everyone else's unnecessary drama

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#7

Facts

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I I
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

billionaires have 1000 MILLIONS , and Musk has 200 BILLION , it's both mind boggling and fcking sickening

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According to the career coach, there can be good reasons for keeping a job that has neither good pay nor good terms: “jobs in certain sectors, for example, the arts or education, don’t always pay well but they might give you a big sense of meaning and satisfaction.” Mitterbauer argues that “if those are values you treasure, that might be enough reason to keep the job despite the salary being low.”

#8

Freefromwork

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François Carré
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My job is not exhausting at all compared to others, and I know I'm lucky for that. But it's clearly eating up my intellectual energy. I used to draw from time to time, and write short stories. Now I casually come home at 7 in the evening with zero creativity.

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#9

Freefromwork

MrChonkers Report

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François Carré
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Start looking for all the big companies you don't really need to spend your money for on a daily basis, and thus could boycott permanently until they pay their taxes and decent wages to their employees. That seems a fair and quite satisfying thing to do.

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#10

Living Wage Has Long Lost Its Meaning

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Pumpkin Spice
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I heard that growing up, people could pay rent on a single income and work good hours. I'll never have that life. I wake up every day knowing that it's only a matter of time until I turn 15, and then I need to start working. Otherwise, I'll never afford college. I want to become a psychologist and live in a nice apartment with a cat. But the most I'll ever be is an anxious, depressed McDonald's cashier.

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When asked what to do when after years a person suddenly develops a sense of not liking their job anymore, Mitterbauer’s advice is to get clear on your values – what is truly important to you in life.

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“I often use the Wheel of Work, which shows people several aspects and values of their job, and then we discuss each in turn, how important it is to them, and to what extent it is being met now. Money, creativity, culture, creativity, etc. Through lots of conversation, you lay out on the table what values are truly important and which ones are less important.”Mitterbauer argues that if you hate your job, there’s a good chance this is because there’s a clash here. “It’s never too late to change, and you can start making small changes today,” she concluded.

#12

Freefromwork

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Cammy Cat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah. Worked somewhere with one of these where u had the option of putting your name, and if u didn't, it was "anonymous". So a co-worker did his as Elvis, and shockingly enough, he got called in to HR about it. Told us he did it to prove it wasn't anonymous at all

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#13

Freefromwork

TechnicallyRon Report

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IcyPenguinToes
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think they actually did invent that flavor of Monopoly. To try to profit on the sadness. Doubt the board is fun enough to be flammable more than once though

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#14

The Myth Of Hard Work

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Jul Chv
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes. That! And every edgefound baby with privileges would be starving.

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#16

Freefromwork

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Philip Williams
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With the benefit of hindsight, if there was an evacuation order then any manager who forced the workers to remain under guard should absolutely be liable for their deaths, and the very company should be sued and prosecuted out of existence. Natural disaster in reference to the storm and its effects is accurate

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#18

Facts

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Iifa A.
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

26 years? And only 78000? Where do you live and can you please get me a place like this.

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#19

Being Lazy Is Not A Thing

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Susie Elle
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't believe in laziness. I believe in inactiveness, which is usually a product of something the individual is not happy about.

paulmjordan644 avatar
Paul Jordan
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This reminds me of the story of Harper Lee. Her friends gave her a years salary so she could write, and out comes To Kill a Mockingbird. She didn’t want to “not work”, she wanted to do Her work

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AmAndA_Panda
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People say lazy. I say sometimes you don't know how much work it takes some people just to exist. You don't know their life, their story.

dks001 avatar
DKS 001
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when co-workers my age or older (50's) complain about those lazy younger people that don't deserve to be depressed ... I remind them that when we were their age we didn't have the amount of drugs in the world they do now. We didn't have mass shootings every day, sometimes even in the school we were in. We didn't have jobs that refused to pay us living wage so we would have to live with our abusive, drug-addicted parents. Etc etc etc. they shut up.

jiskaveldhuizen avatar
Jiska Veldhuizen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

People call me lazy for ''only'' working 28 hours a week while I am still single and have the oppertunity to work full time. Why would I do that if it costs me my health before and I can make ends meet with 28 hours too?

propgamerxl avatar
propgamer XL
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so dumb. A guy in the comments of a Dutch News site said that yesterday. Women have to work full time! Why? He got really mad. You don't give me a cent. Why do you complain and whine, that you work more for your own wealth? Go work less too if I irritate you. I used to work 32 hours a week. Since kids 24. My kids are teens now. I want to work more, but then the govt steals it to pay my ex's benefits. Have to wait 3 years. Then he's 67. I'm crazy Henkie not. I rather sit on my lazy a*s and chill. Not gonna work for nothing. Money wouldn't even go to the kids.

