...to ask if anyone's taken a massive risk & left a job they hate to save their sanity & to avoid getting ill!?!

[wolfgirl11]

Hello MN massive,

I'm in a pretty bad way at the moment.

Can't give too much away but I'm in a highly stressful job in a very busy environment working with really vulnerable adults.
I can feel that the exhaustion is impacting my mental health and physical health.
I am constantly tired out. Support at work from managers is very poor.

I'm a single mum & renting a house in an expensive city. I have no support from family or my children's dad. Been in this situation for 6 years. I dream of being a writer and have been published in the past year (small thing but big deal to me!)
I don't have the energy to write in the evenings but have so many ideas and notes everywhere!

I have about £5,000 in savings.

I just think life is too short to keep working in this way & really worried I'll become unwell.

Any risk takers out there who have no regrets about taking a risk? Any advice?
I'm feeling so trapped and so sad.

Thanks for reading 🙏🏽

I agree that it’s not that easy when you’re a single parent with no safety net.

Can you do a similar job but on a temporary/bank basis? For example, I went from teaching to supply teaching - decent money and not nearly as horrible as the job I left, although still getting to use my experience and skills. And it got me a better job in the end.

That could be a good bridge - gets you out of a toxic environment and still brings money in.

For me it let me rediscover parts of the job I loved and it was very liberating to realise I was in demand and could walk out of any job, any time, and into a supply job the next day basically. (Shortage subject in a rural area with some challenging schools..)

I did. I was working in retail, being effectively bullied. It was destroying my mental health and when it got so bad I wanted to put my fist through a window to injure myself so I wouldn't have to go in I quit. My line manager was going on two weeks leave, I handed my notice in so I'd never have to see her again.

Couldn't do it now I have DS, but luckily at the moment I'm in a job I like.

Yes, I left London and moved to the other side of the country, and then spent six months doing up the rather tatty house I bought, instead of working. It was hard at times, but my life was ultimately much happier and fulfilled, I eventually met my now dh and I would simply hate to be living and working where I was originally. I think my mental health would have broken down completely and I probably wouldn't be here now, but for moving away.

I’ve done this twice but I have DH who earns good money and a very small mortgage as a safety net.

About to do it again as I dislike my current new job!