Hi old people- I need some wisdom. I’m a working married mom with a 5 year old son. I’ve quite literally busted my tail to get to the position where I am & to achieve the level of $$ success I have. My husband and I have strong savings and my husband is a RN so he has a good salary and stability. Our only debt is our mortgage.
However… I’m burnt to a crisp. I’m so burnt out. And my company is crazy toxic.
I may have an opportunity soon to take a much, much lower paying position, like half my current pay. It would be so much less stressful though.
In any other world, I wouldn’t blink at this opportunity to downshift my career (instead of outright becoming a SAHM.) But… what in the actual world is happening to our economy/government/future plans right now. I don’t know how to plan for my future.
Would you take the risk of a less stressful position but with significantly less money right now?
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It can really depend on so many factors including the idustry you are in, what the future holds for these kinds of companies (read between the lines), and your own capacity for continued high stress. On the other hand, if you budget well and can make it ok with the much less stressful job, I would go for the less stressful one…again depending on factors like who you would be working with, commute, flex time, etc.
Stick it put and wait til you’re laid off when the economy crashes. You’ll probably get a severance of some kind and can collect unemployment
You say that the new job would have a lot less stress. What you will actually be doing is replacing the stress created by your job with stress created by money – because your salary’s been cut in half and stuff you were routinely spending money on to make life easier or have a little fun is no longer affordable.
Taking the lower paying job may still be the right move for you. We don’t know enough about your situation to say. Just be honest with yourself. Stress is stress, regardless of the source.
It may be good to get into a (non-company affiliated) therapy group where you can fix your burnout AND get some good ideas on how to navigate your future working situation. Who knows, you may be able to salvage your present job with some new tactics like simply setting some specific boundaries??
How do you know this is a less stressful job? You know people who work there? Read reviews of the workplace? Or does it just sound less stressful?
Some of the most stressful jobs I’ve had sounded great and paid crap. Some of the best jobs I’ve had sounded stressful but I was supported and challenged in constructive ways.
Depends. As far as the society and the future, you are not alone. Everyone wants a pleasant future and those in a position to best make it that way are doing all they can. Every generation has its good and bad—-but it survives.
As far as demotion, everyone has their level of emotional pain tolerance. It seems you cannot reach it, that your situation has become too overpowering for your make up, so, I would take the lesser position. Your family is young and in good financial security and you need your peace of mind. I wish you and your family well.
Do what is best for you and your family and pray the political and economic circumstances in the future will not interfere. Try to analyze if we have a recession which position will be laid off first, the expensive one or the laid back one.
Spend more time with your five year old child vs staying in a job you don’t like because of what the economy MIGHT do? I don’t understand your priorities, but if your child is in there somewhere, your question answers itself.
Take the pay cut. Enjoy your five year old bc they are only small for a moment.
How old are you? I wouldn’t take a risk downsizing my paycheck right now, there’s just too much economic uncertainty and you may regret it later if your husband winds up getting laid off or something.
Maybe switch to another company where you can start over, instead of switching to a totally different much lower pay job. There’s no guarantee that lower pay job is going to be any less crazy or stressful anyway, and then you’ll be stuck with the same burnout but half the paycheck.
In an economy like this one last hired will be first fired so I would not be changing jobs right now. Echoing that you will be changing job stress – which is at least compensated – to stressing about money AND likely being expected to pick up more of household and child responsibilities because who has more bandwidth for that will have shifted.
Instead I would work on strategies – maybe with a therapist – for fixing the burnout where you are.
I’m in the same situation is you, with roles reversed. My wife is a chef with decent pay and benefits. I stay at home and take care of the home-side (kids, cars, houses, etc). I’m a musician and music teacher and part of my income includes wedding services like officiant, wedding music and catering (my wife helps with that). I’m self-employed and don’t receive any government support. That will change in 2028 when I turn 65 and start collecting Social Security. I know full benefits are available at 67, but I have a debilitating condition and have been given 5-7 years left to live. I want to put that money aside for my wife and kids to use when I’m gone.
A fifty percent pay cut is huge. Keep looking for something else that pays better with less stress.
Why do you think the job that pays less would have a less toxic environment and less stress?
Your child is 5. Full time school and greater independence are on the way! At this economic moment I see why you are hesitating to take a pay cut. We are all going to have to buckle up for a rough ride. Maybe the decision is which kind of hardship you prefer!