Author Topic: Do you feel like a corporate slave?  (Read 9744 times)

Tidus

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Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« on: January 11, 2019, 11:44:51 PM »
Hey everyone!

Just got new here. Whee!!!

Since I'm new and would want to meet other badass mustasho here...

...would like to know who are here that feel like they are gold medalist of being a CORPORATE SLAVE?

You know, the one who works in a corporate prison where you...

...must drag your feet every morning just to work on a job you hate
...always looking at your watch as early as 9 am hoping it's already 5 pm
...always looking for Friday even if it's just Monday
...take all the bullshits blame from your unappreciative-bastard boss with matching shouting-saliva on your face
...working 14 hours per day in 5 to 7 days a week
...don't feel any purpose in your prison cubicle with an unfulfilling relationship with your peers

Pretty much living a life that you don't want and you would do something with purpose in your life once and for all and quit your hell job.

And don't get me wrong...

That's not me.

Ok, I lied.

It's TOTALLY ME!!!!

Does anyone here feels the same way?

Would want to hear your stories and share some thoughts.

gpyros85

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2019, 04:48:20 AM »
I used to until I changed jobs, like 75% of the time I enjoy it. There is that 25% I don't want to leave the house or would rather be home. That is my problem now, I enjoy what I do but would be much happier doing it 25-30 hours/week vs 40.

marty998

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2019, 04:51:04 AM »
With an identifiable profile pic like that you may want to wish your employer doesn't see this post.....

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #3 on: January 12, 2019, 05:20:20 AM »
Not really. I actually like my job, because you know, once you have more than 12 months of expenses saved, you have the full freedom to pursue other careers.......

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #4 on: January 12, 2019, 06:04:40 AM »
With an identifiable profile pic like that you may want to wish your employer doesn't see this post.....

Hey marty998!

You're right! That made me laugh of myself! Dumb me... haha!

Thanks for the reminder. :)

So do you still work in corporate? How was it so far?

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #5 on: January 12, 2019, 06:11:30 AM »
Not really. I actually like my job, because you know, once you have more than 12 months of expenses saved, you have the full freedom to pursue other careers.......

Hi  2Birds1Stone!

Good point!

But haven't you realized that life is not all about following orders from someone else?


I used to until I changed jobs, like 75% of the time I enjoy it. There is that 25% I don't want to leave the house or would rather be home. That is my problem now, I enjoy what I do but would be much happier doing it 25-30 hours/week vs 40.

Cool gpyros85!

Seems something inside of you would want to wish to work from home.

Like doing what you love just from home. That's awesome!

Haven't crossed your mind that it's possible? I'm also thinking about that. :)

chasesfish

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2019, 06:11:43 AM »
Slavery is a strong word.   You may be posting from North Korea or be one of the foreign construction workers in a middle eastern country where their employer holds their passport.  If that's the case, then forgive what I'm about to say and you are in a slavery situation:

I go to work every day and make an exchange of value, my time for their money.  There have been moves I've made in the company that put me in debt to the company (training costs, home sale benefits), but it is a conscious exchange of money.

Do I enjoy it?  No.
Can I leave?  Yes
Have I experienced asshole/unprofessional bosses? Yes

I can leave.  That choice also has consequences.  But its not slavery

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2019, 06:17:11 AM »


But haven't you realized that life is not all about following orders from someone else?

I have, that's why I'm unplugging later this year, at age 32.

LightStache

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2019, 06:32:28 AM »
Yep, I do, even though my job is engaging, life balanced, and fairly compensated. For me it's a sense of being unable to drink the cool aid, so I feel detached and unable to relate to peers and superiors. Others around me get spun up with these meaningless projects and completely empty strategies, and I just can't buy in. Me: "How are you working at 1a on a completely worthless task!?" Them: "It's not worthless since the CxO thinks it's important!" It's like I'm missing this common ability to distort facts in my favor, justifying that what I'm doing is important regardless of what it is. Maybe that makes me a pessimist, I dunno.

All I know is that I've had what should be cool jobs -- military pilot, then international consultant, now rocketry. I love learning and tackling challenges, but overall I find corporate culture disappointing. I honestly believe that we could cut 80% of American workers and have the exact same economic productivity, or maybe it would tick up a bit.

After over a decade in the workforce (and a few years of financial responsibility) I have enough cache to move around freely, but I'm here on MMM to end dependency on corporate life. Previously I used to seek jobs for fulfillment, but now I factor more heavily lifestyle and salary.

