Lower paid, less stressful job

[wombatwomble]

Has anyone given up a responsible/ well paid position for less stress and less money? How did it go for you? Why did you do it? Do you have regrets?

I'm currently in a management position, quite demanding, good salary, but I'm struggling to juggle it alongside some stressful personal stuff which I won't go into but has had a profound affect on me this year. I really need a break.

I have been offered a job which is lower paid and less stress than my current role. It's also part time. Same organisation, but a career change into an industry I'm more interested in, so it has that in its favour. My take home pay would drop by an amount which is substantial but manageable. My DH supports me taking the job even though it's a pay cut.

My concern is that if I take the new job, I might feel like a failure or have regrets, or it might take me years to work back up to where I currently am.

I know there's no easy answer but just wondering if anyone has any experience/ stories to share?

How do you know it will be less stress?

Yes I got to 40, paid off mortgage (house was only 30k in 1997) and left an good job for a part time admin role one day in office and one day at home. Absolutely the best thing I ever did.

@PaigeMatthews I suppose I don't know 100%, but it's not a management role and it is fewer days than I currently work. My current role has been extremely demanding with a lot of responsibility. This role has much lighter duties and less responsibility - I can't really imagine how it could be as stressful as my current role.

Could you afford to live on the new salary? If so, go for it - mental health is precious. And I understand where you are coming from with this one; I dropped out of a very well-paid job to work in a pub for similar stress/depression related reasons. The work in the bar wasn't always easy, but the hardest part initially was the weight of other people's judgements.

But once I'd told them all (mentally or in person) to sod off, I felt much happier. I'm now in a career I love and don't regret the break at all.

I have taken a 50% pay cut while our kids are very young. It wasn't an option to do shorter executive roles and I didn't want to. I was exhausted, always ill and fed up of feeling like a failure. I like being a manager - a lot actually - but it was the people side I just needed a break from.

I took a technical role which means I am using my background and experience but ultimately just delivering reports and written content for 7 hours a day, 100% wfh - which is my preference. I can do it quickly and well because I've comfortable with the work and although we're not going on holiday any time soon, I'm happy. It can absolutely work - but needs the right, slightly old-fashioned organisation with reasonable expectations and role.

I did this, but with a few years as a SAHM in the middle. So I had the stressful busy job in the city, then had babies and was a SAHM, and when I went back to work it was in a different industry and a less stressful (but still professional) role. It didn't feel like a massive pay cut at the time, because obviously as a SAHM I'd been earning zero, I'm now late 40s and still earn a lot less than I did in my 20s!

No regrets here. I can't imagine combining my old stressful job with a family. My current role is lower paid, much shorter hours and less stress, but still an interesting and fulfilling job.

@JennyForeigner That sounds ideal, I would love a role that just involved producing written content and I felt comfortable and competent in. Would you mind sharing what it is you do?

Following with interest as I could have written this. I definitely am concerned about feelings of failure/perception of others too. And concerns how it will effect my future career/earning potential.

but that’s a problem for the future I think. I need to do what’s right for me and my family now!

I hope you decide to go for it and it works out well!

I think lots of people do in the low part of the U curve of life. I remember dreaming of a lower stress job. But things pick up again for most people. I adore my job now and glad I didn't step away from my profession. I say find flexibility or a better niche, but try to keep your hand in.

I recently quit my very stressful well paid job for a much less stressful lower paid one. I've had to make some cut backs to my spending but it's the best thing I've ever done- I feel like myself again.

Life is for living, not working yourself sick to make some company rich.

Sure, no worries. My background is a mix of education and legal stuff so I've worked in a mixture of leadership and change roles with trusts and charities. I still do serious complaints and investigations on a freelance basis, but took a job with an organisation that supports various ombudsmans (if that's a word).

When I said I write, I am writing judgements on cases. I love problem solving, and this is very logical and rules-based but makes a difference and I like that I'm using my brain in a very straightforward way.

I did. Mainly so that I could be there for school runs and holidays. It’s a LOT less money so lots of discussions before I went for it but I do enjoy it and at this point on my life it’s worth the financial trade off… don’t know if long term I will end up wanting something better paid again.

I moved to a part time role and a pay cut it’s definitely less stressful but occasionally I do miss the stress and my old job.

However no regrets it’s perfect for my life right now. I have potential to move back to the higher paid and more stressful work in the future.

Depends on what is meant by "less stress" I just moved into a less stressful role (although actually pays more) and I'm bored out of my mind. I would take stress over boredom any day. So be careful about the type of role, the grass isn't always greener.