Existential dread is the dread that comes from the reality that even though we didn’t give consent to be here, we’re here and we’ve been thrust into existence on a planet that forces us into a system where we must figure out how to survive every day.

As life continues to grow more expensive and the job market continues to get more tragic, I believe rates of suicide will continue rising.

Which is why I really want to take this time to talk about how to cope with existential dread.

I am not talking about curing existential dread because I really don’t believe there is any way to completely cure existential dread.

I read from a philosopher that to be born is to inevitably suffer. But here’s one helpful way you can cope.

Career freedom (remote work, flexible work schedules, etc)

I believe coping with existential dread comes down to career freedom and having autonomy over your daily schedule when it comes to your job.

This is why I’m a huge advocate for remote work and four day work weeks.

I’m a huge advocate for freelance work or anything that keeps you as free as you possibly can be instead of feeling like you’re being trapped and controlled in an office, in a warehouse, in a factory, in a 40 hour work week, etc.

There are some people who are working 50, 60 hour work weeks. I feel that if you have no work life balance, it simply sucks your soul and drains your life force.

And obviously, it makes it feel like life is not worth living if all you’re doing is slaving away at a job. We have to have meaningful life experiences outside of our job.

I believe that opting for a career path that allows you to work remotely, have a flexible schedule, or maintain autonomy over your day helps with existential dread because it allows you to have as much freedom and flexibility as possible, rather than succumbing to being controlled.

I’m fully aware that in this current job market, this is not an easy coping mechanism to just leach onto, especially with AI taking over all the jobs of the world.

I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future for everyone’s careers, but I do know that the more freedom we have regarding the way we sustain ourselves and earn an income, the easier it is to be happier, and the easier it is to avoid feelings of existential dread.

Again, I don’t know what that’s meant to look like or what that supposed to look like with the world rapidly changing due to the rise of AI, but I strongly believe that if you have a job that drains your life force, it’s almost impossible to avoid existential dread.