LightStache

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2019, 06:34:29 AM »
Slavery is a strong word.   You may be posting from North Korea or be one of the foreign construction workers in a middle eastern country where their employer holds their passport.  If that's the case, then forgive what I'm about to say and you are in a slavery situation:

I go to work every day and make an exchange of value, my time for their money.  There have been moves I've made in the company that put me in debt to the company (training costs, home sale benefits), but it is a conscious exchange of money.

Do I enjoy it?  No.
Can I leave?  Yes
Have I experienced asshole/unprofessional bosses? Yes

I can leave.  That choice also has consequences.  But its not slavery

@chasesfish I don't think the term is meant to be literal

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2019, 06:40:50 AM »
Slavery is a strong word.   You may be posting from North Korea or be one of the foreign construction workers in a middle eastern country where their employer holds their passport.  If that's the case, then forgive what I'm about to say and you are in a slavery situation:

I go to work every day and make an exchange of value, my time for their money.  There have been moves I've made in the company that put me in debt to the company (training costs, home sale benefits), but it is a conscious exchange of money.

Do I enjoy it?  No.
Can I leave?  Yes
Have I experienced asshole/unprofessional bosses? Yes

I can leave.  That choice also has consequences.  But its not slavery

Hello chasesfish!

Definitely not from North Korea. And thanks for your thoughts. Really appreciate it.

Maybe you're still comfortable with your situation and haven't hit the rock bottom of being an employee who feels that can be replaced anytime.

Dispensable anytime like a toilet paper.

I've been thru layoffs and being fired for very very unreasonable explanations. Which I can't do anything of course.

And made me think, does life has to be always this way?

Can't I be in control once and for all?

Can't I do what I love to do and experience true freedom where you don't have to work for someone else?

Questions like that always linger on my head.

And when you get into that awareness, maybe you will understand what a guy like me is going thru. :)

There's no way that I'm all alone in this kind of situation. And hopefully, we can meet them here and help each other to break this invisible shackles. :)




terran

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2019, 06:43:58 AM »
Slavery is a strong word. 

+1

You can FEEL however you want, but just stop and think about what you're saying for a minute. Think about what it would be like to be a literal slave. I think you'll decide you don't have it so bad after all. A little negative visualizing (look into stoicism) can do wonders.

If you're so unhappy, you can (and probably should) just quit. You're not a slave.

chasesfish

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2019, 06:57:08 AM »
@Tidus I have been in that situation, specifically remember one moment in my employment at 23, married to my wife in graduate school, living paycheck to paycheck, and going into the hole further each month.  Worked for an incompetent boss and a complete a-hole one level up from him.

In hindsight things were not as dire as they seemed.   I had a lot of other options that I didn't realize at the time.  Risk aversion kept me tethered to a bad situation.

Maenad

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #13 on: January 12, 2019, 07:12:22 AM »
Most of the people I hear going on about corporate wage slavery are in MLMs, which of course means 99% are making less than minimum wage, if anything. So my first caution to the OP is to be very leery of anyone who approaches you with tales of fabulous riches to be had while WORKING FROM HOME and BEING YOUR OWN BOSS. Being in a very unhappy state makes you vulnerable to con artists.

Do I feel "like a corporate slave"? No, for several reasons:
1. I have multiple years of living expenses saved, so I can walk any time it gets bad. I'm never "stuck" there.
2. Everyone is replaceable at a corporation - EVERYONE. We are all cogs, and I'm philosophical about that, because the company is also replaceable to me. I have left jobs that demand too much, and bosses that got into screaming matches at the office.
3. My guilty pleasure is reading the Ask a Manager blog - she has great advice on when a work situation is thus that you should leave. It helps keep my work in perspective.
4. I know that no matter how much I may bitch about my job, I don't actually want to be an entrepreneur. The thought of it fills me with more anxiety than excitement.

If you're truly unhappy at work, check out the Entrepreneurship subforum here: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/entrepreneurship/. Start your own side business, grow it to the point that you can live off of it, quit your job that is making you unhappy.

You're unlikely to find a lot of commiseration and ranting here about crappy jobs, but you will find a TON of encouragement and good advice when you want to do something positive to change a bad situation. Wallowing in misery tends to exhaust people's patience here.

crispy

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #14 on: January 12, 2019, 08:44:09 AM »
I have felt that way before, but I have found it it usually the company or the manager who made me dread work, not the work itself.

I currently work for a government agency that focuses on mental health, and I feel like I do meaningful work. I am not client facing (I work in HR), but I help equip those who are. I have really nice coworkers and supportive bosses who advocate for me and have helped me advance my career. It is not perfect, but it really is a good working situation.

