Anyone here feel bored working after 30s/40s?
Not that excited or passionate after working for over 15+ years.
Not the same as back in the 20s where everything seems fresh and new, and earning money is exciting.

At the same time, blessed that I still have a job given that there's a lot of retrenchment out there.

So question here is how do you guys keep yourself passionate, keen and all excited?
Do you set yourself a further goal? What goals do you set?
Have you thought about starting own business instead?

**** Updates****
I have taken up company's redundancy package and have gone to interviews with 5 companies.
Blessed enough, 3 companies offered me and managed to negotiate a good package compare to previous company.

I have now joined the company for a few weeks now. Somehow, I feel a bit lost still.

Any suggestions, appreciate them thank you

This post has been edited by HappyA_Q: Nov 4 2023, 04:17 AM

Change job/department

Or buy another property.

You need some pressure

try applying to other company.

new challenges. new people. new SOP

all this can make it exciting again

Question for TS - how long have you been in the same kind of role?

Definitely look for other companies or roles to challenge yourself and keep the "new" feel going.

I'm not so much of a set up own business kinda guy, so makan gaji with different types of roles.

I can relate, get bored every couple of years. LOL

Too much work. Mid 30's just trying to survive here.

When you hit 40s... you tend to contemplate your life much more and prioritize balance more than work itself. meeting up with people and spending more time with family and doing the things you like .

The age old questions comes into play askin' yourself : If you were to die tomorrow, do you have any regrets?...

If you feel reluctant, that means you have not resolved your inner peace of doing what you want or have unsettled things that needed to be done but you do not have it yet.

Work is end of the day, a means for you to save up , put a shelter n food on the table along with giving you time for planning your final phases in life. Some people start thinking about it at mid 30s what they wanna do when their old. Some might rather do the job they do not really like but the pay is good just to save enough to move on to the next phase of life faster.

If you're burned up from work, take some extended leave or sabbatical. last 3 years has been tough for everyone... with covid and lockdowns..,. companies has pressure to push everyone to work harder to make up for lost income cutting headcounts at the same time so at the same time we employees being squeezed more.

End of the day all of us have a choice, we might not know what is right or wrong in making the choice. But we definitely would know what makes us happy. Making a choice that leans towards that is never wrong...

Boredom could be due to being in comfort zone for a long time.

Try to push or stretch yourself to the next level.

Same role for close to 3 years now, getting bored.
Yeah, actively applying for roles now with more fun.

I am the same as you! Get bored every couple of years.. Haha

My previous job was too exhausted until I don't have time for myself and family.
But the projects are very interesting and challenging, but management and culture are toxic.

Current company actually not too bad, WFH hybrid mode. Work-life balance, get time to spend with family.
Not burned out but need more challenges to get me excited again.

I think if I am mortgage free, I would be happy. Probably I need to go for a vacation somewhere

Very true, need to push myself next level.
Need to set myself a higher goal

Try to change jobs or company

comfort zone too long..

True, need to take some actions.

Previous job was too stagnant, no increment and recognition after 2 years. Changed and got a 50% raise. Can learn much more as well.

After 40 it is important to factor in stability and probability of your post being VSS.

If your line is stable, please don't rock the boat. However, if it can still be vss, then u better try to self improve yourself and jump in case vss happens.

Anyone in their 30s or 40s feel the same here?

change to another related-industry that you like when you were in school

From what I know there are different types of "feeling bored" : -
not sure if you are bored of less work and more "idle time" during office hours or that you are having a busy workload but you are burnout by this kind of work

I have colleagues had the same experience, he came to my company now complaining stress because too many new things
he was from oil and gas company bored because the work were simple and too much "idle time"... I was like dang, why you so stupid come here to grow more white hair?

Anyways regardless which type of bored you are in now, a reality for you to consider : - are you ready to accept new challenges and make necessary sacrifices when its beyond what you expect?

Why you want to make other people rich when you can make yourself rich?

Try to find out who is God and what is God and the next thing is what is human.

well you are not alone, maybe some adventure sport to cheer up your life.
Try move to other job industrial, outside your existing comfort zone.

