When Your Job Feels Meaningless: How to Cope with the ‘What Am I Even Doing Here?’ Crisis

There’s a moment in almost everyone’s career where they stare at their inbox, sit through another pointless meeting, or finish a project no one seems to care about and think: What am I even doing here?

Maybe the work you do feels insignificant. Maybe you used to care, but now you’re just going through the motions. Or maybe you never cared to begin with, and you’re wondering if you made a huge mistake.

If that sounds familiar, welcome to the existential work crisis. It’s normal. It happens to most of us at some point. And no, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to quit your job, reinvent yourself, or move to a remote village to “find your purpose.” Sometimes, you just need to survive it.

Why Does Work Suddenly Feel Pointless?

Even jobs that seemed exciting at first can start to feel empty over time. A few common reasons:

1. You don’t see the impact: When your work disappears into a black hole—endless reports, decks no one reads, projects that get scrapped—it’s easy to wonder why you even bother.

2. The job became routine: At first, learning new things kept your brain engaged. Now, you could do this job in your sleep. And some days, you basically do.

3. You don’t actually care about what you’re doing: Maybe you took this job because it was a “good opportunity” or paid well, but deep down, you’re not invested in the work itself.

4. You’re burned out: Everything feels meaningless when you’re exhausted. It’s not that you don’t care—it’s that you literally have nothing left to give.

So, What Can You Do About It?

First, let’s get this out of the way: You don’t need to “love” your job. It doesn’t have to fulfill your soul. But you also don’t have to just sit in misery until you hit retirement. Here are some ways to break out of the “I hate everything” loop.

1. Find Small Wins : Even if your work feels pointless, some part of it matters—to someone. Maybe your project helps another team. Maybe your email saved a coworker time. Maybe you just made someone’s day easier. Focus on those little victories instead of the big picture (because the big picture is often frustrating).

2. Change How You Measure Success : If your job itself isn’t fulfilling, what else can you get out of it? Skills? A solid paycheck that funds your actual passions? More free time? Reframe your perspective. Instead of “I have to do this,” try “I’m choosing to do this because it allows me to [pay rent, travel, write on the side, etc.].”

3. Make Your Work Slightly More Interesting: If you’re stuck in monotony, tweak how you do things. Challenge yourself to get faster, automate tasks, suggest a small improvement, or find a way to learn something new—even if it’s just to make your day less dull.

4. Set an Expiration Date: If you really can’t stand your job, give yourself a timeline. “I’ll stick this out for six months while I figure out my next move.” Having an end date—even a hypothetical one—can make things more bearable.

5. Build Something Outside of Work: If your job feels meaningless, don’t put pressure on it to be your only source of purpose. Start a side project. Learn a skill. Volunteer. Do something that gives you a sense of progress, even if your 9-to-5 doesn’t.

You’re Not Alone

This feeling is normal. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy, ungrateful, or broken. It just means you’re human. Some days (or months), work will feel like a drag. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck forever. Figure out what’s making it feel pointless, adjust what you can, and if all else fails—remember that you’re not the only one staring at your inbox, wondering why we all made up this thing called “work” in the first place.