Indexer

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #15 on: January 12, 2019, 09:53:17 AM »
Only on Tuesdays!


No seriously, we have our meetings on Tuesdays. It's a complete waste of time 99% of the time. The rest of the time I have a lot of autonomy and I enjoy what I do so it isn't too bad.

Miss Piggy

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #16 on: January 12, 2019, 02:59:45 PM »
Tidus, welcome. Please re-read your posts...you sound absolutely miserable. Surely you have options, yes? Are you currently looking for a new job? If not, what's stopping you?

35andFI

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #17 on: January 12, 2019, 04:30:40 PM »
I work for a mid sized business and am quite happy doing so.

I like the structure that it forces me to have.

MaaS

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #18 on: January 12, 2019, 10:16:19 PM »
Hey everyone!

Just got new here. Whee!!!

Since I'm new and would want to meet other badass mustasho here...

...would like to know who are here that feel like they are gold medalist of being a CORPORATE SLAVE?

You know, the one who works in a corporate prison where you...

...must drag your feet every morning just to work on a job you hate
...always looking at your watch as early as 9 am hoping it's already 5 pm
...always looking for Friday even if it's just Monday
...take all the bullshits blame from your unappreciative-bastard boss with matching shouting-saliva on your face
...working 14 hours per day in 5 to 7 days a week
...don't feel any purpose in your prison cubicle with an unfulfilling relationship with your peers

Pretty much living a life that you don't want and you would do something with purpose in your life once and for all and quit your hell job.

And don't get me wrong...

That's not me.

Ok, I lied.

It's TOTALLY ME!!!!

Does anyone here feels the same way?

Would want to hear your stories and share some thoughts.

Here's my story:

I've been lucky to never have a job I would classify as bad. But, I did run into the realization that I wasn't excited to do what I was about to do for too many days in a row.

So I resigned, started my own company, and two years later have never been happier.

With that said...

The alternative (self-employment, assuming you're not FI) comes with it's own set of problems. I work harder, longer, and take more BS than I did as an employee. You essentially trade one boss for dozens (your customers and employees). But, the net of it is I enjoy my days much more.

What I've learned, is that being an employee isn't as bad of a gig as many of us think. You (probably) get a guaranteed check, paid time off, and benefits, while only being accountable for a tiny portion of the production of the business.

The point? If your situation is so terrible, try and change it. If you can't, perhaps your situation wasn't so terrible. Every person is different and there are no uniform answers.

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #19 on: January 13, 2019, 12:17:05 AM »
I used to until I changed jobs, like 75% of the time I enjoy it. There is that 25% I don't want to leave the house or would rather be home. That is my problem now, I enjoy what I do but would be much happier doing it 25-30 hours/week vs 40.

Cool @gpyros85 !

Seems something inside of you would want to wish to work from home.

Like doing what you love just from home. That's awesome!

Haven't crossed your mind that it's possible? I'm also thinking about that. :)


 

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #20 on: January 13, 2019, 12:26:09 AM »
Slavery is a strong word. 

+1

You can FEEL however you want, but just stop and think about what you're saying for a minute. Think about what it would be like to be a literal slave. I think you'll decide you don't have it so bad after all. A little negative visualizing (look into stoicism) can do wonders.

If you're so unhappy, you can (and probably should) just quit. You're not a slave.

Hey @terran !

Actually I'm quitting. I'm doing something bigger than myself.

I have realized that life is tooooooo short to work on a job you hate.

And this hate is a  really good thing by the way. It drives me to better myself so I can get out on this system.

And would love love love to help others out join their journeys and escape together with this not so nice situation. :)

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #21 on: January 13, 2019, 12:30:15 AM »


But haven't you realized that life is not all about following orders from someone else?

I have, that's why I'm unplugging later this year, at age 32.

And that's super exciting @2Birds1Stone!

I'm doing the same! Gotta retire this year and doing the impossible.... :)

What are you're working on? How's it going? Do you mind sharing? :)

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #22 on: January 13, 2019, 12:40:55 AM »
@Tidus I have been in that situation, specifically remember one moment in my employment at 23, married to my wife in graduate school, living paycheck to paycheck, and going into the hole further each month.  Worked for an incompetent boss and a complete a-hole one level up from him.

In hindsight things were not as dire as they seemed.   I had a lot of other options that I didn't realize at the time.  Risk aversion kept me tethered to a bad situation.

@chasesfish

Boy!

If only you knew mine.

I cried in front of my former BOSS because I can't take anymore his poor management style! huhu!

