I both love and hate my job. I hate it because it is the very work I said I didn't want to do (and isn't the job I was hired for). The tasks I am assigned are very unclear. This causes quite a bit of stress that shouldn't even be there. However, I will stay there because of a few things that I love: I work from home full time. The office is 2,500 miles away. I haven't been there since February of 2006. Therefore, I work in pajamas. I haven't gotten up to an alarm clock in over a year. I have the best title and pay I've ever had. I rarely travel (last job had me traveling so much I would forget which state I was in). I have no direct reports. I have excellent benefits. In order to say "F You" which I should have done at the job PRIOR to this, depends on how badly the job is affecting you. The last job did such a number on me that if I could do it again, I would quit the first day and not look back. Even being in debt and with no savings.
I work in information technology-- I'm a software developer, the leader of a small group within my company. I like my job, most of the time.
Do I look forward to going to work? Probably less than half the time-- I'm someone who has trouble with momentum and transitions, and getting someplace at a set time is tough for me, especially if I have to tear myself away from something that's going on at home.
But, most of the time I'm pretty happy while I'm working. I like the challenges (for the most part) and the people I work with (for the most part). And I feed off the recognition I get for doing a good job-- that's really important to me psychologically and I wouldn't last long in a job that didn't give me that.
One of the negatives of my job is that my company is small enough that I'm on call, pretty much constantly, if something goes wrong with an important computer system. (This is partly because I've been there a long time and probably understand the company's systems better than anyone else).
If I were independently wealthy, would I still do this job? Probably not-- I'd be happy to lose the responsibility and the expectation that I show up at a particular time. And I'd certainly put an end to receiving phone calls in the middle of the night. But I might well try to maintain some relationship with this company and this group of people which would work for me (and them)-- I do like it that much.
One thing for me is that I can't imagine NOT working for very long-- so if I were independently wealthy I'd need to find a variety of projects which would satisfy my desire to work. And one great aspect of software development is that you're constantly learning new things, so that's something I'd try to continue. But it's certainly likely that my work wouldn't take the form of a 40-hour-per-week job anywhere.
I'm a professor. I don't like having to be in this location (there are no other jobs - I've tried). I also don't like being required to do the things which I once enjoyed doing. I don't hate the content of my job but I hate the pressure to perform from some outside evaluator and the inability to be with my partner. OTOH I'm not so excited about the content of my job as I once was and possibly because the other aspects get me down. I'm going to quit as soon as I either get a green card or my partner gets a job in another country.
I don't like my job and when it's really bad I re-calculate how long it would take to retire. My employer has a totally awesome pension plan which I will qualify for in seven years, ten months, and one day. Not that I'm counting, yes I am. Meanwhile I am trying to save up as much as I possibly can in case the retirement system changes again before I get to use it.
I love everything about my job except the actual work. It's close to me, I like the people, it's at a university so it has a great library and people who like to think and beautiful places to walk and eat lunch, I work no more than 40 hours a week, I get to dress casually, and my work is valued by both my clients and the people who decide whether I get raises.
I even like part of my work--I get to help people solve problems that are very puzzle like.
However, the system I work with is so complicated that after working with it over six years and becoming one of the top world experts on it, I still keep finding out surprising new things about it. I don't like feeling incompetant. And our programmers haven't been maintaining it in two years. I'm good with putting bandaids on the system, but after a while it gets old. And people request great improvements, but I have to say sorry, our programmers are all too busy to do something that takes even just one hour. My boss finally learned to use the phrase "data integrity issue" to get someone to work on the most egregious bugs. Also, I have several mind-numbing duties.
So basically I'm spoiled.
I would definitely have no problems keeping myself occupied if I had no job, and none of it would be doing things people would want to pay me for. I would do all the usual recreational stuff like read, watch movies, and listen to music. I'd do all the stuff you should do but don't always get around to doing like keeping the house clean, gardening, and exercising. I'd audit classes, write stuff, perhaps do fun volunteering, meet working friends for lunch, throw more parties, learn Spanish, try more recipes, and go to performances.
