What can I do? 40 and no direction.

[Custardapples]

Feel like I’ve stuffed up my work life completely.
I have higher degrees (arts) and worked in university admin for many years but switched to charity sector. Enjoyed the latter more than the former but honestly find 40 hour weeks at a desk really hard, even wfh. Increasingly feel I can’t cope and that I’ve lost control of my life.
Have two young kids and currently on 40k. I’m the main breadwinner.
Late diagnosed with autism and adhd (hence the constant sense of overwhelm I guess).

Now I’m possibly being made redundant. What can I do next? I want to be free to be with my kids - I know everyone wants that. I want to help people. I want a neurodiverse friendly job. I love being outside in nature. I hate the constant pings of email. I can’t earn a super low wage because we wouldn’t survive.

May be that role was just not for you.
There are lots of charity jobs that are not desk bound, if you want to stay in that sector.
Community/Outreach work
Environmental charities

With that said, it sort of depends on where you are geographically, too and whether you need a high proportion of wfh time.

Can you retrain? You could get an HR/Payroll qualification in 18 months. You might take a paycut at first but there’s lots of opportunities in that profession.

Look at a change of scene, outside work, you sounds like office life isn’t for you. Can you garden? Walk dogs? My dog walking friend earns £40K a year.