Or, create a midlife crisis and pull the trigger on that dream sport car. That’ll give you a reason to want to drive to work everyday…

Actually no. If I had my way, I’d work for as long as I can (but then I work as a physician in my own medical practice), but I’m now semi-retired at 50 because my wife wants to slow down and enjoy life… and I want to do that with her.

Excitement is short term, stability is long term. Do try and get yourself involved in other short term task/s within your existing company (if it is allowed). That way you get the best of both worlds, new experience and getting recognition by your boss/es (that will earn you stability).

In fact, I have just done that last year by buying a BMW 3 series M-sports.
It is really fun driving everyday, but still I think I need to do something about my career/job.

I need to tell myself to stay positive, and be blessed and happy that I am employed as there are a lot of retrenchment in the IT industry these days!
I also schedule myself to travel outstations to meet up with customers etc. Keep myself busy

That's awesome! Also since you run your own medical practice, you don't have to be there full-time as can hire other GPs.
Then, you get more time to spend with wife.

If you have kids, I guess they would be in university soon or have graduated and started working.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. My patients have repeatedly and decisively made their preference clear in the past - they're not interested in seeing a replacement doctor, as I don't run a general practice. And in the past, I used to accede to their request as I felt responsible for their wellbeing. Well, a lot of things changed thanks to COVID, and also personal health isn't as good as it was say, 20 years ago (after all, I'm no spring chicken anymore), and so another mindset slowly crept into play: "I'm not going to be of any use to anybody if I'm sick, or worse, dead".

That mean giving permission to myself to take more time off, as I need, and also to scale back at work.

I've not made any active attempts to grow my practice - I've restricted the number of new patients I wish to take in daily, even my Indonesian and other ASEAN country patients (where as in the past, I'd run down and get the surgery open even if they flew in on one of my rest days!), and I take a month off on alternate months to return to Australia, where I keep my MID LIFE CRISES in Sydney.

I find this has helped me reduce my own boredom at work (as exciting as medicine is, human beings are such that we'll fall into a routine and get bored at times).

I'm not advocating that you adopt the same approach, but perhaps vary your routine on & off work - take a longer drive in your BMW to work, drive a different route, find the enjoyment in the journey - all this to charge you up BEFORE you start the day, and then discover new things about your colleagues while at work, make friends with the barista at your favourite cafe and have a bit of a chin wag with him or her at lunch, whatever it take, to keep things fresh and get you looking forward to getting to work.

Just some random ideas tossed over your side for your consideration - I've just turned 50, so I can safely say I've been there, done that and bought the T-shirt, insofar as where you're coming from

Good luck!

I didn't ask whether you're married - I assume you are, and with kids?

If so, then my advise wouldn't be complete without mentioning the same variation of routine with the family members that mean the most to you.

In my case, it's just my wife and I, so we incorporate a lot of activities with our classmates (primarily in Australia, where I spent a lot of time studying) and also with our favourite nieces and nephews. Luckily for us, they are all of different ages, so it's like a never-ending sushi train of variety. AND, the best thing is that I get to live out my childhood (which was obviously a lot less fortunate than theirs) through presents and toys that I get to buy for the younger ones!

These things, as seemingly irrelevant as they may read on the surface, actually help with how I perceive work too - a life outside of work that is fresh and exciting keeps me energized for the tedium that invariably comes with the routine of work.

Nice 911! I love Cayenne shape.
You're right bout the routine, sort of bored of routine if doing the same thing again and again.

Yeah married and have 2 kids - one in primary and another in intermediate.
Target to fully retire once both kids started working which will be another 10-15 years to go.

Hopefully can live in both Auckland and KL by then, and possibly Australia! :-D

Trying to build up retirement fund, hope to retire early.
Not thinking of changing career or jobs anymore.

The kids will definitely keep you busy and on your toes, bro! And, as someone else said, you can focus on the "greater goal" of a tidy retirement nest for you and your wife to enjoy once the kids are finally out of your hair. That's gotta be a strong motivator at work!