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Torsten
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Idling is an active process in computers and engines so don't call my lazy.

kalwilliams avatar
kal williams
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've seen it happen, you work and work until you are to old to work anymore and you still lose your house ,car and health .you do not become rich from working.

michaellargey avatar
Michael Largey
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people are lazy because they don't need to do anything, having made a fortune exploiting their workers (or inheriting the money from someone who did). These are also the people who call those workers who ask for a livable wage "lazy".

munso005 avatar
Benjamin Munson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is a book on this, “Laziness does not Exist,” which I highly recommend.

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El Dee
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They want us to believe that the sick and the elderly are lazy so that we will agree with how badly they treat them..

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L.E. Misiak
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Low iron, anemia, is often mistaken as a behavior issue. Anemic people are often thought of as lazy and withdrawn, when they literally don't have enough oxygen getting into their cells.

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Jacob Oliver
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

IMO, "unmotivated" is the best word to describe what capitalists call lazy

brucehorton99 avatar
Bruce Horton
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, I've met lots of lazy people, had the displeasure of working with some

ii_3 avatar
I I
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

exactly , like this "grind" making out a 70 hour work week while only getting paid for 40 is normal , GTFOOH

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Hakitosama
Community Member
7 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There was an experiment where a human was put in a white room with no other distraction or activity than a device that would shock them everytime they touch it.... They would play with it... Get shocked... Wait 5 min top... Then go back to quibble it again. We can't stand boredom! Stop saying we're lazy! Lazy isn't part of human nature

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Cathy Hurd
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sorry, but my son-in-law is lazy. He finds every excuse in the book to take a day off at least once a week, every week. (He's home as I'm writing this). Fortunately my daughter and grandchildren have a very good work ethic. That's what's lacking in this society, a good work ethic, it's very rare these days.

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zer0lore
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

personally, i do think *some* people are lazy, however in most cases i agree with this statement.

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Madison García
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see the point here... but I'm a lazy little s**t. It definitely exists in some degree

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Ambry Petersen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I admit that there are times that I am lazy. There are times I sit around when I could be doing something else, but I don't want to. Though as a stay at home mom most of my activity has nothing to do with capitalism anyways. Survival yes, capitalism no.

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Amy Donnelly
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd agree, and I do, but there are the exceptions. I work with a 19 year old male who is in great physical condition at a summer camp for kids. His family is very wealthy, as evidenced by the fact that he went to a 36k dollars a year HIGH SCHOOL. The boy is lazy. L. A. Z. Y.

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joe skevis
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Idk. Idle rich are a thing. Lobbing that accusation at poor people who have reasons they can't work though...

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Beverly Lodge
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ya my brother would sit playing video games, pissing in a mountain dew bottle and throwing his snot rags within inches of the trash can. Believe in laziness or not, it still exists.

giulia-arrigoni21 avatar
Emmydearest
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm intrinsically lazy, seriously. But I'm also exhausted, overworked and the other things...

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grabyerpitchforks
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When people are alienated from their labor of course they aren't gonna care. That's not laziness, that's being human.

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Gina Mercer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is not true. Those are excuses for people who somehow think they were born for other people to not be lazy and support them. THIS IS NOT HOW LIFE WORKS. Grow up, people. You’re embarrassing, not special. God: A man who will not work shall not eat. That’s HIS take. Mother of two sons who support themselves, they have adulting DOWN. You’re welcome, society!!!!! I didn’t raise parasites.

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Eric Kemp
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No, laziness is a thing. If you can find time to watch Netflix...you can find time to learn q new skill. If you can find time to sleep in on the weekends, you can find time to study investments or something weather related. I learned how to code while working for Amazon, while in the military, going to college and helping my wife raise 3 kids. STOP. MAKING. EXCUSES. And stop blaming the rich for your problems.

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#20

Freefromwork

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DKS 001
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

poor folk incentives: 1) Recommend this job to a friend. If we hire them and they stay for 3 months YOU get $100! ... 2) employee appreciation gets you a paper bag full of candy and 1 fruit

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#22

Freefromwork

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Jiska Veldhuizen
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That must be an American thing? We never gave out awards like that, that's ridiculious.

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#23

Do You Agree?

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François Carré
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And I'm always baffled by all these Hollywood movies, praised by massive audience and making billions of juicy dollars, while most of them carry very specific anticapitalistic messages that should start revolutions right away at the exit of the movie theatre.

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#24

Freefromwork

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Torsten
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To be more precise it's the Calvinist/Pietist "live to work - not work to live".

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#26

Freefromwork

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Psycho Cat
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Capitalism doesn't work, communism doesn't work, democracy doesn't work, socialism doesn't work... I think our "leaders" don't work.

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#28

Freefromwork

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I I
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

why do you think they like to keep us fighting ? so we cant unite , if we're busy fighting each other we're not waking up and fighting them , the cause of ALL our problems

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#29

Freefromwork

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KJ
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's really crappy of the employer, I will settle for getting no bonus instead.

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#30

Freefromwork

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