Asklemmy

Don't fret about it. It only lasts another 40 years or so.

Echoing "You get used to it." Right now, I feel like you're actively having to think of about everything: Getting up, what to wear, where to go, peoples' names, greetings, what you were doing when you left yesterday, etc., etc. Some of that will soon fall into the background. You won't have to expend as much mental energy on things. You'll just know people's name, you'll be in a routine, getting to work will be second nature, and what have you.

Working 40 hours can be tough. I think it is about a finding a setup that can work for you. Here's how I set it up to work for me (I work more than 40, so some of this is just so I don't die). Maybe there's something in there you can try out.

• I work with family so I can double up work/family time
• I work from home so I don't have to commute and I can pause to see my kids off to/come home from school
• My husband does not work so I see him throughout the day and he takes care of household chores
• I let my kids play in my office when I'm working (even on conference calls)
• I like my job and coworkers
• I take naps on the weekend
• I have given up on hobbies outside of what my kids like
• I get up at 4am and start work most days by 5am to ensure I have evenings with my family

hated that work culture so i left as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

went to teach ESL. half the hours for better pay

Well, I enjoy my job, is a big part of it. But I also commute by bike, which gives we time to decompress and switch gears, pun intended, between work and home.

I have a kid who's just starting full time work out of college. I'll tell you what I told them: you'll get used to it. You will eventually settle into the habit and it becomes routine.

However, there will be tough times where you need to work hard to motivate yourself to go to work. Those happen.

What works for me during those times is the same that works for me exercising (which I hate): one step, one mile, one day at a time. Tell yourself it's just one more day to the weekend or to vacation. Have something to look forward to.

Burnout also happens. What works for me there, is to draw an absolutely strict line between work and life. You need to fight for your work/life balance. Maintain friendships outside the office.

When you're not working, try to do something not related at all to work. If that's working on improving your health, that's even better. A healthy body and healthy mind has more energy. Do literally anything except working or thinking about work. If you can't turn it off, practice setting boundaries until you can.

Finally, and this surprised me as I realized that all the stupid corny stuff we do in the office: luncheons, raffles, TGIF, "just another day in paradise", and that, are coping mechanisms. Play along, but don't get sucked into a negativity spiral. Humor can be a great stress reliever, but watch out for HR watchdogs.

40 hours is pretty long TBF! I’d probably just zone out for the last hour of each day.

20 years in - you'll get used to it. Change your employer and find a job that not only pays your bills, but also somewhat fulfills you. Else you'll definitely burn youself out. Find that niche of yours until you're 35 and then stay with it.

Then, those 8 hours a day won't feel too difficult and you'll be like, "eh, weekend's ahead, lets find love in life". Because ultimately life is about happinesd. If you need to give up way too much time to enjoy life, your job is inefficient at giving you the needs to get happy. So switch your employer or your professsion. Heck I've seen student colleagues giving up studying and going for machining. Always smiles with his dirty fingers about how fun things are now for him.

So yeah, it's not all about money, it's about happiness.

Just stay clear of any form of drugs (including cigarettes, alcohol and sugar). The big problem with drugs is they literally make you happy by stealing your future happiness. You pay that credit back with future happiness and the interests on that credit are insane.

When last I changed jobs (going from full time in house software developer to a consultant working for a firm), and every time I've changed assignments since (same firm, most times same client but different teams), I've been absolutely knackered. It can even happen once you're back from a particularly long vacation.

Sometimes for a week, sometimes for up to a month.

It does pass though. You'll find you have more energy as you get settled. Remember, new people to relate to, new things to do (even if it is similar tasks as previously) does take up a lot of mental energy even if you don't feel like it does.

Cut yourself some slack, give your mind and body time to adjust for a few weeks. Remember to eat and drink right, and afford yourself some extra down time. In my experience you'll be acclimatised soon enough.

Congrats on your new job!

Personally, I find that if I work in a day, then I'm drained. One great thing I was able to do was find a job that has longer hours, because working 8 hours and working 12 feels the same to me, but now I get 2 extra days off. With 4 days off I can have a recovery day where I do nothing, a productive day where I catch up on life's demands, and 2 days to spend however I choose.

There's culture shock and then hopefully you settle into the idea that this is your life now.

One of the major reasons I became self employed instead

I can't speak for everyone, because I fundamentally believe that the increases in productivity due to technology should have been applied to flexibility for the working public instead of pure profit for the capitalist owning class. But for me, sometimes I can't stand another MOMENT of my work shift, and other times I find myself lost in the work for 14 hours before I even realize it. It's purely a function of what you're working on and what it means to you. Or doesn't mean to you.

Nah man, it's 50 years of this and then you die