Incompetent bosses really push you on the edge of you unknown greatness but pisses you off.

Being with that kind of people, you really have to change your perspective about life and think what can you learn about this crappy situation. Which will turn you a better person than yesterday.

Why not do low risk sweet escape? Like tapping on what you're good at and use that helping others? Just thinking.. :)

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #23 on: January 13, 2019, 12:47:12 AM »
Yep, I do, even though my job is engaging, life balanced, and fairly compensated. For me it's a sense of being unable to drink the cool aid, so I feel detached and unable to relate to peers and superiors. Others around me get spun up with these meaningless projects and completely empty strategies, and I just can't buy in. Me: "How are you working at 1a on a completely worthless task!?" Them: "It's not worthless since the CxO thinks it's important!" It's like I'm missing this common ability to distort facts in my favor, justifying that what I'm doing is important regardless of what it is. Maybe that makes me a pessimist, I dunno.

All I know is that I've had what should be cool jobs -- military pilot, then international consultant, now rocketry. I love learning and tackling challenges, but overall I find corporate culture disappointing. I honestly believe that we could cut 80% of American workers and have the exact same economic productivity, or maybe it would tick up a bit.

After over a decade in the workforce (and a few years of financial responsibility) I have enough cache to move around freely, but I'm here on MMM to end dependency on corporate life. Previously I used to seek jobs for fulfillment, but now I factor more heavily lifestyle and salary.

I really get that pointless projects working till dawn @RyaninLA ! :)

Because I was there too. Whoo!

That also made me think, why don't do the things I love till early in the morning.

I'm here too to end my corporate life. Hopefully this year I can beat the impossible. :)

So what do you do now to fully escape this corporate situatioin? Mind sharing? :)

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #24 on: January 13, 2019, 12:57:56 AM »
Most of the people I hear going on about corporate wage slavery are in MLMs, which of course means 99% are making less than minimum wage, if anything. So my first caution to the OP is to be very leery of anyone who approaches you with tales of fabulous riches to be had while WORKING FROM HOME and BEING YOUR OWN BOSS. Being in a very unhappy state makes you vulnerable to con artists.

Do I feel "like a corporate slave"? No, for several reasons:
1. I have multiple years of living expenses saved, so I can walk any time it gets bad. I'm never "stuck" there.
2. Everyone is replaceable at a corporation - EVERYONE. We are all cogs, and I'm philosophical about that, because the company is also replaceable to me. I have left jobs that demand too much, and bosses that got into screaming matches at the office.
3. My guilty pleasure is reading the Ask a Manager blog - she has great advice on when a work situation is thus that you should leave. It helps keep my work in perspective.
4. I know that no matter how much I may bitch about my job, I don't actually want to be an entrepreneur. The thought of it fills me with more anxiety than excitement.

If you're truly unhappy at work, check out the Entrepreneurship subforum here: https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/entrepreneurship/. Start your own side business, grow it to the point that you can live off of it, quit your job that is making you unhappy.

You're unlikely to find a lot of commiseration and ranting here about crappy jobs, but you will find a TON of encouragement and good advice when you want to do something positive to change a bad situation. Wallowing in misery tends to exhaust people's patience here.

You've got great points there @Maenad. Thanks for sharing.

I know I may sound like somewhat negative about this kind of situation of corporate slavery. That's why this not so nice situation should turn into positive one. Like escaping it if you're really fed up to this life and now daring to create something bigger than yourself.

If you don't want to be an entrepreneur, are you saying you're comfortable to be an employee for the meantime?

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #25 on: January 13, 2019, 01:25:15 AM »
I have felt that way before, but I have found it it usually the company or the manager who made me dread work, not the work itself.

I currently work for a government agency that focuses on mental health, and I feel like I do meaningful work. I am not client facing (I work in HR), but I help equip those who are. I have really nice coworkers and supportive bosses who advocate for me and have helped me advance my career. It is not perfect, but it really is a good working situation.

You seems fine @crispy base on your story.

And I'm so so happy for you.

Not everyone is enjoying their corporate life.

I wish you all the best and future fast promotions! :)

Only on Tuesdays!


No seriously, we have our meetings on Tuesdays. It's a complete waste of time 99% of the time. The rest of the time I have a lot of autonomy and I enjoy what I do so it isn't too bad.

Mine is every second Friday of the month! ahaha!

There my former BOSS will splash all the blames on us on the team. :D

But that autonomy hit me one time.  All we thought autonomy suddenly kick us all in my former company.

Boom!

Everyone is laid off.

Don't get me wrong @Indexer , what I'm saying is we are not totally free if we are working for someone else.


