4 Tell-Tale Signs That 9–5 Job Is Not For You

The truth is, it’s not for everyone, including me

At one point in my life, I worked at a temporary 9–5 job. The job was in language quality assurance in a mental health clinic. My job was to listen to video recordings of the interviewed patients to make sure their answers matched the answers on the paperwork.

Although I was jumping with joy when I received my first paycheck, soon I realized it was not for me. I felt being pinned to the office chair with no room for freedom or creativity. I couldn’t wait to finish my work so I could get out and get a breath of fresh air. I was brimming with joy when the project was finally over.

Some people can swear by how well they fit the mold of 9–5 job. They can brag for days how 9–5 gives them so much satisfaction and stability — both personal and financial. However, other people can’t wait to break out of the 9–5 rut.

According to Forbes, more millennials are now shifting away from corporate jobs and moving toward work-from-home options. More and more people are going into freelancing and becoming self-employed. “Meanwhile, 60% of Millennials are leaving their companies in less than three years.”

The desire for flexibility and freedom are two factors that drive millennials like me away from the corporate world.

Are you wondering if you’re fit for a typical 9–5 job? Here are the four signs that 9–5 is not for you.

You can’t wait for the day to end

You arrive at your job and you’re restless and impatient. You count every second until the job is over.

Sitting there on your office chair feels like a torture for you. Being confined to your cubicle makes you feel like you’re trapped in prison.

Lunch break serves as a psychological escape for you. Every time you’re on a break, you take a big sigh of relief and then come back to your seat with regret.

You find any excuse not to show up for work, and missing your job feels like a holiday to you. At the end of the day, you’re so excited it’s all over.

You can’t stand to be in one place the whole day

Sitting in the same place doing the same monotonous tasks all day feels boring to you. Staring at rows of office desks with computers numbs your brain.

Also, a lack of flexibility of a 9–5 job pushes you away. You wish you didn’t have to punch in for your work hours every day. Especially if you’re a creative person who often needs a creative outlet to recharge yourself. You feel stifled and confined as if someone took your freedom away.

Me personally, I’d rather write all day than answer phone calls and deal with boring paperwork. With writing, I can grow. When I write, it challenges my brain, fosters creativity, and gives me opportunities to learn.

You want to be your own boss

If you’re someone who dislikes following orders, then clearly you’re not cut out for a 9–5 job.

You can’t stand someone telling you what to do and how to do it. You wish you could break the rules and do it your own way. Your boss may be authoritative and too hard on you.

You may also dislike the rules of the company you work for and wish you could change them.

You wish you could skip out on certain projects you don’t want to do and delegate your work to your co-workers, but you feel obliged to do what your boss wants you to do.

You despise paperwork

Almost any kind of 9–5 requires some paperwork.

And not everyone likes dealing with it. Me personally — I despise it. To some, even thinking about doing paperwork gives them goosebumps. Sorting and organizing it seems like drudgery.

Dealing with paperwork requires a lot of mental focus and attention to detail. The whole process can sap your mental energy and leave you feeling exhausted. And should you miss something important, the progress you’ve made can slip through the cracks.

Final Thoughts

If you’re stuck in a 9–5 job and find it boring and unfulfilling, you can look at other options. No matter how financially stable and rewarding a 9–5 job is, if it makes you unhappy in the end, it’s not worth it.

Ultimately, your work has to align not only with your skills but also with your interests and preferences.

There are ways to make your life more fulfilling. There are ways to build your career without having to rely on the brick-and-mortar structure that a full-time job provides. For example, one of them is to open your business where you are your own boss. Or you can choose to be a freelancer and work on your schedule.

If you’re stuck with a 9–5 job and questioning whether it’s the right fit for you, ask yourself these questions:

• Do you value your freedom more than a paycheck?
• How much do you want to be your own boss?
• Do you crave more flexibility and less structure than a typical 9–5 job provides?

Answers to these questions will steer you in the right direction.