To ask if it’s possible to find a job that isn’t anxiety inducing

[StuartBroadBarmyArmy]

I need some inspiration. I have work anxiety (and it is just purely work related). I’m 39 and dream of being able to give up work. But I love working in general - can’t just sit around, love to be busy. But my job (law) has ground me down and I constantly experience some level of anxiety.

Please give me some hope. Are there other jobs out there that pay ok, and are enjoyable? I’m scared to take the leap because I’m on a good salary and what if I move into something horrible?

Tell me you've never had anxiety, without telling me you've never had anxiety 🙄

You said you did not understand the theme of the thread. ie you were struggling to understand what so many others grasped immediately.

No, I was just genuinely curious about how law could be considered to be such an anxiety fuelled career when I personally want confidence and sureness in a lawyer when needed. It was just a bit fascinating (and to be honest, a bit disbelieving and shocking, to me) to read about so many similar reactions. No offence meant from my part though.

Just don't do teaching.
Frying pan ➡️ Fire

I work in the financial sector and was utterly burnt out this time last year, anxiety through the roof and constant tears. I’ve now moved jobs, doing the same role but at a smaller company with a much better culture and I am so so much happier and earning as I was before so no increase financial pressure at home

only you know whether it is the job or the place you work which is making you so unhappy, but based on a lot of the other replies it sounds like it could be the job in which case I’d definitely advocate for going in-house somewhere - there are so many options, we have a large influx of lawyers into the insurance world

With all due respect, that is just your opinion. Unlike others on this thread though I don't seem to get angry and resort to name calling and abusing other users when others state their opinions, even when they are in direct opposition to mine.

I think the anxiety of my workplace is mostly caused by the people I work with , rather than the job itself. Really lazy colleagues , unsuppprtive managers and an all around unprofessionalism.
I'm in scheduling /operations and the pressure is immense. Pressure to get projects done on time , and profitable but you're relying on lazy colleagues and a manager that is disinterested. I spend hours fixing other people's costly mistakes , and manager won't take ownership , and I have to answer why the projects aren't profitable but my feedback about lazy colleagues is never addressed . Until the manager decides to put someone under the microscope (which is always too late ) , and it becomes a witch hunt.

The actual job itself would be okay if it wasn't for the people I work with.

The problem with that is, it feels as if almost everyone you speak to says "don't for the love of God do XX" (invariably THEIR profession).

One has to do SOMETHING. I wouldn't recommend teaching either though.

@Butchyrestingface ironically I have always considered teaching but have heeded the warnings from others (thanks!). I think part of problem is I can't dedicate my world 24/7 to the job anymore, and as a pp said upthread it is the time when NOT at work that is most stressful. When I was younger I could cope as I was either working, sleeping or drinking/socialising. I also know grass is always greener, so trying to be careful and not make rash decisions.

A good friend of mine who was a corporate lawyer has just taken a job as an operations manager at a magic circle law firm and is really enjoying it so far. Another recently created position at my firm is a resource manager. Both jobs need to be qualified lawyers but no legal work involved, so might be of interest to you OP?

Those saying that the tasks mentioned above don't sound that stressful - all of the tasks are in addition to having to fit in your actual job. There is no worse feeling than being ready to go home at 7pm on a Friday and being told that they need a SPA marked up that same evening. And a DH and kids at home saying "tell them you'll do it on Monday".

I worked in a different profession but I recognise a lot of what you say - I burned out. I retrained in mental health, after having a lot of therapy myself. I would always recommend therapy, to help you understand your own process. I can hear what a stressful job it is, and also understanding yourself better through therapy might prevent burnout in whatever you decide to do next.

@Keyansier you keep saying you think that lawyers have to be tough, focused, hard-headed, super self-confident etc...don't you think it could be a bit anxiety-inducing to have to meet those expectations all the time?! I feel as though you're sort of backing up what the stressed lawyers are saying - it's really hard having absolutely no latitude for even the smallest mistake, when the stakes are so high, especially if you're in corporate or, God forbid, banking law.

I've had anxiety all my life, thank you very much.
I know however that I create it myself. No external circumstance causes anxiety.
I've learned that through therapy.

No external circumstance causes anxiety.

What, not even being chased by a tiger?

@Unicorn2022 very helpful thank you - will look into that. Good point too - yes we should clarify that stuff in is IN ADDITION to actually practising!

I think any job is stressful in some way, what about something more menial like stacking shelves or something a bit more labour focused so you just do what you're told (and you'll get some exercise too!)

Law firms deliberately screen for overachiever perfectionist personality types to recruit and exploit them. That's basically the business model. If you wouldn't be crippled with anxiety, constantly second guessing yourself, desperate to reach completely unreasonable targets and willing to sacrifice your physical and mental health and personal life to do so, you probably wouldn't get the job!

It's very hard to get out OP. In the end I couldn't tell whether I was having a breakdown because of the job or because I was leaving it. Thank god I got out though. Good luck!

I've never understood why people would want to do law. Anyway, I work in accounting. Dull you might say. But I say absorbing. And once you know the job and anticipate what is needed, stress free.

@Tomso my choices were law and accounting. It is not for me (what if I get the sums wrong?! lol) but anyway I am glad it is stress free and you like it. Gives me hope!

Some of the aspects I find stressful in law.

• massive caseload, you have to work flat out not to fall behind. If you do fall behind, good luck ever catching up. Emails drop into my inbox like leaves into a river, it's a constant flow and they disappear upstream.
• missing something can be devastating to a case and your career. Given the previous point, it would be so easy. You miss something due to the huge volume of work and the case it struck out or you cost your client thousands. Suddenly you have a negligence claim, a complaint to the Ombudsman, the possibility of being banned from working in law by the SRA. The consequences of a mistake are massive.
• bosses only care about billing. You could be up to your neck in deadlines but they are on your back constantly wanting to know if you have anything to bill.
• if something goes wrong the blame culture is awful. You'll be thrown straight under the bus.

I'm sorry to hear you're feeling this way, I had the crying before work thing and it's absolutely awful - consumes your every thought. It's so daunting to leave when you've spent so long at uni and working towards it as well but there are so many options available, stay strong!

There have been loads of great suggestions for new roles or companies on here already but the one I've landed in is clinical research contracts. There are contract negotiator roles and contract manager roles which are mostly done by lawyers or people with legal background. Homebased, 9-5 with flexible breaks finishing times etc. The pay is pretty good too.

But that is how you finger good lawyers from bad lawyers, competence from also-ran. If you are paying £100K to defend your companies position in a multi-million pound lawsuit, you sure as hell don’t want anyone incapable of defending you in the payroll.

Its a one shot deal. You need to know sufficiently robust practices are in place to remove the under performers.

Its like going in to hospital with your husband for a heart bypass, and find the surgeon sitting outside shaking and having had a cry, and being reassured by the nurse that everything is okay, he’s always like this, he’s just really anxious.

If someone is incapable of acting professionally in a run of the profession, then there are plenty of other things to do. Just don’t do anything where you are required to perform well, take responsibility, or meet other peoples expectations.

Join a jazz band and do the circuit, start a YouTube channel, write children’s books. There are a million ways to fill your time and earn an income that don’t involve responsibility or accountability.

I feel exactly the same, but I’m in teaching-I simply can’t do this for another 20+ years.

You learn to check your sums. And it sticks out like a sore thumb if it's wrong. 😀