I do have an idea for jobs I would like--working more with academic content somehow. I could help professors convert their classes to distance learning classes, or help a professor in a field that interests me with being the editor of an academic journal or work in the campus study skills center. I don't look very qualified for those jobs though, nor are any of my friends into this stuff (they are all computer geeks).
I have enjoyed some jobs I've had. Or one. I enjoyed being a summer camp counselor (the first two years, anyway, before I started getting the less desired assignments).
Good luck to you. I'm looking forward to seeing how things go for you.
I like the job I have now but previous job I absolutely loved. Previous job, which involved a long commute which I did for about a decade and then decided to find something closer to home, was a fun, challenging, busy day with the best boss anyone could ask for. I miss the job terribly and my colleagues there. I did not intend to move up the ladder there or move closer so I finally made a gradual transition to closer job and I like it all right but have become a malcontent with a 40 minute commute (17 miles).
Previous boss was a fun, people person who loved and embraced change. Any idea was worthy of serious consideration by her and more often than not the answer was yes over no. Hence we had a progressive system (library), albeit small, and it's still moving forward at a steady pace. Everyone there loves her and loves working for her. Her priority in life is to see that her staff get all of the training and continuing ed that she can find for them. She has a great sense of humor and laughs readily at any situation that is remotely skewed. We stay in touch and it is always great fun talking to her. She's unique and wish I could clone and distribute her all around. I think her two strong points are first, and foremost, people skills, and secondly, a willingness and eagerness to change and make things happen. We laughed throughout the day and at the same time getting much done. Working there I would bound into work happy to be there every blessed minute. So, yes, there are some fabulous jobs out there with fabulous bosses. Not many, but they exist. I visited recently and the staff there is happy and busy with all that is going on. It's a great place to work.
I love my job -- I am a programmer, which (for me) pretty much means working with cool technology full-time. That said, there are still moments (okay, weeks) when it gets irritating -- unclear responsibilities, lots of finger pointing and other fun workplace activities. But those times come and go, and being able to talk to people and figure out how to solve their problem in the shortest time with the least amount of work possible is still fun.
I once had temp job that I really enjoyed. I have never had another job quite like that one.
I like my current job (working for myself is great!) and can't imagine ever really going back to work full time for someone else.
I don't like my job and often hate it. I'm a big firm lawyer in Manhattan. This means I get paid very well but often have terrible hours under lots of pressure. I often find myself at work at 2am, tired and stressed, wondering if I'm an idiot for not understanding what I'm doing. Did I study hard and spend $$$ to go to a top ranked college and law school to feel like a tired idiot? Worse thing is I've had other jobs before law school and also didn't like them, which makes me think I'll never find a job I'll like. If I was independently wealthy I would certainly not have this job, and would keep searching for something else I may like.
I love my job. I am a lawyer for a state legislature(nonpartisan staff). I work long hours when they are in session but when they are not in session my lifestyle resembles that of a grad student. I set my own hours during the summer--work on big projects--do interesting and important work--but I don't make the money a lawyer in Manhatten makes. The state pays me just enough to keep me. We often talk how much our flexible schedule is worth--it does have significant value because nobody leaves these positions.
I dislike elements of my job (I'm enlisted military) but at this point, I don't have a choice to do anything else. *lol* There was a time when I was happy at work...but that was several years ago. Now, with the war on terror, a wife and a baby on the way, I am eagerly looking forward to August 2010 when I can separate. As I have moved up in rank, my pay has increased, but not commensurate with the responsibility that I am burdened with. I and a single co-worker manage an entire communications system (with over 2000 pieces of equipment) for the entire base. There was minimal training given (I'm still learning on the job after a year) and the spectre of war hangs over my head every day.
That aside...I'm proud to be an American, serving in the US military and fighting for those that can't or won't fight for themselves. Whenever I have deployed, it reassures me to know that even though I might be in danger and away from my family, I'm serving my country and protecting the people I love from harm.
So...yeah...I don't like my job...but it definately has good elements as well.
I like my job but I don't love it, and I certainly wouldn't work there if I didn't need an income. I'm in higher education so I don't make a lot of money, but the benefits and hours are good. But they are very strict about working exactly 9-5 with a one hour lunch, so sometimes it feels like being in elementary school again - they take attendance.