Tidus, welcome. Please re-read your posts...you sound absolutely miserable. Surely you have options, yes? Are you currently looking for a new job? If not, what's stopping you?

@Miss Piggy

I may be miserable for the moment. But this won't last. I just want to share sentiments around here and hear others what are they plans and what do they are doing to solve this.

But really thanks for the concerns. Appreciate that. :)

I work for a mid sized business and am quite happy doing so.

I like the structure that it forces me to have.


So so so happy for you @35andFI !

You wouldn't want to be in this slavery. :)



Hey everyone!

Just got new here. Whee!!!

Since I'm new and would want to meet other badass mustasho here...

...would like to know who are here that feel like they are gold medalist of being a CORPORATE SLAVE?

You know, the one who works in a corporate prison where you...

...must drag your feet every morning just to work on a job you hate
...always looking at your watch as early as 9 am hoping it's already 5 pm
...always looking for Friday even if it's just Monday
...take all the bullshits blame from your unappreciative-bastard boss with matching shouting-saliva on your face
...working 14 hours per day in 5 to 7 days a week
...don't feel any purpose in your prison cubicle with an unfulfilling relationship with your peers

Pretty much living a life that you don't want and you would do something with purpose in your life once and for all and quit your hell job.

And don't get me wrong...

That's not me.

Ok, I lied.

It's TOTALLY ME!!!!

Does anyone here feels the same way?

Would want to hear your stories and share some thoughts.

Here's my story:

I've been lucky to never have a job I would classify as bad. But, I did run into the realization that I wasn't excited to do what I was about to do for too many days in a row.

So I resigned, started my own company, and two years later have never been happier.

With that said...

The alternative (self-employment, assuming you're not FI) comes with it's own set of problems. I work harder, longer, and take more BS than I did as an employee. You essentially trade one boss for dozens (your customers and employees). But, the net of it is I enjoy my days much more.

What I've learned, is that being an employee isn't as bad of a gig as many of us think. You (probably) get a guaranteed check, paid time off, and benefits, while only being accountable for a tiny portion of the production of the business.

The point? If your situation is so terrible, try and change it. If you can't, perhaps your situation wasn't so terrible. Every person is different and there are no uniform answers.

Thanks Thanks @MaaS for that super inspiring turn up!

This doesn't mean that being a corporate slave is a totally bad thing. Everyone going thru this should realize that there's always a better way on way or another. Life is to be lived with fun, excitement everyday, waking up with purpose and financially and time abundantly. We all have the choice on what to do next when life hits us.

So how do you help others with your thriving company? Would love to hear it. :)

screwit

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #26 on: January 13, 2019, 01:43:09 AM »

Actually I'm quitting. I'm doing something bigger than myself.


So what is it that you are going to be doing?

gpyros85

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #27 on: January 13, 2019, 02:58:30 AM »
I used to until I changed jobs, like 75% of the time I enjoy it. There is that 25% I don't want to leave the house or would rather be home. That is my problem now, I enjoy what I do but would be much happier doing it 25-30 hours/week vs 40.

Cool gpyros85!

Seems something inside of you would want to wish to work from home.

Like doing what you love just from home. That's awesome!

Haven't crossed your mind that it's possible? I'm also thinking about that. :)
[/quote]


If I was in a field that offered that I would be done. However, I am in the manufacturing field and can't really do much of that unless you are tied to a factory. I see these software jobs all the time with the flex, that would be awesome!

LWYRUP

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #28 on: January 13, 2019, 06:56:27 AM »
I used to feel that way.

I quit my job and found another one, that a lot paid less.  It was better (inc. lower hours) but still a bit of a slog.

Then I quit that job and found another one.  This one also paid less than the previous one, but only by a little bit (e.g., 10%) and it cut commuting and commuting costs pretty drastically and has fewer hours -- so on a per hour basis, I probably got a bit of a raise.

My work is also way more interesting (intellectually interesting and challenging) then before and I enjoy my coworkers.  My boss is also really hands-off (I report directly to our Executive Director and he's way too busy to micromanage even if he wanted to, which he doesn't). 

I was gaining seniority the whole time so pay cuts when you are gaining experience involve a sacrifice.  But it's actually common in my field (law) when people start as a "biglaw" associate and then move on to greener pastures.  Junior biglaw transactional associates are basically glorified secretaries who are expected to work continual overtime shifts and pump out an enormous volume of work.  Now most of what I do as actual real, and quite complex, legal work and only a fraction is administrative stuff.  (Now that I'm more senior, though, sometimes I wish I had an associate of my own.)

