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A rare workaholic aside, there's more to people than just their job. I know, it sounds like a non-controversial and non-provocative thing to say, but often the most difficult parts of life are not the "in-your-face" type of challenges, but those that seep into your everyday routine and become rituals and habits. Like earning your bread and butter.

At a time when the term work-life balance has become a bookselling catchphrase, many are realizing they don't have one. Even more, people don't see a way to achieve it. They're stuck feeling that the system they're a part of has been designed to maintain itself at the expense of its "screws" — human capital — and have nowhere to turn to express their anger and frustration but the internet.

#1

Sometimes I Wonder How We Aren't In A Near Constant State Of Revolt

Sometimes I Wonder How We Aren't In A Near Constant State Of Revolt

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Daphne
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read too many of these stories and I feel for the people concerned so very much. I hope that the Americans will one day get over their fear of 'socialism!' and recreate their healthcare system in a decent one that does not bancrupt you in case of a very unfortunate illness.

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#2

On God

On God

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How's This
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people really think 9-5 is just 9-5. It's more like 7am to 7pm and then you ALSO have to shower/exercise/cook for tomorrow/socialise/do your hobbies if you have any and if you have kids it NEVER ENDS

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As you can see from the posts, the pressure of an increasingly demanding work culture can be a huge burden on our mental health.

And while a healthy work-life balance means different things to different people, it's usually not so much about splitting your time 50/50 between career and leisure but rather making sure you feel fulfilled and content in both areas. A healthy balance might look like this:

  • meeting your deadlines at work while still having time for friends and hobbies;
  • having enough time to sleep properly and eat well;
  • not worrying about work when you're at home.

"I used to use alcohol, junk food, television, video games – whatever I could to avoid facing the fact that I was an unhappy employee who felt caught in a rat race," career and business coach Ben Fitzgerald told Bored Panda.

"I thought a lot about work-life balance back then. In reality, I had tons of time to myself and the real reason I felt worn out was that I was faking enthusiasm for the work I was doing. The performance of it all was exhausting."

"If you feel like you need more work-life balance and you're not putting in 10+ hours a day, it might be a sign you need to take responsibility for defining what you enjoy, what you don't enjoy, and then make significant changes to how you spend your time," Fitzgerald explained.

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#3

Title

Title

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Tassenküchlein168
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am suffering from burn-out and depression right now and convey to my daughter to choose her profession wisely. It will make one third of your life for 40+ years.

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#4

The American Dream Is To Move Out

The American Dream Is To Move Out

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Alex Luiz
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How are American teachers paid so little? I don't understand. I am a teacher in the UK, and OK, I'm not raking it in, but I have my own home and I certainly don't need a 2nd job.

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#5

Don’t Let Them Fool You- We Swim In An Ocean Of Abundance

Don’t Let Them Fool You- We Swim In An Ocean Of Abundance

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Some Cool Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're not going to be able to build a big penis rocket to get to space with that attitude buddy

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There are plenty of people who glorify the grind; it can be tempting and even easy to normalize long hours at the office or being under a toxic boss, facing an extreme amount of stress, especially if you've been doing it for a long time or all your colleagues are in the same boat. Our assumptions and habits around work can become deep-rooted unless we take a step back once in a while.

Plus, it can be hard to make changes: if you're on a zero-hours contract you might not feel comfortable speaking up, for example, or you might need to put in extra hours to earn enough money to pay your bills. But for those who can do something about their predicament, recent research suggests regularly checking your work-life balance.

Pause and ask yourself questions like: what's currently causing me stress or unhappiness? How is that affecting my work and personal life? What am I prioritizing? What am I losing out on? Be honest with yourself. We often don't take the time to reflect on work until something major happens to us, like the birth of a child or the loss of someone close to us. But just pausing and thinking about your priorities and values can help you discover whether the way you’re living and working fits you.

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#6

Welcome To Our Lovely Society

Welcome To Our Lovely Society

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ilikeplants
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. Everything, even the fun things, feel like a chore. And Covid stress has amplified this so much.

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#7

Work Takes 11 Hours Of My Time, Not Just 8

Work Takes 11 Hours Of My Time, Not Just 8

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#8

Nobody Ever Wanted To Work

Nobody Ever Wanted To Work

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James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At the very least, nobody wants to work for such miserly wages that they have to work 3 jobs just so they are not living on the streets.

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Acknowledge your feelings. Now that you're more aware of your current situation, how does it make you feel? Are you fulfilled and happy, or sad, angry, and resentful? Being aware of your feelings can help you decide which changes you want to make.

Reprioritize. Think about what you need to change. For example, you might want to ask yourself if working long hours is worth losing out on family time, or whether working weekends is worth sacrificing your hobbies.

Consider the alternatives. Is there anything at work you can change to meet your (new) wishes and goals?

Finally, make changes. Whether it's asking for flexible hours, being allowed to use all of your annual leave, or disconnecting from your corporate email at the weekend, chase what's important to you.

Ben Fitzgerald said there's a lot to gain from realigning your work to your personal and professional development goals. This introduces challenges, activates your curiosity, and shifts the focus to one of personal responsibility - instead of working in service of someone else's vision you're working in service of your own. Just a simple tweak in mindset can work wonders.

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"Devoting your time and attention in service of someone else without any expectation of reciprocation is a great way to feel more purposeful and fulfilled," Fitzgerald explained. "Try adopting this mentality with your manager in mind and see what happens."

There's a huge difference between living to work and working so that we can live.