If you end up in Auckland, by all means, hop across the puddle that's the Tasman and we'll have a get together Down Under!

Yes, money can be a very strong and powerful motivator

I also feel kinda mundane with my job. Earlier i though change of environment will be good and i jump 2 company.

Got the raise but after a while feel empty again. Am not sure if its just pure lazyness setting or taking things for granted. Went on a few holidays but still feeling meh

Still finding my purpose in life. Trying to change to things im passionate about but no idea to start where yet

After you have read this thread, you will find out you're not alone!

I am trying a few things here as some forumers mentioned. Just to list out mine:-
1) Engage in sports activities, for me, it's badminton.
2) Engage with family friends, or kids' family, have some gatherings
3) Try to do different things at work, talk to more colleagues, engage with more customers, make new friends
4) Get into building passive income/retirement funds thinking mode.
5) Set a goal - can be health, wealth, family, travel any goals.
6) If you are a religious person, can seek answer on life purpose in your religion.

Hope this helps

Yes.
Going to be 40 next year.
Bored with work, yup, got this kind of feeling, but then work nature, co-workers, projects/tasks still need me.
Company not toxic, no politic in my dept (thank god!), just not close to co-workers, not even hi/morning/bye greetings, just rather neutral.
I can still see that my role can be replaced by others should I choose to jump ship but for company to find a replacement and do my job, it's going to be hard and also the KT process is tedious though not impossible.
Still blessed with a job and getting paid on time, retrenchment not happening in my dept but others kena. I just in the comfort-zone now and hope nothing bad will happen in next 10 years... touch wood
For me, I'm kinda goal-less in life, just felt it is same old routine day-in day-out, be it at work or otherwise.

45 now - long way to go before retirement due to commitment and young kids.

feeling the same too - hopefully a change of job might give it a last push towards 50s.

Perhaps reduce your commitment will be more relaxing, and allow you to retire earlier

I have just considering the earliest retirement age by calculating all my commitments and savings. I can semi retire at 50 years old (which is 13 years later) or fully retired at 55 years old.
My current role is kinda work life balance, although I have to endure heavy jam to travel to/from work. Colleagues and boss are good too. However, I still feel bored and somehow dissatisfied. But if I asked myself further, probably I just lost interest or no purpose in life.

Yeah burn out issues i need to change environment

yes burn out is the main issue. for example, our engineer who went to intel decided to return to us due to burnout. Now they are very happy with us. Sometimes, working environment is way important than anything. You are paying your health for the wealth if you in the wrong place.

After this post, I have a couple of things to make me feel excited and not bored. Hence sharing here too

1) Meet more customers, help them resolve their problems - this helps to make me feel valuable and can provide values to customers.
2) Help colleagues - again this help provide values to teammates
3) Plan financially - like what other forumers mentioned, plan for retirement.
4) Leisure travel plans - have just done local trip and planning overseas trip
5) Hobby - play badminton competitively as a team. You can also do sports or hobbies you like. I am thinking of picking up Gundam model building again
6) Spend time on taking care of my own health

I can feel you, but i'm currently in between jobs. I was mentally exhausted + anxiety due to toxic work environment.

Been in this state for months, I've attended few interviews only since earlier of this year due to my job is very niche..rejected 1 job offer.. I can feel the passion is no longer there, but I know I could not stay like this forever still i feel kinda lost.

is it a good idea to pursue postgraduate study locally/oversea while looking for job that sparks my interest?

Seems like you need a break. Take a couple weeks off traveling to place that is in your to go list. Turn off work emails, get your mind off the grid.

Pursuing postgraduate depends on what you want to achieve.. you can work and take part time MBA or other post grad course, that might spark you.

Also suggest to leave toxic work environment, it's not good for long term health. Try interviewing everywhere you can.

Wow found this interesting topic middle age crisis mostly 40+++
Bravo everyone at least we all still surviving man. From my point of view get retrenchment is actually good option you know at least worth the compensation package especially those work more than 10 years and above .