In any case, for me I'd say (1) it's still worth it to work hard so you gain experience and can move up the value chain, (2) reasonable hours vs. long hours and reasonable commute vs. long commute matter a LOT, (3) be willing to trade compensation for intangibles (work-life balance, autonomy, growth experience, etc.). 

Every job has positives and negatives but if you are consistently unhappy, you should find something else to do with your time. 

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #29 on: January 13, 2019, 11:48:58 PM »

Actually I'm quitting. I'm doing something bigger than myself.


So what is it that you are going to be doing?


Hey @screwit!

I'm helping peeps on the same boat on how to safely escape the cubicle world.

I'm in the journey of escaping my corporate job and I would like to help on how I'm doing it and share others who did the same and now enjoying the life that they always wanted. :)

I used to until I changed jobs, like 75% of the time I enjoy it. There is that 25% I don't want to leave the house or would rather be home. That is my problem now, I enjoy what I do but would be much happier doing it 25-30 hours/week vs 40.

Cool gpyros85!

Seems something inside of you would want to wish to work from home.

Like doing what you love just from home. That's awesome!

Haven't crossed your mind that it's possible? I'm also thinking about that. :)


If I was in a field that offered that I would be done. However, I am in the manufacturing field and can't really do much of that unless you are tied to a factory. I see these software jobs all the time with the flex, that would be awesome!
[/quote]

Hey @gpyros85!

I have a friend similar to your set up. He's working as a technician in a electronics manufacturing company.

He decided to shift other companies but came to him that being a in a factory is not sensible at all. Even if he gets  much higher pay even 10x, he still tied up for someone else. That's why he's working on himself, building his craft to get out the situation.

But as long you are happy on what you do, do it. :)


I used to feel that way.

I quit my job and found another one, that a lot paid less.  It was better (inc. lower hours) but still a bit of a slog.

Then I quit that job and found another one.  This one also paid less than the previous one, but only by a little bit (e.g., 10%) and it cut commuting and commuting costs pretty drastically and has fewer hours -- so on a per hour basis, I probably got a bit of a raise.

My work is also way more interesting (intellectually interesting and challenging) then before and I enjoy my coworkers.  My boss is also really hands-off (I report directly to our Executive Director and he's way too busy to micromanage even if he wanted to, which he doesn't). 

I was gaining seniority the whole time so pay cuts when you are gaining experience involve a sacrifice.  But it's actually common in my field (law) when people start as a "biglaw" associate and then move on to greener pastures.  Junior biglaw transactional associates are basically glorified secretaries who are expected to work continual overtime shifts and pump out an enormous volume of work.  Now most of what I do as actual real, and quite complex, legal work and only a fraction is administrative stuff.  (Now that I'm more senior, though, sometimes I wish I had an associate of my own.)

In any case, for me I'd say (1) it's still worth it to work hard so you gain experience and can move up the value chain, (2) reasonable hours vs. long hours and reasonable commute vs. long commute matter a LOT, (3) be willing to trade compensation for intangibles (work-life balance, autonomy, growth experience, etc.). 

Every job has positives and negatives but if you are consistently unhappy, you should find something else to do with your time. 


Hello @blinx7!

Your awesome story is not so bad after all. :)

You're still comfortable with you job given the long commutes, working to step up the corporate ladder and fix working hours.

It's takes a bit of courage to accept much lower pay than the previous in exchange for something. I admire you for that.

But do you really love your work?

I mean does it make you feel a live with purpose every morning?

That every morning when you wake up, you are fully energized, motivated with a sure fire of confidence that this what you will do for the rest of your life?


Linea_Norway

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #30 on: January 14, 2019, 02:01:19 AM »
No, I don't feel like a slave at all. But I do feel like a paw in a chess game. We have a lot of different projects that our departement works on. The managers discuss among themselves and assign percentages of people to projects without discussing with the employees on forehand. So we are just told that from now on, you work 50% on your current project and 50% on other badly managed, stupid, high prestige for the company project. Some people are assigned to multiple projects, all a certain percentage.
« Last Edit: January 14, 2019, 05:14:34 AM by Linda_Norway »

matchewed

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #31 on: January 14, 2019, 05:06:55 AM »
Nope not a slave. You have agency. Don't let go of that fact so easily and turn yourself into a victim that you are not.

Maenad

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #32 on: January 14, 2019, 05:20:36 AM »

Actually I'm quitting. I'm doing something bigger than myself.


So what is it that you are going to be doing?

I'm helping peeps on the same boat on how to safely escape the cubicle world.