But I like my boss and my co-workers, and I'm an efficient worker so I can manage my workload while taking frequent mental breaks to read blogs and news articles. There's a gym in my building that I love, but I could do without the hour commute each way (mostly standing to work) from Brooklyn to Times Square.
It's not my life's dream, of course, but I suppose that's why they call it "work" and why they pay me. My dream job would be something glamorous like directing movies or something charitable like running a foundation.
HazyGrey's comment scares me because I almost took that path. I really wanted to be some hotshot attorney when I was in high school, but fortunately, I was counseled out of it, unknowingly, by my friend's two parents who were lawyers. They told me that being a first year associate was nothing like what it had been when they launched themselves 20 years before. (And they were both senior partners in their firms.) I asked them the key question, if you were doing it all over again, right now, would you still be a lawyer? The father at least said no. I don't remember what the mother said.
As for me now, I like my job. I don't LOVE LOVE it, but there are many days where I am really glad I do what I do. I chose to turn myself into an Oracle programmer and the hard work is really paying off for me. I like the intellectual challenge. Some of the projects are fun. I make things that are useful, which makes me feel useful. That's all I think I can hope for in a job. Sure, there are downsides, but relative to what my previous jobs were like, this is a cake walk full of fun with people I really like.
Sometimes I get the itch to move on. It always comes on eventually. I always want change, but I find myself really reluctant to do that right now because this gig is so good. I could see myself here for almost another 2 years, which is kind of scary for me, that stable and solid life. It's never been like that and it's almost an albatross around the neck instead of being a good thing.
I loved the job I had for four years in between undergrad and grad school. Unfortunately, because it was a research position, there was no real room for advancement without an advanced degree, so here I am. What made it enjoyable was: a high degree of autonomy; very smart coworkers; interest in both my day-to-day activities (programming) and the larger context of our work (logistics); and great benefits.
I'm reasonably happy in grad school, but I'm definitely not one of the (surprisingly large!) group of people who wish they could stay in grad school indefinitely. I'm aiming for four and out! If I were independently wealthy, I would use the money to relieve myself of TA duties and hopefully get out even faster.
I love both my jobs. I work 32 hrs/week at the library, and about 15 - 20 hrs at the insurance agency that my husband and I run from our home (he works full time there, usually about 45 - 50 hrs/week). Between the two of us, we earn about $70k/year, so neither of us is bringing in huge bucks. But we both love what we do, which we think is priceless. At the library, I'm a circulation clerk. I don't have an MLS, so I'm not technically a librarian, although that's what everyone calls us 
I love the people I work with - we have a blast every day. And we're so busy that the day flies by. If it weren't for my coworkers, I might not like the job so much.
I also love my job at our insurance agency. My husband and I have a good division of labor. I deal a lot with back-end stuff, talking with insurance companies and underwriters, etc. I also handle all the finances of the business - coordinating payroll, taxes, expenses, income, etc. Since I love finance and money, this is perfect for me, and takes up several hours of my work schedule every week. I've had better paying jobs in the past that I didn't like at all - definitly better to have a job you love and earn a little less. Best of luck with leaving your job!!
I work as a project manager in a large public university and I really like my job. It is challenging, with a high level of autonomy, great (if a bit eccentric) coworkers, and an overall positive working environment. It is a desk job which can get boring but all in all the positive aspects of the job out weigh the negative.
I've always liked working, even at my teenage job stuffing magazines in plasic bags all day, so I never really dread going to work. As long as my work is a bit challenging and I am treated with respect then I am generally happy with what I am doing.
One question for you, is this what you thought library science would be like? It sounds like at some point you must have been interested in this work to go as far as an MLS. I know many of the people I went to grad school with were disappointed when they got into their first jobs to realize the day to day tasks for jobs in our field were not what they expected.
I like my job most of the time. I work with great people on interesting problems. I'm perceived as a specialist, which means I get to do lots of the things that I like.
If I was independently wealthy, I'd probably work here 4 days a week, and not necessarily forever.
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