Don't be afraid to keep looking up for new job because our long accumulated experience not something easy can be replaced by youngster

I see many youngster they actually no idea what they doing just purely execute base on instruction or the maturities is not there so many boss out there still looking up age 40 +++ to fill up the position and they not expecting people to leave after 2 or 3 years

Conclusion 40++ still high demand in the market. Hope this help and keep fighting everyone and thanks

if only HR or hiring managers think the same way

Yeah bro!
Time flies and already in 40s!

I like your post, positive, energetic! Keep the spirit fighting! Just another 10+ years to go before retirement! :-D

i wish i don't have to work haha..

these needs money unless you have saving that is enough to cover your monthly committment then by all means go and discover yourself

Hey, glad to know I'm not alone with these feelings. I'm 40+, married with a child still studying in primary school. Started to save for retirement fund....
That feeling like lost of passion/getting bored at work kicks in since last year....
hmmm.... still trying to figure things out like how/what could make things better/improving????

See if the following helps....
If you're an employee, imagine if one day your employer doesn't need you anymore, how are you doing financially?

+ Are you mortgage free now? At least your current house is mortgage free?
+ Are there anything else that excites you or that you are passionate to do? (Keyword here is passionate)
+ Think about your child's future, he/she still in primary school, still there are many years to go before going to Univ or started working. Meaning you will have to support him/her financially. What if your child is capable and wanted to study overseas? Needs a lot of money too.

Hope that this gives you clarity in mind.

Thanks for the reply. I'm just an employee. I think I'm doing ok financially.

Yes, I'm currently mortgage free and live in a townhouse unit.
Well, still try to figuring out what am I passionate about, during mco bought some small plan/flower for gardening (of course some died and some still alive), built a Gundam during mco, watch some youtube video about share market/property investment.
After mco had a few local trip, cuti-cuti malaysia with family.
Child's education fund, started to save small amount in unit trust fund few years back and will continue this.
Also had some investment in unit trust and local share market, now more toward building up for retirement fund.

Yes. i'm in 40's now and i aldy in same company same dept same job grp for 15years. Now my focus point is to improve my current grp working style to next level example Doc automation, improving SOP, control expenses budget and result review. More interesting things are to compete with younger generation as they always try to break my boarder line, tolerance. It is interesting to interact with them. More endorphin and adrenaline in working time. when home mcm mau shut down in the car.

i think i am the kind of person that cannot stay put at the same environment for long. maybe max 3 to 5 years. then i will look elsewhere for something new. not sure if this is good for career progression. as sometimes i switch to area that is totally new that i am interested in and start afresh. that keep the exciment. i can't imagine how people can stay or 10 20 30 years in a company. unless they feel appreciated and motivated.

Actually, when you don't have to work, believe me, you'll miss the camaraderie and the interaction and the mental stimulation at work... human beings are funny creatures

Hi,

Just want to drop hello here to all those who are in 40s and still working....I am in my mid 40s and going to be 50s soon..The nature of my job is quite technical. I have been asked if I want to become peoples manager before and I flatly said No...I have never been interested in managing other ppl....I rather be a technical SME than ppls manager...Surprisingly my brain is still active..I still can absorbed technical knowledge rapidly and I am still taking certification, upgrading my knowledge over these years...I do sit for at least 2 exam papers every year for the past 4 - 5 years...

This post has been edited by LDP: Sep 24 2023, 02:11 PM

This is motivating! Keep going bro, thanks for sharing!

Just wanna give u a thumbs up!!!

Thanks for yr encouragement...Nevertheless, just like everything in life, everything will come to an end...I know my expiry date is coming soon (maybe a few years from now)..So in the meantime, we human can only plan but ultimately someone else will decide...

**** Updates****
I have taken company's redundancy package and have gone to interviews with 5 companies.
Blessed enough, 3 companies offered me and managed to negotiate a better package compare to previous company.

I have now joined the company for a few weeks now. Somehow, I feel a bit lost still.

Any suggestions?