I'm in the journey of escaping my corporate job and I would like to help on how I'm doing it and share others who did the same and now enjoying the life that they always wanted. :)

With all due respect, this is meaningless. What are you doing, really? 

There's a lot of MLMs these days that have jumped on the FIRE bandwagon and are selling freedom from wage slavery, and their income disclosures show they're just fleecing people. And being vague about "helping people live their dreams" is exactly how they attempt to sell it.

So, again, what exactly are you doing?

35andFI

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #33 on: January 14, 2019, 08:06:50 AM »
Tidus, what are you selling?

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #34 on: January 15, 2019, 07:37:03 AM »
Nope not a slave. You have agency. Don't let go of that fact so easily and turn yourself into a victim that you are not.

Totally I have no agency or anything related to @matcwed. Just soloist. :)



Actually I'm quitting. I'm doing something bigger than myself.


So what is it that you are going to be doing?

I'm helping peeps on the same boat on how to safely escape the cubicle world.

I'm in the journey of escaping my corporate job and I would like to help on how I'm doing it and share others who did the same and now enjoying the life that they always wanted. :)

With all due respect, this is meaningless. What are you doing, really? 

There's a lot of MLMs these days that have jumped on the FIRE bandwagon and are selling freedom from wage slavery, and their income disclosures show they're just fleecing people. And being vague about "helping people live their dreams" is exactly how they attempt to sell it.

So, again, what exactly are you doing?


Hi @Maenad!

I want to hear the stories of the people of the same situation. And I'm not selling anything here.

I know a particular skill that you can do like a side hustle aligned with your passion and earn from it while keeping your day job. Then eventually you can replace you day job. Like creating an ebook even if you're not a writer and sell it to people who are in need. But not the kindle way.

Tidus, what are you selling?

I'm not here to sell @35andFI. I just want to know the struggles of the people who share the same situation and maybe there I can help. :)

Miss Piggy

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #35 on: January 15, 2019, 07:43:59 AM »
So...you're not selling anything here yet, but you hope to be soon? Alrighty then. Glad we got that settled.

matchewed

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #36 on: January 15, 2019, 07:44:48 AM »
Nope not a slave. You have agency. Don't let go of that fact so easily and turn yourself into a victim that you are not.

Totally I have no agency or anything related to @matcwed. Just soloist. :)


What? Either you didn't understand me or I don't understand you. Right now I'm sure of the latter, not sure of the former.

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #37 on: January 15, 2019, 08:14:46 AM »
Nope not a slave. You have agency. Don't let go of that fact so easily and turn yourself into a victim that you are not.

Totally I have no agency or anything related to @matcwed. Just soloist. :)


What? Either you didn't understand me or I don't understand you. Right now I'm sure of the latter, not sure of the former.

And I was lost. :D What do mean by agency @matchewed ?

MrOnyx

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #38 on: January 15, 2019, 08:24:12 AM »
Hmm... I'm giving 40 hours per week of the best time of my life away for the greater benefit of my bosses in return for a fraction of what I earn for them.

I can think of better things to commit my youth to, but I try not to think too negatively about it, or we end up with a prison sentence mentality, which can be destructive to growth and health.

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #39 on: January 15, 2019, 08:52:30 AM »
Hmm... I'm giving 40 hours per week of the best time of my life away for the greater benefit of my bosses in return for a fraction of what I earn for them.

I can think of better things to commit my youth to, but I try not to think too negatively about it, or we end up with a prison sentence mentality, which can be destructive to growth and health.

Hello @MrOnyx !

Well, I'm done with that prison mentality. So over that's why I I'm quitting. I just felt this is the dead end. I;m really not a good employee by the way. And I prefer not to. I just thought if you keep doing things you don't love, chances are you'll be doing it for the rest of your life. Kinda wake up call.

Part of my journey is developing a quitting-plan where I can share my journey to others  who are also planning to escape the corporate world and discover that there's really more than just working for someone else.

It's ok if you are not feeling the same way. We have own choices on how should we live our lives. :)

Thanks for sharing anyway. :)
« Last Edit: January 15, 2019, 08:54:21 AM by Tidus »

MrOnyx

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #40 on: January 15, 2019, 09:05:56 AM »
Oh, don't get me wrong, I do agree with you. My one word answer to your question would be 'yes', I DO feel like a corporate slave - I DON'T think that even the 40-hour week* offers a good work/life balance, and I don't think that work should be the main feature of our lives.

The way I see it, we weren't born to work, pay bills and die. There's more to it than that - and that's why we're all here - most of us do want to escape that.

