To take a big pay cut for the hope of job satisfaction?

[ThatVividBee]

I feel i have already made a big mistake career wise, so need your help!

2 years ago i gave up a stable flexible job, with good pay.
I had decided to leave, as I felt stuck in the role. I now fear this was a big mistake!

Im not happy in my current role. It is not a good fit for me, i dont fit in, and its a long commute.

Im considering moving into social work (which is what im trained in) but would mean a big pay cut. However there is the potential to develop and is more flexible.
Whereas if i stay in my current role, yes its good pay, but ill never truly enjoy the role.

I could just about cope with the pay cut. But i wont be able to save/wont have a good safety blanket.

What should I do?

YABU = STAY IN YOUR CURRENT JOB FOR THE PAY
YANBU = MOVE JOBS AND TRY AND INCREASE SALARY AGAIN THROUGH ROLE PROGRESSION

How much of a pay cut?

This!
£10,000 do it
£100,000 not so much

You are at work for a long time. If you don't like what you do it will seem even longer. If you can get by on the lower wage, and you enjoy that type of work, I would go for it. DH was in a job that paid well, but he had got to the point where he dreaded going in on a Monday morning. We were also living in Kent and my family, with a dad with ill health, we're in Merseyside. I was due to go back to work as my youngest started nursery, and was nervous after a few years away and IT had come in. So we sold up, moved North and started our own business. Much less money, much fewer holidays, later retirement, but for the next 30 years neither of us dreaded going in to work again. Although we couldn't get away for long hols together, it was flexible enough for one of us to have time out for child care, picking up from school, going to sports days etc. No regrets.

£15k pay cut. So definitely closer to the 'do it' side of things 🙂

My wife worked for a bank, me in insurance....fed up of continuous reviews, restructures, being flavour of the month for 6 months working with clients to produce something then because another area did better having the rug pulled...we downshifted to being a cleaner and gardener...max gross income £50k...but so much happier. Control of our own business...a crappy customer, we walk away

Id think carefully about job satisfaction, I'm in social work (management) and whilst I know other jobs would bore me, it isn't usually particularly flexible and it isn't usually the best for work life balance.
For example I hear that it's great because you can WFH a bit and plan your own diary but if the volume of work means you need 4 or 5 days each week to fit in your face to face meetings and visits there's not much flexibility!
Appreciate you might have a specific area of social work where things could be better.