#9

School Prepares You To Be A Good Wage Slave

School Prepares You To Be A Good Wage Slave

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ZAPanda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

To all those pro-homework people below, let me mention two things. 1. I have an education degree, and no, homework is BS passing of responsibility from incompetent teachers to parents. 2. Finland has the best educational outcomes AND no homework, so there.

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#11

Is There More To Life Than Work?

Is There More To Life Than Work?

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Daria Z
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel you. My only 4 week vacation was in 2009. My last 1 week vacation was in 2018. It sucks.

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#12

She Has A Very Valid Point

She Has A Very Valid Point

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ZAPanda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

and caused by climate change which is caused by capitalist industries barfing out pollutants. https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

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#13

And People Wonder Why This Sub Exists

And People Wonder Why This Sub Exists

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James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For all of its faults, I am glad we don't really have this culture in the UK

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#14

There Is Nothing Good About Huddle Culture

There Is Nothing Good About Huddle Culture

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James016
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hustle culture is a scam, the constant stream of posts on LinkedIn about how good it is to hustle all hours is nauseating. I prefer to switch my brain off in the evenings and spend time with my family.

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#16

The Protestant Work Ethic Is Stupid

The Protestant Work Ethic Is Stupid

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similarly
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminds me of this quote: "Man has always assumed that he is more intelligent than dolphins because he has achieved so much--the wheel, New York, wars and so on -- while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But, conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man -- for precisely the same reasons." Douglas Adams, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish.

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#17

Not A Controversial Take

Not A Controversial Take

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Mariaf
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder if people realize that capitalism exists outside US as well and yet people there are not one blown tire away from homlessness. Places like, I don't know...Canada for instance....

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#18

Do What You Love

Do What You Love

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Scagsy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Happened to me. Dream job turned sour. Now I hate it so much. Had the full breakdown and am still recovering from the fallout two decades later. It's criminal.

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#19

Never Ending Rat Race

Never Ending Rat Race

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#20

That Sunday Feeling

That Sunday Feeling

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Bobby
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Think about our 6/7 working days. And the seventh day... Grocery, home maintenance, catch up with pending social family meetings, Checking the schedule, studies and working of children. Yes all that on Sunday.

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#21

Life Is Meaningless - But In A Good Way

Life Is Meaningless - But In A Good Way

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Eppe
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But on the other hand, let's realize indigenous people, those living closer to nature, have a harsh existence. No food hunted or gathered means starvation, a broken bone, pneumonia or a snake bite may result in death, half your children won't reach maturity, and a life expectancy of maybe 40 years. Just watch any nature documentary to realize the ruthlessness of actually living close to nature.

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#22

Get Bent, Brian

Get Bent, Brian

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Scagsy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I worked in a high pressure call centre for a few months (too much pressure) and 'Brian' asked me at full volume in the middle of the call centre why it took me 12 minutes to go to the toilet. I matched his confidence and volume and announced that 'I was having a big s**t'. Served him right. He was a muppet.

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#23

But Your Passion Is Working Until You Die Right?

But Your Passion Is Working Until You Die Right?

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#24

Amazon Killed People Last Night

Amazon Killed People Last Night

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Martha Meyer
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This was all preventable. This is what happens when workers don't have unions and work councils to speak up for them and when the government doesn't punish companies for blatant inhuman behavior towards their employees.

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#25

One Of The Most Brilliant Minds To Have Ever Lived Was Crushed Mentally And Physically By Capitalism. He Was Robbed Of The Fruits Of His Labor, Manipulated And His Research Sabotaged In The Race For Profit

One Of The Most Brilliant Minds To Have Ever Lived Was Crushed Mentally And Physically By Capitalism. He Was Robbed Of The Fruits Of His Labor, Manipulated And His Research Sabotaged In The Race For Profit

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#26

I’m With This Guy

I’m With This Guy

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Alexia
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We were meant to rest (hibernate) in cold season and work at full capacity (hunt, fish, gather & the like) during warm season. Somehow we came to do the exact opposite

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#27

A Healthy Work Ethic Is Key

A Healthy Work Ethic Is Key

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Alex Luiz
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to do my hobby as my job. My advice is do NOT do what you love as a job-it will suck out every ounce of joy from the activity.

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#28

Capitalism Should Die

Capitalism Should Die

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MyOpinionHasBeenServed
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need to earn money. However, I look forward to other things in my day, such as a nice breakfast, warm shower, feeling fresh and clean. Seeing the winter sunrise, and a deep pink/purple sunset, talking to my friend I met at work, making plans for the evening, enjoying a delicious supper and dessert. I can paint after work, hang out on the internet, sleep in on the weekend. When I know I'm going out of my mind I'll start taking those vacation days I'm entitled to. I'm more scared of not being able to pay off debt than the amount of hours I have to work to earn the money I need to live on.

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#29

This Is A Big Factor Of Why I Have Depression

This Is A Big Factor Of Why I Have Depression

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Alex Luiz
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I suffer from 'mild' depression, and personally I am much happier when I am working - when I am busy, have a routine, see people I like, have challenges and expectations. Even in the busy stressful times. I have experienced long periods of time off, and I find I fall into depressive spirals when there are no external drivers. Maybe I have been conditioned to function better as a worker, but I don't think NOT working is the answer. Just, you know, better hours.

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#30

It Really Is

It Really Is

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TV Junkie
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need some clarification. Is she saying we should have MORE time to ourselves, or that 2-3 hours is a lot?

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