Quit That Job! Entry #1 - The Office Space Effect

This will be part of an ongoing series that I will return to occasionally. It hopefully will end soon when I finally quit this job.

I have been complaining about how I hate my job for a few years now. At one point many years ago, I actually liked this job, falsely thinking it was a career path. Well, maybe for some that's a career path, but I eventually realized that it is not the life I want to lead. I came in with a 2-year degree in video production, hired to make training videos. I obtained a bachelor degree in communication while working this job full time. Eventually I'm creating the whole training program. As people quit, got laid off or moved to other departments I seemed to get handed all their job roles as well. It becomes a bit much to be expected to do work I have no experience with. Anyway, as I approach my 10-year anniversary in July, I have decided I will quit in celebration. That is if I don't get laid off first. That would be a bit more ideal to have unemployment while looking for new work.

I'm really not sure if I want to work in a similar job. I really don't want another office job. I am just completely tired of going to the same building five times a week for 10 years. I know that doesn't count time off for vacation. This is maybe where I should mention that I have actually been given less vacation time over the years. Where I once had 15 days, I only have 6 this year. After 10 long years.

I really have just started not to care anymore. Maybe they can just put me on the layoff list next time that comes along. I can stare at my computer just to avoid the drudgery of having every bit of my productivity managed. How do you measure creativity? It seemed like a creative job when I was a new hire and excited about my career.

So as I cared less and less, suddenly I started getting new responsibilities and actually treated like I am important. I told a friend about this and he referred to it as the “Office Space effect.” (See my previous Steemit article about the film Office Space.) Previously, when I tried hard and was creatively involved in my work, I was berated, told my work was awful and placed under a management style that drained me of any creativity. And now that I don't even try, suddenly I'm an expert who can make important contributions to our projects.

I'm still quitting. It's not about any of the above anymore. People have said I should hear out any offers they make if I tell them I'm quitting. I guess I would at least need 5 weeks vacation. A pay increase would be nice and probably necessary. What good is any pay if there is no time off to relax and spend the money on just getting away for awhile? But I really don't think that will solve things. I am 43 and I want to change my life. I never wanted to work in an office. I never wanted a job creating training materials. I never wanted to be in front of a computer all day barely interacting with anybody. How did I even end up in the IT Department? I can't be doing this another 10 years from now. I was hit by a car last fall. It could have been much worse. I will be better. But it's really had me thinking about my life and making choices for the future. My job does not fit in the life I want to be living. I want to keep this job for the moment, as I save and invest money for the immediate future. That future needs to happen soon. There is only now. Change things while you have the chance. For me that ends in July.