To want to quit my job?

[Beaverfeaver]

I have always worked in the construction industry since leaving school.
My job is stressful but I cover up well as I am good under pressure.

I've had enough of stress and pressure.

I don't feel I'm cut out for it. I've lost my ambition.

In a dream world I would live of the land.

We are trying to save up for starting a family, so I don't feel I should quit my job, but what's more important? Money or mental health?

look for another job. Don't quit a job with nothing to go to, you could be unemployed for ages, a lot worse for your mental health imho.

could you look at re training in a night class? Try out something new?

Mental health, of course, but money has it's uses. Could you transfer to another section of the company you're with, to freshen it up a bit? Or look for another job before quitting this one?

I have been looking, but my skills are all so specific to what I do now.

I recently changed job roles at my current place of work and stress levels have increased somewhat although I do prefer the type of work I now do.

It doesn't help my stress levels when one of my members of staff leave without handing notice in and therefore putting huge pressure on the team and we are now falling behind with work and struggling to meet targets (in fact no where near).
I am now training two new members of staff in two different job roles, so not side by side, and I am finding it so hard to keep my calm.

I am sitting down after having a bath with a bottle of wine and just want to cry.

I have been looking for alternative work elsewhere, but do not see that stress levels will be any less unless I take a massive pay cut anyway.

I don't feel you should leave without a plan..the ecstatic feeling of leaving a job could quickly be replaced by the anxiety of not having a plan or purpose especially if finances difficult.

Losing your ambition and motivation for a role is not uncommon but what would you like to do?

I think every woman needs financial independence even if dcs are planned, its not a sensible strategy to rely on a partner

Put down the wine & get an early night

I would love the do something with animals.
Walk dogs or something.

I've mentioned it to a free people and they say I'm crazy

Captainsweatpants: your not my boss are you?! :D

I think you need to address the stress problem urgently. Living off the land is pretty stressful too, if you do the "follow your dream" thing you risk swapping one stressful situation for another - because your real problems have just followed you.

You sound very involved in a company that I presume you have no capital stake in? I'm also wondering if the "covering up" involves never delegating anything or asking for help?

Sounds like you need to start delegating.

What support do you receive from your manager in regards to training and gaining support?

I delegate where possible but we are generally low stuffed so there's only so much I can pass over.

Once the new people are fully trained my stress levels will go down, I know.

It's just weeks like this when it gets on top of me and I know its not worth it.

I put my heart and soul into anything I do, and I've been told before that I shouldn't as it just causes me more stress, however the rewards can be worth it

Low staffed, not stuffed!

Well I guess there's your answer. Whatever the rewards are of 'putting your heart and soul in' (promotion? bonus? etc), you have to balance those against the stress peaks. And if putting your heart and soul in is regularly leaving you clinging to a bottle of wine on the edge of tears and desperately imagining how much better your life would be if you walked dogs for a living, then it's probably time to re-evaluate your self-image with regard to work.

Nothing disastrous is going to happen if you find ways of giving yourself a break when necessary - and ask your boss to help you with that. You will not become a Bad Person for not always giving it 110%. In your current situation it sounds like you just do not have the power to make everything all right - someone has quit, other people are not trained up yet. That's why you're missing your targets, and there's not much you can do about it. Accept your lack of control, because no good will come of beating yourself up for not having control. I'm sure your company would rather have you staying with them and not quite giving them your entire soul than burning out and quitting in a rash moment to walk dogs.

Btw I read a little paper a while back which may ring a bell with you which I think was called "Women don't ask". Women are apparently very bad at asking for help, delegating and refusing unreasonable requests. They have a tendency to see "sacrifice without complaint" as the way to get noticed in work - if I just do THIS appallingly hard thing I will surely be rewarded. But in fact what more often happens is that someone who sacrifices without complaint just gets a name for being reliable and sucking up the crap other people won't do so they get more work.