To ask how to stay in a job I don't like anymore..

[JustCrackinOnPal]

I know many will say, life is too short, change jobs! But let me give you the details and then see what you think...

Job is TTO, and mostly WFH, part time 3.5 days. Not great money but not awful, come out with about £1400pm after tax. Low stress. Used to earn a fair bit more but that was high stress. Changed jobs to suit our plans to have a child.

I have one toddler. Not due free hours for another 18 m or so.

Partner is full time but thinking about condensing his hours also to have a shorter week so more time with toddler (Not sure if relevant)

The clincher is, I am retraining for 4 years from this Sept. Work are supportive in the sense that they will let me move hours about.

Work is so steady and I generally know it like the back of my hand now, been there 6 years. I feel antsy though and not sure how I'll get through the next 4 years in the same role. I shouldn't complain and probably need a slap as I realise I am fortunate to have this issue.

How did you get through a task/work that you found a bit soulless ?

While I do agree life is too short to be miserable at work, sounds like (a) it's more tedious than traumatic and (b) you do have a long-term plan to retrain, presumably to something that is more what you want to be doing? The latter is a great opportunity and you are really lucky to have steady work that will facilitate that, so I think maybe your best bet is to focus on the end goal of your new career and look on your current work as something you just have to do to make that happen, just like a kind of extra 'homework'? So manage your own expectations a bit, keep your head down at work, you don't need to do more in your current role than meet expectations, and if you know it like the back of your hand, are you able to just tear through your daily work as quickly as possible to free up time to spend with family or on your retraining, or is it the kind of job where you'd just be given more to do if you finished quickly? If so maybe just chug through it steadily with your mind elsewhere, if you can WFH make your work environment nice and plan in little rewards for yourself throughout the day (not big things but going for a little walk or a stretch every so often, turning on the radio when you're not on calls, having a 5 min 'beauty break' to do hand-cream or nails if you like that kind of thing?).

That being said, I don't know what kind of field you are in and how many job opportunities there are, but you can always use the luxury of having a steady job to look around at whether there is anything out there that would give you the same level of flexibility and not too much stress but slightly more challenging work? You obviously wouldn't have to take the first thing that comes along but increasingly and with staff shortages etc employers are prepared to allow WFH/hybrid working, lots of hours flexibility etc to get good experienced staff so it's not impossible you could replicate your current set up in a new role, it's worth looking anyway, and potentially at least working somewhere new and with new people etc. might keep you a bit more interested and motivated?

Thank you for taking the time to reply @maxelly
Yes it's correct, I'll be retraining into a career I'm more interested in but that is somewhat adjacent to my current one (with hopefully more scope money wise!)

I think this morning I was feeling a bit 'meh', woke up knowing that it'd be another day of the exact same. I did give my head a wobble as I felt that I was getting on the way to self pity and whining.

I could find another job easily but this one is so convenient and another one would likely not be TTO and WFH. Would be great if I could change though and have a set up like I have now, I think I will look as you say but just keep my head down in the meantime.

Things will be different come September as I'll have no time to feel sorry for myself as I'll be busy with work and assignments and a toddler!

1. make a list of things you do enjoy
2. see if you can pick up any more interesting bits of the job
3. try to create something- whether it’s a streamlined process or good friendship so that you feel inspired and positive
4. make life outside of work interesting and enjoyable - go on play dates, exercise, take up a hobby etc

Thank you @Theoneinthemiddle