This post has been edited by HappyA_Q: Nov 4 2023, 04:18 AM

Ts, contentment is the keyword to your case, cheers

Hi,

Changing job is never easy as you hit 40s...I have experienced it several times...Anxiety and lack of self confidence can wreck havoc..

To avoid feeling lost, stop thinking about yr job after work..Go play tennis, badminton or do something that makes you forget yr work for a few hours...

I myself is feeling the blues all the time...

I just joined this new company. First week training 9-5pm, second week boss brought me to meet with 8 customers. Very overwhelming. And after that get back to family, kids wanted to play with me, I am exhausted mentally and physically. Didn't sleep well also because of sleeping in hotel during training. I can't sleep well in hotel.

Probably need to step back and get myself relax a bit.

Hotel should be better play to sleep or maybe our life is different.

Not used to hotel's beds. Own beds are the best.

Hahaha. I definitely enjoy hotel more than my own rent room. Nice 5 star room, nice toilet, plus no need make up room and get to use hotel facilities

Thanks for sharing. I thought it would be easier to get yr 8 hr sleep at hotel without the distraction...Nevertheless I have to admit each of us are different...Next time, use the gym facility at hotel and I am sure u will sleep well at night..

I do use the treadmill when I am staying at the hotel...before breakfast...

How do people in 40s motivate themselves to work?

Huh...so young....long way to go....

. I'm 50+... and exploring my next level of growth and new area of development ... going to enjoy my peak at the last few years of productive age....

I will be 50 soon.

In the last 10 years, I had 4 different jobs
- one job was oveseas for 2 years
- one job was with a technology startup
- one job at a bank
- one job at a Malaysian GLC

Different jobs, different companies and different challenges. That keeps me from being too bored.

Usually, after 2 years of same job I start to get bored.

I also had a career break (resign without a job) for 5 months just to chill.

Wow salute you bro!
My previous 2 jobs, 1 for 10 years, another for 5 years.

I don't know how long I can work for. There is a time I don't have job for 1 month, it's quite good, free up my mind.

Can you share what motivates you and keep you going?

U need to find something you are passionate about in your job. It doesnt have to be crazy big passion, but small ones here and there, sufficient to keep you going.

Anyways, I plan to retire at 55. So maybe I can jump to one more company, if got opportunity. If no opportunity presents itself, just stay put and then this will be my longest employment in one company (7 years).

After retire, then I plan just to do some part time jobs until no energy.

This post has been edited by Cubalagi: Nov 15 2023, 06:39 PM

Quite a few factors or I say drivers....

At this age, usually its the peak or at least continue to ascend higher than before...

At this stage, you get to be many thing.. talent builders/creators ie develop younger new talent, you be amaze as much as we old dog.. they are many things you can impart to the younger folks... age is indeed wisdom

I get to create a legacy after my departure ... make a difference in those young minds, so they can surpass you. I wish to have such mentor in my younger years

I thrive in crisis, so I like conflict management... and go after outcome based approach minus the emotional side of things. Its liberating when you able to develop working structure when people put in passion and turn the emotion into a positivity instead of churning in bickering and whining.

The outcome is very rewarding to me and drive me towards another initiative....

Of course income level is also peaking and hopefully continue to scale higher... so thats another driver...

I can go on. Having said that I did have burnt out but at much earlier part of my career...and I left my last job after 22 yrs doing 5-6 different roles in the same company but across different organisation at different roles/functions. Great for me not to lose seniority while changing job essentially.

At 50 I decided to change job as another stage of life milestone. The push and pull factors coincide, and I left for a new place. I don't mind another spurt if opportunity present itself....

This post has been edited by gamenoob: Nov 15 2023, 07:12 PM

Mostly finding new things to learn and challenge myself into

I agree! I love the whole hotel experience, the pampering, the spa, even the eclectic sounds and sights of a new place ... but I definitely don't like hotel mattresses and their pillows!

During my Sydney to Tasmania road trip, we purchased 2 tempur pillows and brought them along with us so at least we'd have a good pillow to lay on... the only regret was we couldn't purchase a bed small enough for the same purpose...

