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So, I haven't been feeling very fulfilled with my career in advertising the last few years. I know there are much worse jobs I could have. Honestly, it's the politics and overall BS of the office environment that are sucking my soul dry.

I know in order to survive, I probably need to step it up and 'play the game' but I just can't seem to muster the energy to do it. I look around and all I see are insincere, egotistical, greedy jerks. Why would I want to become that?

The only reason I'm still in it is for the paycheck. Working in advertising helped afford me 7 months backpacking in Europe. I'm currently saving up for a RTW- however, I'm finding it difficult to put up with the crap at work on a daily basis.

Is anyone out there in a similar situation? How do you cope with it? I don't want to wish my days away until I can travel again. How do I get perspective or just simply make things tolerable?

I'm in a somewhat similar mental state at least. The people where I work I like for the most part, and can even enjoy the work I do there sometimes. Its the corporate and sales side of my job that irks me to no end. Usually it just someone else trying cover their own ass and ends up being at best busywork and often counterproductive for me both of which I have no patience for.

The paycheck is great and knowing that at least for me there will be an out at sometime keeps me going, but I am sacrificing for it now. The best I do for coping is to make sure I take little trips in the meantime, see family, leave on Saturday for business trips and see somewhere I wouldn't otherwise go. Not much help, but at least its confirmation that you aren't alone.

Hope that makes some sense, if I'm still awake in an hour I'll be posting on The Drunkardly Lion .

There's a lot of politics and BS at my office too. I think it's everywhere actually. I have friends who work in all sorts of jobs - teaching, editing, selling computers, PR work, collections work, para-legal work, real estate, IT field, etc, etc.

All of them have politics and BS of one kind or another in their workplace. It doesn't really matter how big or small the office is, or what the work is. Even my musician friends who are "living the dream" and never set foot in an office complain that they have band drama and that they have to play crappy gigs at crappy venues just to eat.

I've noticed that some offices are just plain competitive and full of corporate climbers (IT, sales), whereas other places are much more gossipy and petty (PR, teaching). Personally, I prefer my work setting, where the BS is mostly professional and career-oriented, not personal and spiteful.

An older lady on one of my projects wisely pointed out once that usually the people pulling the BS are just trying to do their jobs. It's their job to protect their boss, and their product, and their clients. It's not personal. They just don't think through how their actions and words affect the people around them.

So how do I cope with it? Some days I leave early and just go home. Some days I go for a bike ride after work and pedal away my frustration. I make sure I always have something fun planned for the weekends. I refuse to do much overtime anymore, and I make a point of telling my various bosses that overtime interferes with my very busy life and makes me an intensely unhappy employee. I've found a few like-minded people in my office who I can commiserate with.

I also try to keep my perspective. I think about all the people around the world who have much crappier jobs and would love to work in my office. I think about the crappy coworker who is pissing me off and try to imagine how stressful their life must be that it is driving them to such insane behavior. I think about all the reasons I'm there and what that paycheck is going to do for me. I try to remember that in X number of years, I'm going to be out traveling and all the jerks will be left behind on their BS treadmill.

I work in a corporate IT environment and, like you, often feel like the very life is being sucked out of me a little more each day (other than that, though, it's OK!). I'll preface what will likely be a 'ramble' by saying whatever I do to cope, I do it pretty badly most of the time.

For much of my career in IT, I worked as a consultant, much of that time as an independent contractor. While not really passionate about the work, at least the time as an independent consultant gave me a fair income and a measure of independence from the corporate politics and other stuff that goes with being an employee ... contracting is a common thing in IT, not sure if 'freelancing' is an option with what you do - not a perfect break from the corporate world but may be a compromise step until you find something you really enjoy.

The other thing for me personally is I've just got family commitments that I have (and want) to honor. Two kids in college and one more in a couple of years. That, and my elderly mom is living with us. So, on one end it's kind of a negative incentive, but I couldn't live with myself knowing I didn't honor those commitments.

So, knowing I've got to hang in there for at least a few more years (I'm 55 so I'm also watching the clock in terms of not wanting to wait too long to do more traveling - you never know when your health becomes an issue) I make an effort (disclaimer: I do this badly) to enjoy the simple pleasures. I try to think on the positive ... the little positive things that do come up if I set my heart and mind to look for them - a design meeting that felt creative, a positive exchange with co-workers, etc.) I try also to keep a thankful heart and attitude for what I have. Good health, a wife who is the dearest, sweetest, most caring person I've ever met ... she is an angel and I can't believe she married me). My kids are making their way through the teen years which comes with it's own stresses but I'm thankful that they're healthy an not in jail (smile). Then, the little things I try to enjoy ... my (almost) daily bike rides, ice cream sundaes, my wife's vegetable egg roles. Again, I'm prone to the pity party that comes with the mid-life thing and I can let myself feel trapped by that giant sucking sound that is the company taking the life out of my soul, but, each day I just try to start fresh again and look to amplify the many things I have to be thankful for.

I, too, don't want to wish my life away ... for the near/interim term, this is my life and I want to choose a thankful, contented attitude. I'm thankful my situation has allowed my wife and I to provide for our kids and take care of my mom. I sometimes think how it would look if I aired my attitude in front of people living through much, much more difficult circumstances and how would it appear.

Sorry if this rambled or got 'preachy' ... I better stop now!

Good luck!

For what its worth, I agree and think most people are in a similar situation as some of the other posters have mentioned. Unless you are your own boss (and then there are a whole separate set of issues, I'm sure) there is usually office politics and BS. I work in a small company and there is a TON of it.

I always try to mind my own business and focus on the positives: I do have a job. Looking at the unemployment rate in the US that keeps steadily rising, this is a good thing. I do get a decent pay check that allows me to travel a few times a year, this is a great thing. My company also allowed me to take a 10 week leave of absence and I appreciated that!

Of course, we're in it for the paycheck. Did you ever hear of the saying, work is work, if work was fun, it would be called fun?

Minerguy, Liforce, dennisf... thank you so much for your responses. It's a comfort to know people are in similar situations, yet have found solutions to make things a little more tolerable, one day at a time.

I will certainly try and incorporate your advice. I think simply changing my mindset and outlook on life will help tremendously. It wouldn't be difficult to start each day by being grateful for a career that provides me with a paycheck, especially during our economy these days. Also, setting boundaries whenever possible- not getting sucked into overtime, working weekends, etc. The gym is already an outlet for me- but perhaps I'll finally get a book club going with some friends as another 'distraction.'

Thanks for putting things into perspective for me. Good luck to us all-