Employee feels trapped in desk job as health declines and doesn't know what to do next - gets smart health and career advice

A worker shared a post on Reddit saying they feel completely exhausted and trapped in their desk job after working in it for about four years. The person said they earlier did manual labor jobs where they felt physically tired but could recover quickly and did not feel long-term stress. Now they work 50–60 hours a week sitting in front of a computer, which has caused serious neck and back pain. They said the pain has become so bad that it now feels “debilitating” and affects daily life.

The worker also explained that office stress and tight deadlines make even small tasks feel like emergencies. At first, they thought the pain was happening because they were simply getting older. But when they recently took two months off work, their pain started going away within weeks. During the break, they said they felt healthy and normal again until they returned to their desk job.

The worker added they are physically active, go to the gym multiple times weekly, and try to eat healthy. However, they said a few hours of exercise cannot fix the damage caused by sitting for around 60 hours weekly. The person said they feel stuck because they earn a good salary and have student loans to pay. They admitted they are getting closer every day to quitting their corporate job but do not know what career to choose next.

What other people said in comments

One commenter said they also feel drained by desk work and miss doing physical work with their hands. The same person said corporate stress and mental workload take away all their energy. They also mentioned having chronic illnesses and feeling their job is making their health worse. Another commenter said desk jobs are dangerous for health and people must build strong discipline for exercise.

The commenter advised taking regular physical activity breaks and going outside during lunch. Another person agreed and said quitting a job is difficult due to lifestyle costs and financial responsibilities. They said bad habits like stress eating or comfort activities make the problem worse over time. One commenter shared they once worked long hours in physically demanding freight jobs and felt healthier than in a desk job. They said desk jobs can slowly damage the body very quickly if people are not careful.

Key advice from the discussion

The main advice given was to stay disciplined with daily physical activity and movement. Commenters also stressed managing stress levels and taking regular breaks away from screens. Many agreed that changing jobs is not easy, so small lifestyle changes may help first. The story shows how long sitting hours, stress, and lack of movement in desk jobs can seriously affect both physical and mental health, while experts and commenters suggest discipline, exercise, and stress control as key solutions.

FAQs

Q1. Can desk jobs cause health problems?

Yes, sitting for long hours can cause back pain, neck pain, stress, and low energy over time.

Q2. What can people do if their desk job is hurting their health?

They can take breaks, exercise daily, move more during work, and manage stress.