All I meant was that, for now, FIRE is a fairly long way away for me, so I cannot focus too much on FIREing, because it'll occupy me, and potentially prevent me from enjoying this part of my life. I want to live in the now, rather than the ten years from now, and that's hard to do because I DO want to be free, but there has to be a balance. :)

* I realise that some - many - people work more hours than that, and frankly, that's up to them. I have every right to complain about the work/life balance of a 40-hour week. There's no way you'd get me working longer than that - not without some significant caveats.

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #41 on: January 15, 2019, 10:46:33 AM »

Hello @blinx7!

Your awesome story is not so bad after all. :)

You're still comfortable with you job given the long commutes, working to step up the corporate ladder and fix working hours.

It's takes a bit of courage to accept much lower pay than the previous in exchange for something. I admire you for that.

But do you really love your work?

I mean does it make you feel a live with purpose every morning?

That every morning when you wake up, you are fully energized, motivated with a sure fire of confidence that this what you will do for the rest of your life?

I think you misread my post.  I no longer have a long commute.

Your questions are unrealistic.  It is not realistic to be fully energized and motivated every morning, for anything.  And, no, I have absolutely no intention of doing this particular job function for the rest of my life.  In fact, I pretty much start planning for the next job (and in the future, business, and then after that, retirement) the moment I start the first job.  I hope to leverage this job for even better things (even more money, even more interesting work, even more flexibility) and I have a plan for that.  But I also like trying new things so the reality is I'd probably leave it to do something else eventually just for the joy of trying something new. 

It honestly does sound like you are trying to sell something to unhappy people rather than reflect on your own life.

Cromacster

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #42 on: January 15, 2019, 11:10:14 AM »
Reading through this feels like I'm listening to my 12 year old nieice telling me what she wants to be when she grows up.  Which leds me to beleive something is amiss here...

anyways.....

Tidus, what is your plan?  What steps are you going to take to get out of the 9-5 grind?

matchewed

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #43 on: January 15, 2019, 12:50:58 PM »
Nope not a slave. You have agency. Don't let go of that fact so easily and turn yourself into a victim that you are not.

Totally I have no agency or anything related to @matcwed. Just soloist. :)


What? Either you didn't understand me or I don't understand you. Right now I'm sure of the latter, not sure of the former.

And I was lost. :D What do mean by agency @matchewed ?

Agency is the capacity for an entity to act in an environment. Simply put people who give up their agency say stuff happens to them and blame that stuff for how and why things are the way they are. People who retain their agency choose to do what they do, they see the reality around them and change the circumstances or choose to make the best of them.

If you self identify as a slave (as abhorrent as I view that self identification because what the hell do you know of slavery?) you are implying that you are giving up your agency and the world just acts on you. Giving up that you can change your circumstances or the views on your circumstances. I personally wouldn't give that up. It is a valuable thing.

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #44 on: January 16, 2019, 06:09:27 AM »
Reading through this feels like I'm listening to my 12 year old nieice telling me what she wants to be when she grows up.  Which leds me to beleive something is amiss here...

anyways.....

Tidus, what is your plan?  What steps are you going to take to get out of the 9-5 grind?

Hey @Cromacster!

On the side, I'm selling ebooks on the topics people are wanting to read.  But I'm not a writer. I suck at writing. And I do't don't sell it to amazon way. So after work I do it on the side.

Quite challenging. But it something that interests me and makes me come alive.

So how are you, are gonna stay for a while in your job? Everything awesome?;)

 

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #45 on: January 24, 2019, 08:53:51 AM »
Or maybe start a blog?

Tidus

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #46 on: January 24, 2019, 11:11:16 PM »
Hi @2Birds1Stone @MoMMMy

What's your single and biggest question about escaping the rate race?

2Birds1Stone

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #47 on: January 25, 2019, 07:28:56 AM »
The joke ------> X

Your head ----> X

Hi @2Birds1Stone @MoMMMy

What's your single and biggest question about escaping the rate race?

CptCool

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #48 on: January 25, 2019, 10:53:20 AM »
This thread is weird

dividendman

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Re: Do you feel like a corporate slave?
« Reply #49 on: January 25, 2019, 11:28:16 AM »
Only on Tuesdays!


No seriously, we have our meetings on Tuesdays. It's a complete waste of time 99% of the time. The rest of the time I have a lot of autonomy and I enjoy what I do so it isn't too bad.

You should tell your organization to move the meetings from Tuesday. Tuesday is the most productive day of the week, so the opportunity cost is less if you have your full day of meetings on any other day!

You're welcome!