ADVERTISEMENT

Working in an office has its fair share of pros and cons. On the one hand, it can be comfortable, you’re not doing manual labor, you get to use your brain, and you sometimes have space for genuine creativity. On the other hand, some of your work can feel meaningless, work-life balance is tough to manage, your superiors can get pretty toxic sometimes, and you spend way too much time being sedentary with your eyes glued to the screen. And the endless meetings... ugh!

‘My Office Life’ is a fun and quirky Instagram account that shares hilarious memes about work. They are beyond relatable if you work at an office. So, we collected some of the funniest pics to boost your mood while you’re on your coffee break. Scroll down to check them out! Oh, and if you have any colleagues who you think could use a meme break, be sure to send them this post.

Bored Panda reached out to CJ, the curator of the awesome 'My Office Life' account, and they were happy to answer our questions. Scroll down below for our interview with them.

We asked CJ for their perspective about why work-related memes are such a big hit on social media and elsewhere online. "To paraphrase Mufasa, 'We are all connected in the great circle of [office] life," they quipped.

"I think folks enjoy work-related memes because it’s relatable and it brings comfort to know that they aren’t alone," CJ told Bored Panda.

"They’re not the only office employee that feels negatively about their supervisor. They also have a ‘Karen’ in their group. They worry about being on time, and so on. The whole 'it’s funny because it’s true' hits differently when it’s directly related to your daily routine."

RELATED:
    #3

    Baby Yoda holding a cup, capturing the funny office meme essence with a relatable caption about a supervisor's reaction.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    HTakeover
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    C.Y.A. The all-important rule most people have to learn the hard way. Document everything and keep a backup copy or two of everything that could come back to bite you. That only you know about and which is safe.

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Bored Panda was also interested to hear about CJ's take on how employees can develop a healthier relationship with work. Boundaries are key here, just like in any other area of life.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    "I believe it is vital to establish boundaries. Whether you’re a brand new employee or a seasoned vet, your manager needs to know what you are willing to commit to, and what things are going to be just outside of your reach," the founder of 'My Office Life' said.

    "Since the pandemic, we have collectively agreed that work-life balance needs to include more life and a little less work. I feel supervisors of the older generation are still in denial about work-life balance," CJ shared.

    "Based on conversations with fellow corporate expats, once they put their foot down and stopped being a doormat, their outlook became brighter, with improved mental and physical health. That was certainly the case with me."

    It’s not just burnout and work-life balance that are top-of-mind for many people. CNN reports that many recent college graduates in the US are struggling to find employment. In some niche cases, students who receive their diplomas apply to hundreds of companies without any success. It’s mind-boggling.

    Public policy professor David Deming from the Harvard Kennedy School told CNN that the unemployment gap is partly due to changing employer expectations, as well as an increase in competition. “What you’re seeing is a consequence of the success we’ve had in educating more people. Graduating college no longer gives you a leg up, as recent cohorts have seen the highest graduation rates ever,” Deming said, adding that skill requirements for entry-level roles are higher today than a decade ago.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #4

    Office meme about email typo: "Should you have any questions please don't. Hesitate to ask." Shared by user Unhinged_chaosQueen.

    myofficelife , x.com Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've been at the place I'm at for over two years but I don't have a company e-mail. My coworkers keep asking ME why I don't have one. How should I know?

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #5

    Funny office meme of a vintage painting; text about contemplating returning to work after a lunch break.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Sue Denham
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Similar to when you're driving to work and thinking "You know I could just keep on driving and see where I end up".

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #6

    Tweet humorously depicts office life, saying: "People: You look so unapproachable. Me: And yet, here you are."

    myofficelife , x.com Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I used to spend my weekends with liberty spikes and dressed all in black and patches and steel spikes downtown. So many tourists wanted their picture with me. Some of us can't NOT look approachable.

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Meanwhile, a survey from the higher education online magazine Intelligent found that 58% of hiring managers believe recent college graduates are unprepared for the workforce. On the flip side, if recruiters or managers can’t find the people they want to fill positions, it might be an issue with them offering wages that are too low to appeal to talented, skilled, and in-demand workers.

    All that being said, burnout is a major issue that many workers face when they have to deal with long-term stress that isn’t managed properly. Someone who burns out becomes cynical about their job, feels chronically exhausted and dissatisfied, feels more negative about everything, and generally tries to distance themselves or emotionally disconnect from what they do at work.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Not only does this negatively impact people’s physical and mental health, but it also leads to worse job performance.

