To consider leaving a safe job during Covid times?

[boredandburntout]

I've name-changed for this. Will try and keep it as brief as possible. I think I'm posting for a kick in the head but, equally, try not to tear me to shreds please

I work in a university, in a teaching-focused role. I am senior in my department and have been there almost 10 years. I have a lot of responsibility and get a lot of the flack if things go wrong because I'm the 'face' of the dept iyswim. The course I teach on is related to the Covid effort so my job is pretty safe. It is an intense course in terms of teaching and contact - our students have 35 hours a week teaching or clinical placement (although at the moment 90% of the teaching is online for obvious reasons).

I like most of my colleagues and am lucky to have a good relationship with my HoD and senior Faculty. I know I am valued by colleagues. I know I am tipped for the head of department role in a couple of years - the thought fills me with panic and anxiety which is very much unlike me.

I am just utterly exhausted, completely burnt out. It's not just Covid, although the pressures of that have probably exacerbated things. I was feeling like this well before Covid hit and actually in some ways the first couple of months of lockdown were quite interesting and challenging job-wise.

But now, it feels like being back on the treadmill. I have lost all my spark and I feel my cynicism and exhaustion filtering through in my daily life. I am starting to take student complaints personally and feel quite angry and helpless a lot of the time. It feels as if my resilience - which has always been good - is just ebbing away.

I don't dread work, but I just have absolutely no interest in it any more. I couldn't care less about all the stuff I'm supposed to care about. Every day feels like wading through treacle.

I have qualifications and experience that would allow me to set up on my own, but this would mean starting completely from scratch. I have been doing some extra courses (paid, accredited) in my own time (ha!!) to get me up-to-date on some things. Dh is broadly supportive as he sees that I am getting dragged down but he's worried, quite understandably, about money etc and the future.

I earn a decent salary, have a flexible job which should be fascinating and fulfilling. And yet I just can't stop thinking about not doing it any more. Is this possible, or do I just need to suck it up and be grateful?

Nobody should be “grateful” for a job. It’s not a favour. They pay you to work for them.

Personally, from what you’ve described, I wouldn’t. But that’s just me.

I wouldn't at the moment. It'll be a lot more stressful if risk doesn't pay off and you end up one salary down. What if dh's job gets affected by covid?

Sorry should have said, DH is a teacher (and head of online learning!) so thankfully his job is also pretty safe.

In the current economic environment, setting up on your own is going to be much harder - while your current situation sounds hard you are being paid and have job security. How long could you manage without an income?

Honestly I wouldn’t right now. The economic impact of covid hasn’t really hit yet. The next few years are likely to be tough.
I’d try and find a way to cope with the current job - maybe that means shifting roles around a bit so you get a change, maybe doing more training so you feel like you’re progressing towards something you want, maybe getting an agreement that you get more support so you can do more of your own research?
If you have a good relationship with your HoD then start there.

Funeral director -people will always die

Ordinarily I would say go for it -- and only you can know how quickly it would take you to get off the ground as a free agent. If you're absolutely confident you could make it work financially maybe you should.

I would be cautious at the moment though. We're about to enter the worst economic backdrop since WW2. If what you offer is in any way discretionary it is likely to be the first thing to be cut from budgets.

Hi
I work in a university and am also a professional Coach- I’ve been really busy with my Coaching work with Academics over the last few months and I hear your situation described to me constantly. Check with you HR dept they may be able to support with in-house or other professional coaching. It will help you answer the questions your asking. Good luck

How much of a break have you you had? Can you take even a week off in the foreseeable? Honestly I think it's a really bad time to switch, especially as what you're describing is tiredness rather than innate dislike of the role. I don't think many people are thrilled by their work right now and the grass really won't be greener as a start-up in lockdown. Take some time, whether it's being annual leave, signed off, even a sabbatical. Recharge and maybe even renegotiate your hours. But I'd dial back on the additional study in your spare time if anything. There are so many people looking for work because they have no choice, I wouldn't voluntarily put myself in that position for the time being.

