Stuck in well paid job

[Abitstuckhere]

I made a lot of compromises to get to the job I’m in today, however it’s very niche and I feel stuck. After 20 years I feel very uninspired and bored. However I’m very well paid and have a lot of flexibility so it feels madness to walk away from it all.
Obviously I’m aware there are plenty more humdrum jobs than mine, but the thought of another 20 years of this is a bit depressing

Can I have it?!

On a more serious note, would there be any way to make it more interesting? Do you have lots of transferable skills?

Sounds like you need a holiday to tick over it

To be fair it is fairly interesting, it’s the politics and bullshit that frustrates me. I can’t play the corporate bullshit card and show interest.
I have skills, but woudlnt know how/ where/too scared to transfer them? At least now I know what I’m doing….. I wouldn’t feel able to value them in a new role starting from scratch

I just feel annoyed all the time, colleagues asking me stupid questions. People being lazy.

Does your company offer a sabbatical option?

No chance sadly

Any way to minimise getting involved with irritating people? Yep you do sound like you need a breather.

Are you supposed to mentor/direct line the question askers?

I try my best! But I appear to have become a go to person for technical advice. I never mind helping people if they’re trying to learn and understand, but feels like a lot of people are just lazy and want answers.

I’m also juggling three times the work load as some of my colleagues, I don’t really mind doing the work itself but it’s casuing resentment inside me that I am doing it

@Abitstuckhere I feel EXACTLY the same and my job + it's pros and cons sounds extremely similar. I often dream of packing it it for something exciting with no politics (or politics I can influence). One thing which has helped me is using the salary to focus on saving and investing to try and create financial freedom that I have the choice to leave if I want to at any point and take something lower paid or some time out. Mentally it's helped knowing walking away is an option but I can't really seeing it being necessary to be honest so might just have to make a decision one day!

Thanks @bertieb7 i guess the problem is I don’t feel like I can walk away with family commitments, but perhaps I need to revisit my financial goals

I was in a similar position and was made redundant. 16 months on, and I've just finished my 2 week in a new role. It's 2/3 of my previous salary (though definitely better than £0,) but it's so far great for my confidence- i can see loads of things I can improve, I can remember most of my technical knowledge (and some is new anyway,) and so far, I'm not being blocked by internal politics. It has only been two weeks, and I'm sure there are internal politics. But so far it good, and having recently been out for a drink with my previous colleagues, I am very glad I'm not there any more!

Go through your finances, see what options you have. A change isn't always a bad thing. It can definitely be good for your mental health.

Yes, in a way I’ve often thought redundancy would be a welcome relief to take the choice out my hands

Same scenario here except that I am nearly 60. Wake up every day feeling I sold my one and only life for modest financial security. It's extremely depressing.

Golden handcuffs. Be very aware of your MH while you're stuck in them.

Lol, depressingly true

I took a secondment once for a year. I have never worked do hard in my life - the job had a different skill set but in a sort of adjacent area. I worked evenings and weekends. I came back to my well paid role which does have its fair share of annoyances with a totally different perspective. I am so grateful to be back.

i guess this is what scares me, any new role would
involve me starting from scratch and having to prove myself. Whilst currently I have it pretty easy

On reflection I found that my expenses expanded along with my salary and all of a sudden I was completely trapped. It took a breakdown and my mother to swoop in and move me across country to get me out of it. Big change for my husband and my daughter but they haven't looked back. I'm still a bit banjaxxed but other factors involved there. The job ground me down to a shell though and it really taught me that money is only one part of a comfortable life. And everything should be considered with equal weight.

This is what I’m struggling with I think. Whilst my salary is relatively high for the U.K., it doesn’t go far in London. I want to be able to provide for my daughter, so seems selfish to give up an easy gig.

I totally get you. And it can be hard to see the wood from trees. Do you have any interest in moving somewhere less expensive and commuting/ exploring remote working/ getting a less well paid job outside of London? These are all rather existential questions at this hour of the night 😬 but everything is worth considering at least. Because just grinding on and suddenly burning out can be very difficult and cause lots of other problems.

I would happily leave london. My problem is what woudl I do?!?

Can you just bank as much as you can for say the next five years, look for secondments/projects etc so you don't lose the security in the meantime but gain some variety.

Realistically cash flow is not my problem. I guess it’s fear of the unknown

Well I suppose that depends on your area of expertise? Are there opportunities away from London, remote or otherwise? Sorry for the questions. There's also retraining in something you have a passion for, but that costs time and money. So in the medium term, I assume you're going to have to continue working.

OP, why is your work load so comparatively larger than your colleagues?
Is your salary multiples of theirs?
If not you are being screwed.

What about working from home more if you are feeling hassled by them and their lazy questions?

I think you need to push back.
You are well paid you write but are you really?
Are you undervaluing yourself?

Have you considered getting career advice, career coaching?