    As reported by the American Psychological Association back in 2021, 79% of employees reported work-related stress in the preceding month. Over half of American employees admitted that work-related stress negatively impacted them, leading to less effort at their jobs, as well as less interest, motivation, and energy. Over a third of employees said that they experienced cognitive weariness, just under a third said they were emotionally exhausted, and nearly half also admitted they were physically fatigued.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    As per SHRM’s research, 44% of employees in the United States said they were burned out at work in 2024.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Meanwhile, 45% of them felt emotionally drained and 51% said they felt ‘used up’ when their workday ended. Workers struggling with burnout are three times as likely to actively look for another job than those who aren’t chronically exhausted.

    #10

    Baseball players with "work email at 5:00 on Friday" and "me," humorously depicting office work frustration.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    James016
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I finish at 4pm on Fridays so I would not see it until Monday

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Dealing with burnout isn’t as easy and simple as telling someone to take better care of their health and fitness, though those are core aspects of the change that needs to happen.

    Other approaches include communicating and then enforcing healthier boundaries with your workload and managers, as well as speaking to your superiors about creating a more sustainable pace at the office.

    The key here is being honest about how your relationship with work affects you and how it needs to change so that you feel full of energy and motivation.

    ADVERTISEMENT

    Meanwhile, SHRM suggests reframing your expectations and perceptions and finding ways to stay optimistic.

    #14

    Office meme with woman frowning, highlighting frustration about job applications and interviews.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    James016
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When you upload your CV and then it asks to duplicate the entire thing in the application form.

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    However, if you’re stuck in a truly toxic workplace environment, you can and should apply to new jobs and look for that ‘Plan B’ company you can hop to for better pay, culture, perks, and hours.

    The irony is that some of the most resilient and patient workers stay in really bad situations way longer than they should, while their other colleagues may have already recognized how toxic things are and already jumped ship.

    The long and short of it is that you should not feel constantly exhausted, anxious, and demotivated working anywhere. Everyone deserves better.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #16

    Man in office chair with dog on lap, humorously illustrating funny office work environment.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Jessica SpeLangm
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My dog is snoozing away in his bed behind my desk. I'd say I got this one down perfectly.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #18

    Two men walking, one in casual attire, one in business attire, captioned "IT and Sales," representing funny office dynamics.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa)
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sales also makes like 5X as much as anyone who actually does the real work.

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Currently, 23.1k internet users follow the ‘My Office Life’ account on Instagram. Originally, the account was created nearly a decade ago, in the summer of 2015.

    The idea behind the content is very straightforward: the curator shares the most amusing and relatable images that touch on the highs and lows of being in an office. Their tagline is, “If you work in an office you'll understand,” so relatability is naturally a core aspect of the memes they choose to feature.

    #19

    Cartoon characters looking unimpressed, capturing the humor of working in an office environment.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Floeckchen
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "Value" is a diffuse term and doesn't mean anything without a rating

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Speaking more broadly, memes fundamentally have to be relatable on some level in order to spread. If the audience doesn’t connect with the images or the ideas you share, they won’t go viral, and you can’t rightfully call them memes.

    Successful memes also rely on superb visual clarity to get their message across. So, you want to use high-definition images, clear fonts, and generally have shorter captions instead of walls of text.

    #24

    Man in office humorously reacting to a desk fire, surrounded by posters and office items, illustrating funny office memes.

    myofficelife Report

    ADVERTISEMENT

    The only exceptions to visual clarity happen if you’re sharing no-context, ‘cursed,’ or ironic memes where the entire purpose is to create a sense of chaos and confusion.

    But more ‘traditional’ memes want to instantly connect with their audience as they scroll through their social media feeds. If they can’t do that, the audience will just scroll on without stopping.

    #25

    Funny office meme on a letter board: "Don't forget to drink water and get sun, you're basically a houseplant with complicated emotions."

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #27

    Funny meme about HR asking if an employee was called stupid, illustrating office humor.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    MLT
    Community Member
    Premium
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Been there except I said are you f***ing stupid. I came close to being tossed out that day, but, almost 26 years here, and now I only think it because I work remote now and everyone is happier with this arrangement.

    View more commentsArrow down menu

    Which of these memes did you find the most relatable, dear Pandas? What do you like and dislike the most about working in an office? How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?

