Summer is over and almost everyone is back to work. There are some people who pull that off badly and even suffer from post-holiday stress or even post-holiday burnout. Well there won't be many of those, but that we are coming back from a somewhat cold spell en masse is clear.
One professional group after another is on strike. One by one, all the transport groups down work. Those who do drive will be put through the striking farmers blocked. The entire discussion about hybrid working, we might as well leave it out, too. The average commuter doesn't have enough time to travel to work anyway, because the current staff shortages mean there is so much (too much) work That you can spend your time better than in the also already increasing files.
In addition, people report easier sick, which further increases the workload (and thus stress). Should you suffer from that stress, you will have to be patient for a while, because the GPs are under pressure. And meanwhile, our [accounts](https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2022/09/05/geldstress-schaam-je-niet-en-zoek-vooral-tijdig-hulp-a4140821?) (and the inflation), while the wages remain quite behind.
So you hear more and more people who are completely done with it. Done with working, that is. Initiatives such as FIRE (freely translated: Financially independent and retiring early), the Anti-Work Movement, which gives people a platform to complain about their work and now includes the #quietquitting hype (doing just enough to avoid being fired just yet) are growing in popularity.
And yes, of course, there is also plenty of reason to complain. But that alone won't get you anywhere. What does get you anywhere is to look critically at your own situation. If you don't like it, see if you can do things differently. This is now easier than ever given the current job market. Moreover, it will do your colleagues a favor. Nobody wants to hear you complain all the time. Although, unfortunately, we are very good at that in the Netherlands.
Fortunately, there are plenty of inspiring stories of people who have done smarter. Who didn't throw in the towel. Who changed course. Consider the highly successful Sharon Hilgers who left her job as a French teacher to focus entirely on her passion: selling jewelry. This has certainly not hurt her. Not only did it make her happier as a person, but it also properly earned (And she is only 32).
Not from the Netherlands, but equally pragmatic is Lauren Flymen. When she lost her job during the lockdown, she bought a jump rope. After many failed attempts, trial and error, she is now known on Instagram as Lauren Jumps with more than 1 million followers and corresponding sponsorship deals.
And even if you have a less hip hobby, there are plenty of people who are interested in just that. For example, Kat Norton started Excel videos on social media in 2020 and now earns more than 3x modal along. On her own!
Well you really don't need the main prize deserve to be happy, but if your job is continually cause for complaint, it may be worthwhile to take a look at your current situation. And maybe just change course drastically for once.
