Retraining into something physical (40s)

[KPPlumbing]

Like many of us, I'm about to open my pissing, bastarding, arseing laptop and sit infront of it, bored out of my nut, for the next 8 hours.

I'm early 40s and the older I get, I'm finding it increasingly hellish sitting down and staring at a screen all day. I want to move my body.

I've been to the gym this morning, and will break up the day with a dog walk, but I'm finding office work (whether I'm in the office or wfh) terminable.

Have you, or any other women you know, retrained into a physical job (any kind would be fine and I'm not so bothered about salary these days)?

Early 40s is a weird age. I'm fit as a fiddle, but I feel physical jobs are more geared towards men, and some doors feel closed due to my age.

I've looked into firefighting, which has no upper age limit, but they are never recruiting anywhere near where I live.

Thanks!

I want to train as a PT but I need to get my arse back into the gym and sort myself out. Then get training completed, then build up a client base. It seems like an impossible dream.

I hate the 9-5 grind but I can't afford not to do it.

I had my 40th midway through a year long painting and decorating course at a local
college.
Loved it. Worked on my own terms, fitted around kids school/holidays, and only gave it up when I struggled to get up after spending hours sanding skirting boards.

I LOVE painting and decorating and have considered this myself!

Secondary Teacher. A fair amount of desk work but always getting up, walking around, gesturing to the board, circulating checking children's work, going to other classrooms for cover lessons and assemblies, walking round fields doing lunch duty. At an independent school they always want extra people who aren't PE teachers to help coach or supervise sports sessions.

Step count is up, you no longer feel trapped at a desk all day but it isn't actually physically demanding in the way manual labor would be.

Also primary / early years teaching would involve a fair amount of movement I imagine.

I’ve been a lifeguard - got my steps in, but could be really boring and weekend work required.
I now get in MILES of steps as a secondary teacher, plus all of the holidays to be as active as I like! You could do a pastoral role in secondary school if you didn’t fancy teaching.

My local hospital runs regular careers and job fairs..

Childminding? They're always out and about and very active!

I'm nearly 40 too OP and in the same position. Bored by my office job, also I'm due back to work tomorrow after a 2 week holiday so I've really got the work dread!

I've seriously been considering opening a cattery in my garden outhouse/summer house that doesn't get used otherwise. I'm not sure if my neighbours would allow the planning permission though, they have a granny annex at the bottom of their garden where their parents live and I guess my imaginary cattery could be a bit of a noise nuisance.

I’m a mental health nurse. Mental health units are always looking for support workers/HCAs. It’s fairly well paid, especially with anti social hours pay, pretty physical and support workers are responsible for taking patients out on leave so get to leave the unit often. In terms of nursing, every single one of my students got a job this year, most the first job they applied for-and with enhancements they’re on £35k for 3 long days a week, straight out of uni. It’s very much worth it, I think.

Wow a teacher who likes the job! You're enjoying it then? Acceptable work-life balance?

I probably would fancy teaching, but only ever hear horror stories, but do you enjoy it? Another poster is a teacher too.

Great that you have the space to consider it though, it's a great idea for a business.

I gave up teaching at 40 and Im now a gardener - much better!
The positives are the fitness, the fresh air, the variety.
The biggest negative is that the Winters are brutal - you’ve got to be pretty hardy to do a manual job day after day in some bleak conditions.

Yes! I’m early 40s and find the teenagers absolutely fascinating! They’re funny, kind and thoughtful - not the image that’s presented in the press. Even though I work in a very deprived area, the majority of the kids and family’s are great.
I work hard when I’m actually at work, and have clear boundaries of when I don’t do work out of school. Despite this, have risen to quite a senior role. I find the whingers would be better spending their time at work actually working than complaining, then they wouldn’t have as much to do at the end of the school day. Plus, the 13 weeks off a year are a huge bonus to me as I love to travel, as do many of my colleagues. I’m not sure I’d enjoy primary teaching.

Gardening sounds great - I’d love to watch the progress of all of my landscapes. Sounds similar to teaching from the aspect.

I was lucky enough to get on a special women-only course, as the usual route to qualifications was via day release for people who were already in apprenticeships or working. It was funded by the EU though, so not available any more.
My clients often said they preferred having a woman in the house, and as it’s usually women who make the decisions I got a lot of recommendations to their friends and relatives.
When I qualified DH was a sweetheart and bought me my very own van :)

That sounds brilliant! My husband retrained at 40 and I bought him a van too!

Ironically you've just described my qualifications....

Been doing cycle coaching qualifications & just about to go & do another fitness course.

In my 50s, not particularly fit. 😁💪

Look for your nearest Breeze group. 👌

That looks great! Not quite what I am after though, which is more one-to-one tuition on finding the best route to work and other places I currently drive to but could use my bike instead.

A bit busy sometimes during term time but plenty of down time in holidays to recharge.

Also I actually quite like being busy and I work in an independent school where I don't have any major challenges with behaviour and the holidays are longer.

Yes! Totally agree. I can literally not move from the screen all day now, as all meeting are online, and we’ve also gong to all electronic working so I don’t even have to go and get a file or something.

Which is why I’m looking to retrain into teaching in a couple of years - there’ll be movement and some life! (Note - yes, I know teaching gets a bad rap at present, but I still need a change).

Thanks for your input everyone.

I'm going to look into teaching again, as it's something I've fancied in the past.

It's 'physical' enough, in that I wouldn't be clued to a laptop all day.

And I know the long holidays come with a lot of hard work, but my husband is a self employed sub contractor so he could take the whole summer off and we could travel.

This thread is great for ideas. So nice to read all the positive stories, and it gives me hope! Googling mental health nursing…

I think for all the great benefits of working from home comes the not so great things like being sat on Teams calls all day. It's a double edged sword.

I looked at teaching when I first graduated, I wanted to make a difference. Never did anything about it sadly.

Yes, I’m grateful that although my job is largely desk based I’m still office based and get to leave the house, see beautful countryside on the way to work, walk round the building, have lunch with other people, all internal meetings are still in person and we still use some paper based systems. I’d hate to WFH (might be different if I had a long commute but I don’t).