# #559 What to Do When Your Work Feels Pointless

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/squiggly-careers-755233/559-what-to-do-when-your-work-feels-pointless
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/squiggly-careers-755233/559-what-to-do-when-your-work-feels-pointless.md
Podcast: [Squiggly Careers](https://stenobird.com/podcast/squiggly-careers-755233)
Published: 2026-05-12T07:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APL1407836313.mp3
Audio file: https://traffic.megaphone.fm/APL1407836313.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/squiggly-careers-755233/episodes/559-what-to-do-when-your-work-feels-pointless
Duration seconds: 2258

## Resource

Have you ever finished a week at work and wondered what you actually did that mattered? In this episode, Helen and Sarah borrow brilliance from David Graeber's book Bulls*it Jobs...and find it uncomfortably relatable. Helen and Sarah explore what pointless work actually looks like, why it's more common than most of us admit, and, crucially, what you can do if you find yourself in it. 🎯 What You'll Learn – What makes a job "pointless" according to Graeber's definition (and why it's more about your own assessment than anyone else's) – Why high-paid pointless jobs are often more draining than they sound – Five practical strategies for surviving and escaping a job that doesn't feel real (from scanning sideways to pitching yourself a new role) – Why treating your career as a series of experiences rather than an identity makes these moments easier to navigate – When to leave (and why calling it fast is increasingly the right move) 📚 Resources Mentioned Bullsh*it Jobs — David Graeber I Don't Want a Job (Not a Real Job) — Amy McNeese, The Pony Project For questions about Squiggly Careers or to share feedback, please email: helenandsarah@squigglycareers.com Need some more squiggly career support? 1. Download our free career tools: https://www.amazingif.com/toolkit/ 2. Sign up for our Skills Sprints: https://www.amazingif.com/squigglysprints/ 3. Sign up for our Squiggly Careers Newsletter, a weekly summary of the latest squiggly career tools: https://bit.ly/squigglynewsletter_pod 4. Order our new book Learn Like a Lobster: https://www.amazingif.com/books/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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## Transcript

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