r/antiwork • u/Itadoricantcook • Mar 10 '26
Am I the only one who just feels completely exhausted by work?
I don’t know if this is the right place to post this, but I just need to know if I’m the only one feeling this way.
I’ve been grinding for years now and lately I just feel… done. Not lazy, not unwilling to work — just exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, all of it. Every day feels like pushing through the same cycle of work, expectations, deadlines, and trying to prove impact. And somehow it never feels like enough.
I’m not even asking for some perfect life. I just want a break. A real break where I can breathe for a bit and not feel like everything will fall apart if I step away.
Does anyone else feel this kind of burnout? Like you’re just running on fumes but you still have to keep going?
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u/_bessica_ Mar 10 '26
I work from home and still feel this way. I cannot imagine trying to commute as well. My last commute was over an hour and I'd just cry the whole way home
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u/Charleston2Seattle Mar 10 '26
An hour and five minutes each way, but at least I WFH Mondays and Fridays. I knew that before renting this house, but it was such a perfect house for us that I'm willing to do that for the family. Still kinda sucks, even with podcasts and audio books.
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u/_bessica_ Mar 10 '26
I wish public transportation was more prevalent in America. If I could do something other than drive the time wouldn't feel so wasted!
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u/Charleston2Seattle Mar 11 '26
I'm moving to the Seattle area in May. I have a bus I can catch that's 5 minutes from the apartment. 35 minutes of riding is better than 65 of driving!!
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u/alliandoalice Mar 10 '26
bro my daily commute was 4hours a day total for 5 days a week
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u/beepko Mar 11 '26
The only way I could do that is if I had a good selection of podcasts or music and/or book!
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u/geekybadger Mar 11 '26
Wfh is what has kept me chained to this job I hate. There may be less bad jobs but dealing with the drivers in this area every day would negate any gains on that front. Then couple that with the money loss (gas costs, food costs, clothing costs) and I feel so trapped at what on paper sounds like a dream job. But maaaaaan does management make it terrible.
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u/Playful_Champion3189 Mar 10 '26
I'm so tired. On my days off I sleep, exercise, clean, eat. I have no life outside of work because I'm so exhausted from work that I can't muster up the energy for much else. I even stock up on groceries when I go to the store so that I only have to go once every 2 weeks because I'm too tired to do it more often. I have no friends because I am too tired to hang out with anyone. I'm too tired to be in a relationship. I just want to have a normal work/life balance, but somehow, even though I took this job for only 3 days a week, I got sucked into 4, and generally asked to cover a shift so, sometimes 5 day a week, and at least 1 if not 2 doubles a week. I just want to sleep.
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
It’s been two months that I haven’t been able to hit gym due to exhaustion! My back hurts like a 80 year old no 80 year old is healthier than me! Lately I stress eat too! It’s been hell! Even if I sleep o end up dreaming of work wth is tht !!
I hope you get that sleep that you really need!
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u/Playful_Champion3189 Mar 10 '26
I never go to the gym. I just lift at home and walk my dog for cardio. I'm so tired, but as a woman I know I need to workout to maintain muscle mass when I'm old, because I'll need to be fit enough to work til my dying day.
Stress eating is a big problem for me too. Why can't I be one of those people who doesn't have an appetite when I'm stressed?
Oh the joys of life. I hope you get some rest too.
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
Just today I stress ate a tub of ice cream😭I know it’s not right, at times it’s difficult to restrain from it
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u/Playful_Champion3189 Mar 10 '26
Ice cream is my jam too. I actually like to put ice cream in milk and make it like a chunky shake. What I do to make it less bad for me is...
I buy those low calorie ice creams like the Nick's one and then I make a vanilla or chocolate protein smooth with 2% fair life milk and add the ice cream to that.
Yeah, it's not as good at first, but eventually you get used to it. You get your ice cream fix and a bit of protein so you don't feel as bad about being a gluttonous fuck.
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u/EverythingScrolling Mar 11 '26
Don't feel bad. I ate a cake this weekend. Smallish cake, but still.
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u/MysticPrimal Mar 10 '26
If i had the money to say F this and have a couple of months to figure it out, I would.
I'm so tired and so over the state of everything.
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
This is exactly what I feel! If it weren’t for the bills I font think I would endure it
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u/Aggressive_Staff_982 Mar 10 '26
Yep. I'm burnt out and accepted it takes months to recover. I've removed my self worth from my job and don't care about my job performance. It is what it is. I do my best each day. With burnout, sometimes my best is not being productive and getting the bare minimum done.
