Overcoming the Nine to Five Grind

The nine to five grind is exhausting. The routine of the work week eats away time. The days blur together. You take the same route to work, leave at the same time, do similar tasks on the job, go to bed, rinse and repeat. They say as you get older, life starts to go really fast. Does it go fast because we are accustomed to the same routine of the grind?

When I'm feeling exhausted, here are a few tips and tricks I implement to help me get over the grind:

1. Change my daily routine. If I follow the same routine everyday I find myself in a rut. Instead of showing up to work at the same time, maybe I'll work from home in the morning, get a long workout in, and change my routine. Being predictable gets old after a while. Every other week, I make an effort to do something unpredictable that changes up my daily routine.

2. Take a day off during the week. Sometimes we need a day to ourselves in the middle of the week. A personal health day can do the trick. I do not recommend taking a Monday or Friday off for your personal health day. Instead take a day off in the middle of the week. When everyone else is working, you can relax and recharge. Use the time to do the things that make you happy. Take a personal health day every few months or whenever you can swing it.

3. Identify what I am working towards. If you are stuck in the grind, you need to have a goal or reason for all your hard work. To spend your time living in a constant state of routine with no goal is the definition of a hamster wheel life. Figure out why you are doing what you are doing. Is it to pay off debt? Is it to build up your savings? Is it to impress your boss and coworkers? Is it because you are passionate about the job? Whatever the reason, figure out why and remind yourself what you are working towards.

4. Do something physical every day. Humans were not put on this earth to sit behind a desk and look at computer screens. Doing cardio everyday eases my angst in the grind. Staring down at the black line of the pool floor as I swim laps is meditative. I forget about the worries of everyday life. My brain works out problems in my head. Over the weekend, I make an effort to have an intense workout Saturday morning. I cleanse my mind of all the craziness during the week so I can really relax.

5. Meditate. Practicing daily meditation has been life changing. I use an app called Headspace and carve out 10 minutes each morning to reflect. Putting my mind at ease helps me prepare for the day. It helps me live in the moment and be present. Meditation may help overcome the angst of the grind. It can help reveal the beauty of everyday life.

6. Have a side hustle. Even though I have yet to have a single reader read Mr. Career Guide, I enjoy keeping up the blog. It has given me something to look forward too. I set a weekly goal of blog posts and topics. I'm not making any money from the blog and do not plan on doing so. However, the creative outlet for my mind gives me something to look forward too each day. I can put my skills to some other endeavor outside of work.

7. Save a ton of money. I try to maintain a savings rate of 50-60% annually. I know that one day I will leave corporate America behind to do something I am destined to do. My job allows me to earn enough money to max out my 401k and Roth IRA while having money left over each month. The surplus dollars go into an Index fund. Over the next 7 to 10 years I hope to have at least $500k to $600k stashed away. When I make the jump I'll feel good the financial foundation I've created.

8. Enjoy the process. Look around, everyone is grinding and working hard to provide for their family. Appreciate the shared experience. Some may go a whole lifetime without escaping it because they don't have a plan. They've accepted it and deal with the routine, pressure, and monotony. I try to take a step back and enjoy the process of developing skills and experience to help me get to where I want to go.

The nine to five grind is real. When I was first started working, I was shocked to find out that this is how the majority of our society lives their lives. They've accepted long commutes and drudgery office work. It doesn't have to be this way your whole life. Some people love the grind but most just accept it.

What does the grind mean to you and what are you working towards?