    How many cups of coffee have you had today? We’d love to hear all about your relationship with work, so if you have a spare moment, scroll down to the comments to share your thoughts.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #29

    Office humor meme with a humorous note on a desk about avoiding small talk, next to a Starbucks coffee cup.

    myofficelife Report

    Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
    Unlimited content
    Ad-free browsing
    Dark mode
    #32

    Crying man at computer, humorous meme about office work procrastination.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    sbj
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I keep doing this and every Monday I say I'm never leaving things undone again but I don't think I'll ever learn

    ADVERTISEMENT
    #36

    Funny office meme about managing work expectations and giving percentages for a raise.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    April Pickett
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wishful thinking. If you give 75%, you get a card saying thank you for your hard work and maybe a candy bar.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #43

    Funny meme about working in an office, highlighting a humorous take on customer service skills.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #45

    Man leaning over a desk with a focused expression, capturing a funny office moment.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    alaina66
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or...called in sick and ran into my boss as I was buying a barbecue grill and supplies to have a party.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #46

    Text meme highlighting office humor: "Me: This show is boring. Boss: Again, this is a Zoom conference."

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #47

    Person in a hazmat suit using a computer in an office setting, capturing the humor of working in an office.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Jessica SpeLangm
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, I just work from home, since I'm hybrid. I'm not required to be in the office. I'm one of the lucky ones

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #48

    Cartoon character humorously sneaking away, reflecting funny office meme about calling in sick.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    BookFanatic
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I always pre-prep my "sick days." Day before, I'll say stuff like "Ooh, my lunch did not agree with me" or "I don't know what my problem is, I just don't feel so good" so when I call in sick it makes more sense.

    #49

    Young person in black talks to an older colleague in an office-like setting, humorously depicting office work dynamics.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #50

    Funny office meme about travel desires clashing with bank account reality.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Khavrinen
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm thinking a nice relaxing stroll to the mailbox -- then to the trash can to throw away the junk mail.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #51

    Man humorously standing afar from mountain labeled "Friday," illustrating office work week struggles.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #52

    Text reads: "I don’t really rise and shine, I caffeinate & hope for the best," capturing funny office work life.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Deborah
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It all so much harder since I've had to cut caffeine out of my diet.

    #53

    Office meme showing an empty cubicle, contrasting with the job description of a fast-paced, high-energy environment.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    M O'Connell
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wait, I get my own laminator?! Is my usage of laminating supplies audited?

    #54

    Man in suit sitting on sidewalk says, "God as my witness, I will quit," capturing funny office work frustration.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #56

    Surprised Pikachu meme illustrating a funny office scenario with a boss and employee exchange.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #57

    Office life meme about childhood memories, highlighting the frustrations and necessities of adult work life.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Miki
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can't imagine a person who would choose going back to school over a job. F*****g never.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #58

    Woman at desk with an annoyed expression, capturing the humor of office interactions for funny meme content.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Joe Reaves
    Community Member
    3 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They're just desperately trying to get the f**k away from their desk for a moment, be kind.

    View more commentsArrow down menu
    #59

    Child in winter clothing screaming at a car bumper, with text about quitting a job; office work humor meme.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #61

    Woman sitting in a car looking frustrated, with humorous text about not finding a parking spot at the office.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #62

    Man in business attire sprinting late, humorously depicting an office work scenario.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #63

    Cartoon of a person in office attire, holding a briefcase with a humorous caption about being late to work.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #64

    A woman runs from a car, humorously depicting the office experience of being asked to work after hours.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #66

    Weather forecast meme humorously depicting office life; sunny with a "breakdown later in the week".

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #67

    Squidward looking tired, sitting in a chair, reflecting office work fatigue with a caption about it being only Tuesday.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #68

    Medieval art style illustrating chaotic office work environment with people fighting humorously.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #70

    A man in an office holding a coffee cup with a tired expression, a humorous meme about losing sleep to daylight saving time.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    ADVERTISEMENT
    See Also on Bored Panda
    #71

    Man with mustache looking at phone, funny meme about working in an office and prioritizing sleep for work.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    #72

    Tweet about office work humor, reminiscing about singing a Blink-182 song as a kid and realizing its truth now.

    myofficelife Report

    Add photo comments
    POST
    Seán Hannan
    Community Member
    2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No, I don't remember that. When I was like 12 years old, Blink-182 were also like 12 years old.