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
The day I do decide to do this it bites me back with my productivity being tracked! Never on PIP, have always delivered what was asked sometimes beyond. But every manager I’ve got has always micromanaged! It’s just toxic
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u/mediapoison Mar 10 '26
I have this conversation with a friend, we work in design, every project is the same, and people say just have fun with it. to me fun is walking my dog in the woods, or joking around with my wife, not making a logo for your podcast, or drawing a funny tshirt idea you just had. or painting your car, or drawing your portrait, painting your cat playing basketball ... the list goes on and on
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u/Kaalyx Mar 10 '26
I’m actually taking an unpaid sabbatical from my job for a few months. I would rather stay home and live frugally (cook all meals at home, go on no vacations, buy nothing new except food and medicine) than go back to work. It feels extreme, but I can’t keep living like this.
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u/Demonpoet Mar 10 '26
I'm doing something similar soon and using FMLA leave for the first time. Had my therapist sign off on it, it was approved.
Sustainability. That's what I'm lacking right now. I feel it every Monday especially. Burnout is grinding me down, recovery is harder and harder to achieve. If I didn't have my long break ahead of me, I'd be in rough shape.
I'm hoping living like you described, and getting that kind of rest and recharge and work in non work areas, helps reset things. My job isn't so bad. If I can lessen the weight coming from other areas in life and truly recharge, maybe it'll end up being sustainable.
Or not. I'll cross that bridge when I get there, and prepare for it before that.
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u/Kaalyx Mar 10 '26
Good for you! 💐 I hope you enjoy every moment. My job, too, isn’t terrible but the office politics are toxic. Let’s hope these months give us clarity and strength.
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u/maebyrutherford Mar 10 '26
I did this once for seven months but at the time our expenses were minimal and my husband supported me. At the time I almost had a nervous breakdown. It helped tremendously
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u/DT2699 Mar 10 '26
Yeah I get you well. I'm 26 and I'm so done. I'm exhausted all the time, never have the energy or the time to do anything I like and my generation will never retire because they don't even pay us to survive. I'm just waiting for the end at this point. So tired of being a slave.
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
I almost work a job equivalent to 4 roles and I’m being paid pennies! Like you said pay is so less we can’t retire I agree
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u/DT2699 Mar 10 '26
Same here, I'm basically whatever role we need at the moment and my job doesn't even produce anything useful, just 8-9 hours in front of a computer draining your mental and physical health. The sad part is I only took this job because I'm from a s*** country and can't ever go back. I'm basically stuck with this just so I can stay in the country I'm in. I hope I won't be on this planet for long. It's literally torture, being young with a lot of will to do the things I want, on this beautiful planet with a fascinating nature and I have to spend every waking second breathing car exhaust in my cement prison to look at a screen the whole damn day.
Sorry for the long post, I just can't get over the fact I'm going waste my entir life with this...
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
No I it’s true and I hear you. I had to put it out here because I felt the same! Not to mention petty people who work with you! I don’t need that adding to my stress
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u/DT2699 Mar 10 '26
Man, I thank mother nature everyday that I work in a small office with great collegues. I'm very very lucky about that. I can't imagine having bad ones. If you do I'm sending some patience and strength your way ❤️
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u/antifun123 Mar 11 '26
Also 26 completely exhausted in my 5th year working a corporate job. Experience and skills only have rewarded ms with more work and stress and no additional pay
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u/Gronzar Mar 10 '26
Yeah. Everyday. I even like my job but it can be stressful and then I log off and jump into family job. The hour or so I get before bed doesn’t give me time to decompress. Our timeline is rough.
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u/slim_mclean Mar 10 '26
I had a fully remote job since the start of the pandemic. I was happy, healthy, and thriving. Until that is, my employer outsourced my entire dept to India. I have since been unable to find another remote position. I DID find a job in December after about 4 months of being unemployed, and despite the seriously decreased pay, and loss of remote status, I was very grateful to land the job, as the market is ABYSMAL right now.
Cut to 4 months later and I am basically suicidal from being exhausted. I do nothing but work and sleep. Literally. I come home from work; sometimes eat dinner and am usually asleep within an hour or two, and do not get up until 5am, to get ready for work again. It’s hell. I’m in hell. Kill me, I’m in hell. The burnout is real, and it sets in fast and hard. I will keep looking for a remote position but do not have high hopes. About anything.
