To not want to WFH?

[Tea79]

I WFH as a freelance ESL teacher. I have been doing it for 8 years and take home around £5000 per month. This may sound like a lot, but it took a very long time to build up and I feel like I am working 24/7.

I want to get a "normal" job out of the house and actually interact with people in real life. My DH is hesitant because it'll be a huge pay cut. To be honest, I am hesitant too. But, I'm just so miserable being stuck at home every single day.

Also, because I've been freelance/ self-employed for so long, I'm not sure if anyone will actually want to employ me!

Has anyone been in a similar situation before? AIBU to want to leave something that pays so well?

I’m not sure if it’s possible in your role but have you considered a shared office / Co working space near your home?

Try contacting an independent boarding school near you if there are any......ESL teachers are often needed for overseas students and you would then be in a school environment......but on a seriously reduced income I'm afraid!

What about a PT out of home job and PT ESL work? Hopefully the best of both.

I was going to suggest the same as the poster above…what about finding a shared office space somewhere, to reduce isolation? It might help with reinforcing proper start and finish times, too. I know exactly where you’re coming from, I’ve worked from home for the last 7 years. I start a new role (which means I’ll be getting out and about) in 3 weeks and I can’t wait!

Thanks for the reply. There are a few in my city, however, I need to be talking/ on a video call pretty much constantly! I also teach children which requires high energy and props, which wouldn't really be practical.

Hmm, why don't you just go part-time, and spend your freed up time doing whatever you'd like to do with other people out the house?

I thought that might be the case. What a shame.

id worked from home for many years until 2021. I felt the same as you. Working on a co working space has changed my life!

I came on to suggest a coworking space.
I work out of one and love it.

I can come and go as I please, have all the benefits of an office with people around (not paying for my own heating, free tea and coffee, strong wifi but can pay for a dedicated SSID, proper workspace etc), but none of the obligations. I don't need to chip in for birthdays or leaving presents and I don't need to attend team building events/socials unless it's ran by the space and even then, it's only if I want to go.

I go in around 1-2 days a week depending on workload but some people are in 5 days, some only a few times a month. Other people don't have memberships so buy day passes.

Sorry, I've just seen your update (I spent way too long typing out my message!).

Our space has phone booths as well you can use for phone/video calls and free meeting room access for short periods so do any of the ones around you offer anything similar?

Nah find something you enjoy and that gets you out of the house outside of work. I am not a fan of wfh but the chances of having a £5k a month job out there is slim; plus the grass is always greener...large portions of the public suck.

Haha, no worries, I often do that too! I'll have a look at that. Thanks for the suggestion.

Yes, that's a partial worry.

I don't think you'd find an ESL teacher job paying £60k soo to stay in the same line of work you could think about ESL language school management if you have or could develop the necessary business management skills
How much do jobs training ESL teachers pay?

Why not look at renting a private office space?

Why don't you get a part-time job in a school but continue with online at home to maintain your income. In theory the best of both worlds.

YANBU I reckon as many others have said you could get something part time out of the house.

I really can’t stand wfh long term. I think it’s good occasionally or a day or two a week but learning a job, being part of a new team etc remotely has been absolutely awful to be honest. I also want to get out but luckily my job is paid about the same as others locally. Good luck whatever you choose x

Could you reduce your hours and spend some time doing something else you enjoy, with other people? Life in the classroom really is challenging atm, I'd love to be able to do some of what you're doing!

How about a private office in a coworking space? I've wfh for years and agree it can get too much sometimes. I go to a coworking space 4 or 5 times a month and I know they have small private offices there too.

ESOL teaching in the FE sector pays around £27-£30K, so it would be a big pay cut for you, but lots of working with people who would value your skills. You can look at roles in colleges as well as local authority adult community learning teams. Many FE teachers also tutor in the evenings too.

Is that £5k per months after you have paid tax and make allowances for sick pay, holiday pay and employers pension contributions?

If so that is a massive sum!

If not then it may not be as hard to find a similarly paid job as you think.

Could you shorten your hours or say 3 or 4 days and get a very part time job for socialising?

How many hours are you working currently and is the 24/7 feeling because you live in your work place or because you work too many hours? If it’s because you don’t get out of thr house, I would look at renting somewhere that fits with the noise or maybe a garden office room to separate work from home

OP - I do a similar role and was able to tweak my teaching model and condense my individual clients into courses that dramatically reduced time teaching took up. Obviously, clients will leave if they prefer a 1-2-1 set-up. I used Canva to make great course handbooks which meant prep was done for any clients signing up. So instead of 1 client being charged £40-50 ph/pw I had 10-12 clients for 2 hours pw all paying £120 for a 6 week course so £20 ph for them, but £200 ph for me. Yes, set-up hours for handbooks etc, but these can be used when you run the course again and this model allows you sooo much more freedom outside the home and allows for you to have a 'course day' and leaves me free the rest of the week to do other stuff. I set up a website that enables easy homework submission and add ons for time if clients want to see me individually. It really can work.

I have just done the very thing you are thinking about! 5weeks in and a “normal” pay slip received and we are alright, no major concerns.

It was hard but only because we were living life very luxuriously.

we reviewed all of our direct debits, reduced TV packages, other subscriptions - anything that was just wasteful (is there really any need for sky & Disney & Netflix & prime)!
We sold my husbands high end car on a PCP for something actually more suitable financially and for family life. We replaced my PCP car finance with a car bank loan which saved us £1,500 in payments in long run and reduced the monthly payments.
Our mortgage is a massive overhead and we will sell the house should we need to.

i now have paid annual leave, company pension and sick leave should I need it. I also can stop looking for the next contract which is a relief, every 3months wondering if I will have a job.

you both need to be on the same page but it is doable. Can your husband increase his income? Can you direct debits be cut back?

You could go part time and then do something that gets you out the house in the time you would have been working?

So do ESL Monday - Wednesday then Thursday/Friday work in a shop or a cafe? Something different, even if the money isn't great, to get out and meet people?

One of my friends from uni went into banking, had kids, hated it, couldn't afford to quit so went part time and on her days off she works in a care home. She absolutely LOVES IT. Her hours are still shocking and long (and from what you've said yours might be to?) but it makes her happy so its worth it

You could go part time and then do something that gets you out the house in the time you would have been working. So do ESL Monday - Wednesday then Thursday/Friday work in a shop or a cafe? Something different, even if the money isn't great, to get out and meet people?

This.

You're of course not ur for not liking 100% wfh. But a salary drop of a few grand is likely to dampen your enjoyment of being out in the world again quite a bit I reckon. So I'd be very wary of making any sudden or irreversible changes.