Yeah.. in my case, I aim to re-learn how to drive stick. Hopefully in a car like yours

Hahaha it took me a year to get used to it and shift fast and back to doing heel-toe again. Then when I get stuck in a traffic jam, I curse hahahaha

Should drive automatic cars in cities proned to traffic jam.

34 this year. Had been doing few posts in same company for more than 10 years. Too comfort, bored and getting lazy at here i can said.

Recently got an offer from an IT company for a product management role. Totally new field, but some knowledge or experience can be transferred.

My logical mind is telling me that should be accepting the offer to try something new while you still can, but my emotion side is giving me non-stop of anxiety due to lack of confidence.

Anyone has similar experience and how to overcome this kind of anxiety?

Congrats on securing a new offer so quickly! Now that I know (from one of your other threads) that you’re writing from Aotearoa, Land of the Long White Cloud, I can’t help but wonder whether the way you feel may have been influenced by the environment in which you find yourself, or been affected by the friends (or lack thereof) that you keep.

You mentioned in that other thread that you keep mainly to yourself and your family, and that your friends are rather superficial in the sense that they are good for a beer after work and that’s about it (apologies if my recollections are not entirely accurate). Could this be one of the factors contributing to the problem?

Yes in Aotearoa as you have noted. Good eyes.

I don't think it's circle of friends that are the problems, there are good bunch of people but we don't talk about work.
I believe it's my own problem that I need to find the drive and passion.
Probably it's also because my job is mainly work from home for the past few years, even before Covid starts back in 2019.
Blessed that it's WFH as can have time for family and work, but at the same time, need to be very self-motivated.

WFH ... both a blessing and a curse, as you've rightly pointed out.

Hopefully, with this new role in a new job & a new work environment, you'll find a second wind to push on!

Wishing you all the best, my friend!

Yes either u r burned out

Or u r bored

Find some motivation

Yeah, I think it can be both burned out and bored.
I enjoy the most when playing badminton.

I used to like working, and of course i love the money that comes with it.
Because it pays the bill and can afford us good stuffs.

WFH is a blessing, sometimes i am tired and can take a nap on my bed for 15-20 mins and get back to work after that.

Ya working life is stressful

I had a lot of frustration myself and i decided to start working out and not just wasting time on internet

I have been in a very demotivating situation myself

Find a positive habit and have a good lifestyle

Very good thread, i myself got bored and demotivated at work and what i do is pray and express my gratitute of everything that i have.

I am now back in Malaysia for vacation for a few weeks. Trying to find myself and motivation.
KL is very busy as usual, traffic jam etc.

Motivation now basically is money, which is important for survival.
Anyone in this age group becoming lost? Or is this midlife crisis?

Its common to go through such feelings when one has been working for more than 15 + years.....I dont think its midlife crisis...its just part of life whereby career is no longer your primary focus...You have family and other hobbies that you find more contentment...

Enjoy your vacation in Malaysia!!!

yeah, i agreed whereby career is no longer primary focus.
For me, if I plan to retired at 55, it's another 10+ years to go...
Then the question will go back to money, do I have enough retirement fund? 500k? 1m?
I don't know???

Bro my advise to you is just do what u are doing

After certain time we loose passion with work but we do it coz it pays the bill

Once u feel numb even moving companies also doesn’t help. U just feel numb

Take some time off also doesn’t help

The answer to this is just be grateful what u have. Look around the difficulty people have

It’s very much overall perspective

Yes I agree, we will still look back whether we have enough money for retirement.
Whether we have enough money for our kids for education or their future (for marriage or buying their first home etc.)
Headache~~

On to the point - be grateful of what I have.

Yes, enjoy your visit home HappyA_Q!

Retirement is always the biggest question we all have in our mind (unless you are wealthy)...

Back to your question, I guess you need to take the first step, and keep track of your asset and liability. Clear off your liabilities like housing loan, car loan or personal loan...

Once you have done that, then start building your nests..I have different nests for items like medical, gadgets, house rennovation and etc...

Hope this sharing helps.

Is it normal to feel this way as well in your late 20's?

Cause I'm feeling burned out as well.