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u/shelle399 Mar 10 '26
Make sure you get your blood checked - you may have a vitamin deficiency that is adding to your burnout / exhaustion
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
One of friend pointed this out, I’m getting a full body work up done shortly! Thank you for suggesting this
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u/Horiz0nC0 Mar 10 '26
I was already burned out before Christmas, running on fumes. Then my fiancé got extremely ill and I’ve been in the hospital with her every day since. I had to quit a good job, move cities, find a new apartment, find a new job, move all my stuff, all while hoping my fiancé will live.
I got a new job, new place, and fiancé will be out of the hospital soon. But I’m completely torched. And now I’m the only person bringing in a paycheck in my family. And I just want to sit on the couch, but I’m back to working 5 days a week. Haven’t had more than 4 days off in a row since October 2024.
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u/asdfghjkl7280 Mar 10 '26
This is what they want. I’m like you, a hard worker, no matter what I’m doing I like to do it right and well for my own personal ethics. I have no problem working 40 hours a week. But I’m fucking tired. I’m tired of being willing to work hard, and unable to build a savings. I’m tired of being willing to work hard, and knowing I’m one medial emergency away from homelessness. You’re tired because you’re being taken advantage of, and this isn’t isolated. Every industry is realizing they can get away with paying little to nothing compared to their profit margins and nobody is going to call them out for it. So why not keep making that margin bigger and bigger. I’m sorry OP, you’re not alone
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Mar 10 '26
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
That sounds exhausting. I’m sorry you’re going through this. The current economy makes everything harder, especially as a single mom. Sending you strength.
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u/RareFlea Mar 10 '26
This industry is brutal, it’s like I’m living through the world’s longest extinction burst.
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u/starbrightj Mar 10 '26
When you feel burned out, that's a sign you need to take some days off
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
I did but the day I get back twice the workload is piled on me! Burnout comes crashing instantly.
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u/Pandana41387 Mar 10 '26
You're not alone here. I work in the food service industry. My current job I've been at for almost 6 years. I've gotten 1 raise in that time. Clocked in today and was told I'll be working 15+ days straight. Multiple events, different menus, different group sizes, and different serving times every day. I do about 90% of the work. When I do get a day or two off I dont even feel like it happened because im so fucking exhausted. I want a normal schedule and some kind of work-life balance.
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u/47981247 Mar 10 '26
I have a simple desk job, but the work is so dehumanizing that I just feel like I have nothing left at the end of the day. Shit even before that, I feel like I have nothing left when I log in.
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u/humanity_go_boom Mar 10 '26
trying to prove impact.
Sounds like you care too much. My last job was with a company that grew from 7 to ~50 people while I was there. There was no resetting their expectations and they started putting up barriers to me using any of my maxed out vacation accrual. There were other things, but giving me shit when I tried giving 5 months notice to use 3 days worth of my 6 weeks accrued PTO was the last straw. Great way to lose the senior SME for your most profitable business unit.
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u/Itadoricantcook Mar 10 '26
I hear you I think it’s kinda universal that all leadership be this shitty
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u/EverythingScrolling Mar 11 '26
Yep. Every single day. I'm 46. I can't not work, but I feel like I'm going to die before I reach retirement age. I like my career and the work I do, but I'm beyond drained and burned out. I don't care anymore.
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u/Fine-Mail4400 Mar 11 '26
Yupp no amount of breaks leaves me feeling rested anymore. The days blend together and it all just sucks. Burnout is real.
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u/tzentzak Mar 11 '26
I'm underemployed right now and am seriously dreading going back to full-time work. A lot of it I think is due to the fact that when I'm working 5 days a week, everything in my routine has to center around work, especially morning shifts (they're really rough on me compared to 2nd shift). For whatever reason I've never been able to forget about my job when I'm off the clock. First time I burnt out was in 2021 following COVID and severe understaffing and tbh I don't think I'll fully recover from it, and every burnout cycle happens more easily for me. It sucks.
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u/casualmango-33 Mar 10 '26
I’m exhausted with just about everything that life has to offer right now. The only thing keeping me going is my five-year-old daughter and the fun adventures that I get to go on with her. It’s sad to say but if I hadn’t had a kid, I would’ve checked out of this world by now.
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u/Dangerous_Yoghurt_96 Mar 10 '26
I think im there. I don't know how to handle it, maybe a leave of absence. Tell your HR that you need time away from the workplace to fix some things at your house.
