Have you ever had a 'life crisis'?

[ChikkaChikkaChikkaCha]

And if so, what did you do?

I was diagnosed with a serious illness last year and I feel like it has changed my perspective on everything. I have a good job with a decent salary but I just don't care about it anymore. We're paying for DC to go to nursery 4 days a week, ideally I would like to reduce that to 3 but my current job won't allow that kind of reduction in hours. I can't afford to quit altogether and stay home (not sure I would want to either).

I just feel like my whole perspective on life has shifted, and made me realise that I need to make the most of the life I am living now, because I cannot take the future for granted. But I don't know how or where to start making those changes.

Not before but I’m having one right now. I started what I thought would be my dream job two months ago and I hate it. There’s a good possibility I’m going to fail probation and I’ve already been for a job interview for another role (didn’t get it) Got other applications in but the closing dates only start coming up tomorrow and over the next week IYSWIM. I’m shitting it as I gave up a solid safe WFH job for this. To mitigate it, I’ve got the union involved to come to my probation meeting to see if they can get it extended. I might not like the job but I like being paid. I need to leave on my terms and with a job to go to. I’m crying everyday and not sleeping, it’s awful.

I'm in one right now. I want to change career but I have no idea what to

Same as you I know as diagnosed with a life changing illness. Always worked, had a good job, but the hours were ridiculous. I sat down with dh and we worked out what could be done to give me more time etc. Changed things about and made sure I knew what was important to us. It was hard going for a while, I struggled with a lesser role, but 2 years in our lives are much better. Good luck.

Same for me. I’ve always despised work but I know I have to do it for the next 30 years.

My plan is to try and find a fairly flexible role where I can work four days a week. If I can get something that pays slightly more than my current role FTE, I won’t even be losing money, but I’ll have 3 days off instead of 2. I’ve seen plenty of these opportunities around, just hoping I can get one at some point!

It’ll probably take me a while but that’s what I’m aiming for. I think anything that you can do to improve your work/life balance without sacrificing your lifestyle too much is well worth doing.

Sort of. I worked for a company for 15 years, absolutely gave it everything I had. Then they shit all over me and I'm pretty sure I've got some sort of PTSD, or at least I'll never be able to fully forget or forgive.

Now I have a job that I like well enough, where I can WFH whenever I want, and I never ever think about it after leaving for the day. And as the kids get older I'll probably switch careers into healthcare.

I'll never give an employer power over my self-esteem ever again.