Should I quit my job or try to improve it? Any wisdom to share?
I'm not happy at work. UK. Ex-SME, owned by multinational for a year or so. Been there 10+ years. Approx 25 years until state pension age (15 to private pension). I've been up and down for much of the last 5 years, mix of:
- frustration at the way the UK company operates, chooses not to prioritise, etc
- lack of appreciation of my contributions
- does not spark joy in me
- my doubt about my professional skills
- fear of the unknown including not knowing roughly what I'd like to / be capable of doing next
- elderly and ill parents means I may want goodwill from employer in next year or so
- not keen to relocate geographically, no dependents, I'm settled here
It was not much better for the years before that.
Joining the multinational sometimes feels like an opportunity to have a new job without relocating. The head office counterparts to my team feel decent, pragmatic people, but I predict
- increased workload / urgency
- more challenging work, beyond my interest and ability?
- even more competing priorities for me and my small team
So I think I'd like to quit to have a proper rest, and this escalated this week.
Here's my thoughts:
- financially possible for 1 to 2 years and probably more. I have earned well and saved. Private pension pot (defined contribution) currently looks sufficient for a basic retirement, in 15 years.
- no concrete plans for Year 1 except sleep, regain physical fitness and eventually perhaps volunteer in schools - no desire to be a teacher. Year 2 would be job hunting and hopefully starting work.
- asking for 3 months off unpaid is unlikely to succeed, team is too small, now is really bad timing, next year unlikely to be better. Similar if I asked to go part time.
- leaving at end of Dec would be good.
- fear about what's after Year 1 because I don't know what I want to do despite thinking for years
- realisation that lots of people work in places with similar downsides, so I could end up swapping a well paid suboptimal job in my current location for (a) suboptimal job in current location with lower pay or (b) suboptimal job that requires relocation - could be any level of pay
- concern that some friends would try to persuade me to help out with their domestic responsibilities because they lack time due to their own choice to try to fit too much into their lives
Any wisdom to share with me? Pros and cons etc. If you've done it, what would you repeat in future, what would you tweak, what do you regret?
Thank you in advance