I basically didn’t have a “real job” for about a little over a year after graduating college. It was amazing. Contrary to what people told me about not “working”, I maintained a great routine of diet/exercise, real work (eg working on my garden where like 30% of my calories came from, or on the house I was living in, writing/working on my website/blog, doing some freelance software/development work), hobbies/entertainment, etc.
I spent very little money by mostly walking places despite them being far away as a result of my living in a somewhat suburban area.
I had mental clarity and always had energy and a vision of the future.
I’ve since started having to work due to having to move, and everything has gone to complete garbage. I’m literally cognitively and physically exhausted virtually all the time after work. I can’t concentrate on literally anything, have a constant low grade headache, and I’m too fatigued half the time (if not more now, maybe closer to 2/3 of the time) to do the running and strength training regime I was doing before.
Everything is like a blur and the day seems to go by in the blink of an eye, like it isn’t even happening.
Maybe it’s the fluorescent lights in the office.
I can’t believe how bad having a job is. I used to be kind of envious of people with “good jobs” and always wanted one, but this is literally killing me and I haven’t even been on the job a year yet.