Should I quit my job?

[jr1029]

H

[zataks]

I'm in a similar situation.  Great job with pay and phenomenal benefits but I HAVE to be here 40/week.  Much of that time is spent webbing.

Re the throat clearing: If you're allowed, get headphones and start doing things like Duolingo or watching TEDtalks if you can get away with it.  It's what I do, except my "office" is semi private so I have multiple displays, a TV, a stereo, fridge and microwave. 
Most days I have 1-2 hours where I'm the only one here so I bring my jump rope and yoga mat and work out and stretch.

Just try to find ways to take back your time.  And laugh all the way to FI/ER. 

[howie29]

You should both count your blessings.  My job is going to kill me stress-wise.  Search for the end of the web...that should keep you busy for awhile. :)

[G-dog]

Agree with getting headphones (or earplugs). Is there some training/development you can do to challenge yourself that still arguably supports your employer? If duo lingo or text alms fit, like listed above, great.

You can ask your boss for more work or a new project. You can offer to help coworkers. You can design mini-competitions against yourself (I do this for mundane repetitive tasks).

Can you find a volunteer activity or hobby that fulfills your need for challenge?

I know how you feel. But I am f'ing swamped at work with him stress - so be careful what you wish for.

[divsnowball]

Keep working, making an easy 100k and spend your time researching ways to make money on the side.  Prowl craigslist gigs.  Personally I have an eBay business.  Theres plenty of stuff out there, just do your research

[crispy]

No.

[hdatontodo]

Keep it and use idle time to plan activities out of work

[iamadummy]

keep the job, but pick up a side gig (consulting) to fill the void

[countdown]

I'm in a similar boat and have pretty much decided that i 'm going to stick it out for 2 more years and then take a sabbatical for ~6m with the kiddies before looking for another job to take me the rest of the way to FI. Having an end date that's not too far out is helping. Also, I seriously have a countdown graph and check my investmests every morning.

[anon-e-mouse]

Option 1:  Use the time to get more qualifications.
Look for a higher paying and more challenging job. 

Option 2:  Find a purpose outside of work.  Volunteer, be an entrepreneur, or find a hobby.

Whatever you choose, remind yourself that you are an honest and professional employee being paid WELL for your services.  Most people are not nearly as lucky as you.

"Being intelligent and being smart are two very different things."

[Ricky]

I'm beginning to think your situation actually isn't rare at all. I hear it a lot on here as well as various other places, and it's pretty obvious that America isn't nearly as productive as we'd like to give ourselves credit for.

I would stay, but actively be looking for more challenging work with better pay. You have to have a good reason to actually leave, right? Maybe "quit" wasn't the word you were looking for. Rather, "look elsewhere?"

[Guizmo]

Fuck me.

What qualifications do you need for this job and are they hiring?

I obviously chose the wrong career.

[Exflyboy]

Heck no.. But spend time looking for something more challenging because you can't perform in this kind of environment for the long term.

I had to talk myself through the boredom more than once, I managed to dig deep and find stuff to occupy me. I went and got my Professional engineering qualifications 25 years out of school which was extremely challenging.. went and got an MBA (easy) then used those qualifications to get an even better paid job (but a lot more stressful).

Then I was at FI.

[dodojojo]

OP, similar situation here.  The differences are I get to work from home, though officially I have an office.  I just go in as needed or when I want.  That averages out to about 3-5 times a month and even then I don't go in for the whole day.  I like my team very much and appreciate the no-drama relationships but I do not like what I do.  But it's hard to walk out on the 100K plus salary, especially after a previous non-profit career. 

I'm in my 40's so I'm much more circumspect about walking out on a steady income.  I only discovered MMM in 2013 so the RE part in FIRE isn't going to happen for me.  But a comfortable RE is possible--if I continue to sock away my current salary for many more years.

I've also never found an equal or better paying job whilst employed.  I've always quit, been fired, laid off or finished school and had a gap before re-employment.  Things have always just worked after a few weeks or months.  So the goal I've been kicking around in my head is to find a job while I still have one.  That's my career bucket list for the next 12-18 months ;)

[Zamboni]

No, do not quit.

I'll chime one more time for the headphones.

Are there professional conferences in your field?  Maybe spend your free time at work researching and planning to attend one or more of those.  You'd meet more contacts in your field that way with the added bonus of getting out of the office for a bit.  Or maybe you are working on some project that is ultimately publishable?  Could getting publications on your resume help your career?  What other types of work-related projects can you initiate?

Would you feel better at work if you took a longer lunch and went for a walk or worked out?  I've worked with people who played basketball at lunch, or ultimate frisbee or even card games. Lots of coworkers exercise at lunch.

I get that being bored at work is no fun.  But you are a smart, creative person, so figure out what you can do to be less bored.

[Retire-Canada]

Sounds like an easy choice, but a job like this is such a rare bird that I might be crazy to leave. I could end up in a very stressful job, taking work home, skipping lunch hours, etc. I tried talking to my manager and she seemed to think I was nuts - don't want to push the issue and end up laid off!

What to do?

Thanks for any input!

I've been there. I'd stay. Use your free time to do things that challenge you. Save like crazy and FIRE when you can.

-- Vik

[JustPlainBill]

Sounds like a variation of the "Golden Handcuffs" dilemma.  For now, keep your job, take the paycheck, pilfer as many pens and Post-It pads as you can, and use the stockholders' time to look for your next, better-paying opportunity.  Boredom can be tolerated for only a finite period of time.  And let me know when your position is open.

[DecD]

Sounds like an easy choice, but a job like this is such a rare bird that I might be crazy to leave. I could end up in a very stressful job, taking work home, skipping lunch hours, etc. I tried talking to my manager and she seemed to think I was nuts - don't want to push the issue and end up laid off!

What to do?

Thanks for any input!

I've been there. I'd stay. Use your free time to do things that challenge you. Save like crazy and FIRE when you can.

-- Vik

Definitely.  Don't leave without a better situation lined up. 

[zurich78]

I would not just quit.  Having said that, I recently quit my last job.  LOL.

But, there was a difference.  I was only there for 2 years and about 2 months.  And they were going through some tough times and offered any employee who wished to "separate" from the company, a package which I felt was quite lucrative.  For me, the severance/separation offer was 3 months of pay including all medical benefits, bonus program eligibility which would net me about $11K after taxes.  I also had 240 hours of vacation I was able to cash out on (I know, I'd be eligible for that either way, just saying).

I live in an area (Orange County, CA) with a lot of jobs in my space (online marketing) and so I felt the gamble was worth it.  I found a new job within 6 weeks of leaving the old one.

So to you I'd say, keep your job, but, if there is an opportunity to volunteer for being part of a RIF plan, and the package is a good one, and you live in an area and have the type of profession that is readily available, then do it.  It's a numbers game.