Australian corporate workers have revealed their desperate desire to quit their jobs and start over in another industry after feeling “burned out” and “anxious” in their line of work.
The buildup of confessions came after an executive assistant shared that she feels “sick of [her] stomach every Sunday night thinking about next week,” especially considering that money doesn’t buy as much as it used to.
“I’m done with corporate life,” he wrote on Reddit. “I want to cry every morning on the tram, packed like sardines and with everyone looking miserable.
‘All my tasks are repetitive, I do the same thing over and over again but with a different flavor every week. I have nightmares about the Teams ringtone. “If I see one more person say ‘Happy Friday’ or ask how my weekend was, I’ll throw up.”
Australian corporate workers have revealed their desperate desire to leave their jobs.
Australians are now realizing that money is no longer worth straining their private lives and mental health with the rising cost of living, making high-level jobs even less attractive.
The Reddit user said she often fantasized about quitting and going to work as a barista, where she could work with her hands and turn off her brain for a moment.
‘I don’t want to deal with hundreds of emails a day or office politics. “I don’t care about moving up the corporate ladder, I don’t want to get promoted.”
He asked other Australian corporate workers if they felt the same and asked them for inspiring stories.
But many admitted they were in the same boat.
“Sunday afternoons are full of dread,” said one. “I feel bad on the way to work, but I smile and put on a fake happy personality, being polite to people I would never otherwise give my time to as they are horrible humans.”
‘I worked as an EA for a top-tier law firm and it was overwhelming. I wanted to cry on the train. “I stuck it out because I was saving to move abroad and had a departure date, but it was really bad for my mental health and self-esteem,” said another.
“I often think about quitting, moving to some remote part of the United States, growing pumpkins and wearing overalls or something super basic.”
‘I’m also sick of emails and constantly feeling like I’m in a state of anxiety due to deadlines and demands and other people creating work for you. I wanted to climb stairs so badly. I did it and now I want to leave,” one man wrote.
Some shared their stories of leaving their corporate jobs.
‘I left senior marketing jobs that were destroying my physical and mental health and became a tram driver. Best move I could have made. “I’m happier and healthier than I’ve been in years and I don’t want to throw up on Sunday nights anymore,” said one man.
“My mental health has completely collapsed in the last year and a half and I’ve realized it’s better to move on before doing something stupid or becoming a burden,” wrote another.
He added: “That’s why I’ve decided to move into a blue-collar career and start over at 35, but for the sake of my kids, my wife and my outlook on life, this move will be a game-changer!” .
Some said it’s not always worth quitting to do “low-stress” jobs.
“The grass always looks greener until you get to the other side and it’s dead,” one said. ‘I worked ten times harder as a barista than in a company and with even less gratitude.
‘If you hate ‘Happy Friday’ or ‘How was your weekend?’ So be prepared to be asked that over and over again when you have work on Saturday and don’t even have the weekend off. Not to mention having to pretend to care about each client’s personal life as if you were their private therapist.
‘There is no salary in the world that would make me consider returning to hospitality. I say all this to warn you to consider your next steps because, from experience, 90 percent of people can’t hack it and burnout is real.
“The number of people I’ve seen who left corporate jobs to do ‘something more relaxing’ got a pretty quick wake-up call.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 24 any time of the day, seven days a week for anonymous support and guidance.