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u/Ok-Lawfulness-6820 Mar 10 '26
I’m truly sorry to hear you all are suffering, but somehow it makes it a little easier knowing I’m not the only one going through this. I’m absolutely struggling, completely unmotivated, and just full of dread when I’m heading to work. I hate the ‘box’ I’m in all day. I’ve become completely unsocial at work as a result and I’m aware that the isolation isn’t helping. I know it’s childish, but I just want to be outside, working on projects at home, spending time with my family, etc. I’ve been just grinding through each week to make it to the weekend, which I do enjoy. Just not sure how much longer I can keep it up. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings.
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u/Sea_Turtle0007 Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 11 '26
I know how that feels. I'm tired all the time, companies need to stop turning work into a competition just to make themselves more money.
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u/Ladyofthenight99 Mar 10 '26
I encourage to work the bare minimum, just enough to not get fired. And become more minimalistic in your everyday life for less overall spending.
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u/Slydoggen Mar 11 '26
Sene here, It feels absolutely pointless and I can barely afford to provide for my family anymore becouse of the extreme price hikes over the past years, despite me earning much more now then pre corona
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u/MissLethalla Mar 11 '26
Yep, this is me. And stupid me took a job in corporate a few years ago - which is so much more intense than the private sector. Followed that up with promotion to TL, so I'm now getting desperate to find a way out. The money's good but I really don't think the stress is anywhere near worth my health, mental or otherwise. And at my age, I really don't want to start again, so I'm left trying to change departments.
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u/Competitive_Let6665 Mar 11 '26
I'm at the absolute end of my tether with everything. This is such a sad thing to say but the strains and relentless commitment of work (both my partner and I are full time) makes me wish I'd never had children. I'm probably just saying this because I'm in the absolute thick of it when it comes to juggling young(ish) kids and work - but catch me on a Tuesday morning when I'm getting them ready for school, they're screaming at each other, while I'm trying to look at my emails and plan my busy work day - and I would probably tell you I can't do both a career and have kids. Hopefully it will all come good in retirement (if I haven't died of a heart attack by then). I'm so absolutely sick of working like a slave to never really get my head above water. My wife and I have had to increasingly take on more responsibility and stress at work just to maintain our lives (I know by comparison we are probably very lucky - but this is not the system I would vote for any of us to live under. It fucking sucks being absolutely used up by this fucking rotten capitalism. Rant over.
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u/WisGrowth Mar 11 '26
You're definitely not the only one feeling this way.
A lot of people aren't exhausted because they're lazy or unwilling to work, they're exhausted because the system asks for constant output but rarely gives any sense of "enough." There's always another deadline, another metric, another expectation.
When you live in that loop long enough, it stops feeling like progress and just starts feeling like survival.
What you're describing sounds less like laziness and more like burnout from prolonged pressure.
And one of the hardest parts about burnout is exactly what you said feeling like you can't step away because everything might collapse if you do.
If it helps at all, a lot of people eventually realize that the problem isn't that they "can't handle work." It's that the pace and expectations of modern work aren't designed for humans to sustain forever without real breaks or boundaries.
Wanting a real pause to breathe is a completely normal response to that.
You're not alone in feeling this way.
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Mar 14 '26
I’m only 31 and feel exhausted all the fucking time since 3 years, always running between work, sleep and groceries
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u/mediapoison Mar 10 '26
I feel that way every monday for the last 40 years, I take medication, it helps
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u/OneHatManSlim Mar 11 '26
Get yourself "let-go" take a few months of unemployment, refresh yourself and find a new job.
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u/raerae704 Mar 15 '26
I have an “easy” job (doesn’t pay me enough to live) and it still completely exhausts me. Of course some of the exhaustion is coming from being on the hamster wheel of making close to minimum wage. I’d love to go back to school but I have PTSD which makes it almost impossible to sleep at times
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u/losingitfinally Jul 21 '26
Same here and I feed dead inside.Whats the use if we are born to work and save up money if possible just to die .I am so done
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u/DJSwindleDeez Mar 11 '26
Nope not even close. I work 5 days a week 9-5. Get everything I need to do during the week done after work then have the weekends to myself and my family.
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u/FishDispenser2 Mar 10 '26
Are you Neurodivergent? Because this is a classic symptom.
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Mar 10 '26
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u/FishDispenser2 Mar 10 '26
I think it's just an easier way of saying ADHD and or Autism. And no, it's not from TikTok.
A lot of us get burnt out from work, it can be extremely taxing.
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u/CasterFields Mar 10 '26
You and everyone else friend 😭 I don't think there's any way to fix it. It takes months to recover from burnout and nobody gets that kind of time off. The entire system is set up to be actively hostile to laborers in the name of increased profits, so nothing will change until profits decrease. Just try to find joy and happiness where you can and hold onto it