Thank you all - such sane and sensible advice

I've not had much of a break, that is true. I feel bad that my job no longer lights my fire though, but maybe that is too much to hope for in these mad times!

I have thought about reducing my hours to allow me to start slowly building up my other possible business interest without fully taking the plunge and leaving. But that would be at my boss's discretion and I just don't think she'd allow me to at the moment - we are stretched to breaking point staff-wise as it is.

DON'T. Take a 6 month sabbatical then see how u feel. Can't think of a worse time to do this. Seriously. Have you just heard Chancellor? Hang on to your job.

I would do your sums very carefully as to whether you can survive on just one salary . Who knows what the next 12 months hold for us all . If you can’t make the figures work just yet then maybe you can set a timeline for the future together . Can you in the meantime think about some activities or new interests or a weekend away or two for your free time that might help offset the lack of spark at work .

@longwayoff

DON'T. Take a 6 month sabbatical then see how u feel. Can't think of a worse time to do this. Seriously. Have you just heard Chancellor? Hang on to your job.

I know you're right. Can't take a sabbatical though unfortunately, for same reasons as previous post.

I need to try and get the joy back, don't I?

I'm leaving my job in a few weeks, haven't been happy for a while and found myself dragging my feet on my walk to work. However I did secure another job first, which just happens to be my dream job. Its certainly not impossible to move jobs at the moment but not sure about starting self employment.

Apologies @boredandburntout. You do sound very stressed though, stressed enough to see GP and have time out for perfectly legitimate health reasons. Its the wrong time to make important decisions when you feel as you do. I wish you luck whatever you decide.

I think you'd be mad to leave a safe job honestly, sorry. Maybe leave it a few years for this to die down and then start looking.

Having worked in a job I heartily disliked for many years (because it fitted around school etc) I would normally say get out of you can.

However in these uncertain times I would be thinking very hard about making that leap. My job is as secure as a job can be, and the peace of mind that's bought me compared to friends who are concerned about redundancy is immeasurable.

You only live once. If you can afford the risk change to something you love.

Try to take a new outlook on your job. If you stop caring about it as much as you obviously do, tell yourself that you will just do what you can and that is enough, then it can be very freeing mentally.

After all if this is not enough and they make you redundant, then you will end up in the same place.

@longwayoff, no need to apologise

@jeanne16 - good point, but I think I've already done that tbh. I am quite a pragmatic person and, although I have high standards in many ways, I do also have the attitude of 'good enough is good enough'. I think that, actually, I am just really sad that I no longer have the passion for this job that I once had, and I feel a complete fraud. I see my colleagues who appear to really care, who can get genuinely excited about eg: new research that will affect our area of practice and I just think 'meh, so what?'

I used to be in love with my job. Now I feel as if it's a marriage that's completely run its course, and I want a divorce, but I can't!

I apologise for the pity party! I think I need to start counting my blessings a bit.

God, Covid is a right fucker isn't it?

I wouldn't leave right now... by the sound of things they need you so you could take a step back, take some leave and get a break. Talk to HR, delegate some of the stressy crap.

if this is not enough and they make you redundant, then you will end up in the same place.

Not necessarily. Dut to Covid issues my university is offering voluntary redundancy with pretty good rates, reduced hours too, before possibly moving to compulsory redundancy. Hang on a bit and see if VR becomes an option? The fact your boss needs you has nothing to do with whether you'll get it or not - if they do offer a scheme it's just a numbers game.

I’m in a similar position and feel the same BUT right now is madness.

I’m going to apply to work 4 days a week. It’s unusual in my role. But the organisation has just signed up to be “flexible by default” so it can’t really say no.

I’ll have every Friday to get my head and house in order and try to decide what I want for the rest of my working life.

Is this a possibility for you?

I'm in a vaguely similarish position - safe job but kind of fed up. In normal circumstances I'd be packing it in and going to an Agency but I don't feel like I can in the current climate

I've decided to wait it out til Spring and see how the world looks then. In the meantime I'm hoovering up all the training and development opportunities that come my way to polish up my CV.