So after 19years in this industry (YES years!) I cant take it any more.
Evan though Im pulling down more $ than ever before Im not sure its worth it.
Too much Travel, Stress, Politics, Responsibility... just too much.
Family has suffered, health has suffered waist-line has suffered,
hair-line has suffered...too much suffering.
Im ready to go back to diggin ditches and
Id probably already have done it if it wasnt for the family responsibilities.

OK Whine over.

Im sure others of you have dealt with professional burn out.
How did you deal with it and what recomendations do you have?

!!!!!!Buy another project car!!!!!!!!

I like to go on a big family vacation so that when I get back I cant wait to get back to work. Works for me

Im going the other way.
Looking at simplifiying things. reevaluating the current resto & contemplating a garage sale.

Just over three years ago I changed careers and never looked back! I was a senior financial analyst for a company headquartered in Chicago. No more! No more boss. No more monthly reporting. No more annual budget season. No more 10K SEC filings. No more annual reports. No more travelling to Chicago in February. No more headaches. Did I mention no more boss?

I just stay away from threads that have OT in the headline.



Jk I would suggest just cutting back on the OT if its not mandatory, and focus on your health and family, take a couple weekends and an extra day and get away. Find out what type of work you enjoy, and persue it. Change is gud.

take a weeks vaca and dig ditches for 8 hours a day all week before you make the switch.

k

I'm with you! I'm looking now! Too much work, not enough fun. My wife has a very high paying job. She has more time for the family than she's ever had. Me on the other hand... My oldest son and his girl friend are in collage, my youngest in in 11th grade. All are doing well. If I don't find something else by spring I may just quit anyway. Life is too short for this type of madness.

Edit: 4 top long term property claims reps. quit last fall all within a two week time period. We were short handed before they quit. The company hasn't replaced them much less added people we were short to begin with.

I feel your pain Been at the same place for 20yrs I need 7 more before I can retire from there (age + years of service = 76) I will only be 47

Best thing we did was take a 3 week vacation, went to Hawaii for two weeks then came home and did nothing!

Made me (us) feel better about work & life. I make sure I take every vacation day I have each year. NO working vacations - leave the cell phone off or just ignor any / all business calls.

If that dosen't help then start looking for a new gig. For me since I have a family now it is not so much about how much $$ I make (but it still matters some what), but more about what benefits they have.

Good luck

In 1979 when I was 39 (Yes I'm an old fart) I reached the point where you are now. It was so bad that I felt like I was in prison while I was at work. I was mean tempered to the point where I was actually getting into fist fights on the job.
I loved fishing , so I went and borrowed $130,000 and bought a commercial fishing vessel. When I told my wife what I'd done she said "You did what?"
Even though my marriage ended, it was the best thing I've ever done...financially, and for my soul. It made my life fun again.
It sounds like you need to find something you really enjoy doing and try to find a way to make a career out of it.

QUOTE (rdauenhauer @ Jan 17 2006, 02:11 PM)

Im sure others of you have dealt with professional burn out. How did you deal with it and what recomendations do you have?

be your own boss !

more work, but at least you do what you like and *you* are the one that makes up the rules!

has worked for me for the last 15 years ...
Andy

QUOTE (MW 914 @ Jan 17 2006, 03:18 PM)

Did I mention no more boss?

as The King.....Elvis says it:

Big boss man, why can't you hear me when I call?
You know you ain't so big, I said you're just tall that's all....

hang in there Rich and hope you figure out a path that makes you feel at ease once again.....I'm getting tired of my 2.5hrs (min.) daily commute, need to start looking for something closer to home.....I need to get into the new Kaiser Hospital that is opening up near my house....I'd be a janitor or something to work closer to home....

Hey Rich, you lasted longer than me! After 10 years of this shit I am so done. I am still schooling and working intern hours as a Stationary Engineer. It is starting over on the pay scale. But I just don't give a fuck. I love the work, it's a union job, the people kick ass, talk football, baseball, women and generally complain about politics. It's friggen awesome. I love every hour I spend working with Large steam boilers or huge generators ect. I eat it up.

I am still working in my POS computer job and can't wait until my schooling is done and I have enough hours logged for someone to give a new guy a shot at a job. It may take me another year, but it's worth all the work and waiting.

Get out man, your killing yourself working with all those fat-asses. Just to thwart off my ass sitting cubicle job, I am up to 12 miles a day during my lunch break. Yeah baby! Try to run around lake union then up Freemont and back to the "U" district. I'll just keep adding hours until eventually I show up to work, suite up, run, come back, shower, eat, go home!

QUOTE

Pugbug Posted on Jan 17 2006, 03:35 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 1979 when I was 39 (Yes I'm an old fart) I reached the point where you are now. It was so bad that I felt like I was in prison while I was at work. I was mean tempered to the point where I was actually getting into fist fights on the job. I loved fishing , so I went and borrowed $130,000 and bought a commercial fishing vessel. When I told my wife what I'd done she said "You did what?" Even though my marriage ended, it was the best thing I've ever done...financially, and for my soul. It made my life fun again. It sounds like you need to find something you really enjoy doing and try to find a way to make a career out of it.

WOW That's amazing.

QUOTE (Mueller @ Jan 17 2006, 02:39 PM)

[I'd be a janitor or something to work closer to home....

My wife and I don't have anything but a house payment. I could do that as well and might if I just loose it one day here at "Office Space"

QUOTE (rdauenhauer @ Jan 17 2006, 02:11 PM)

So after 19years in this industry (YES years!) I cant take it any more. Evan though Im pulling down more $ than ever before Im not sure its worth it. Too much Travel, Stress, Politics, Responsibility... just too much. Family has suffered, health has suffered waist-line has suffered, hair-line has suffered...too much suffering. Im ready to go back to diggin ditches and Id probably already have done it if it wasnt for the family responsibilities. OK Whine over. Im sure others of you have dealt with professional burn out. How did you deal with it and what recomendations do you have?

Work-Life Balance. Keyword: BALANCE.

If your work is taking over your life, it's time to slow down the work, and speed up the life. Find and do things you enjoy. In the end, mediocrity is rewarded in Corporate America.

Just for your info sometimes the boss would like to quit too. 29 years in private practice and I'm looking at the Public Health Service or VA. I'm tired of bankers and insurance companies and employment security and Labor & Industries and HIPAA and OSHA and WISHA and all of the other agencies. I'm tired of people who don't pay there bills and people who want something for nothing and employees who want raises when my income keeps going down.

Being the boss isn't always so great.

I don't somehow I'll still get up and do it again. Crap.

Dave

Ouch. Sounds tough. There are lots of different ways to climb out of the rut. The key is to not get mired down in what matters least. Life and Work have to be balanced.

As for "work"? If you can find something to do, that you trully enjoy, you'll never "work" another day in your life. I like that saying...

I've changed gears three times so far. The first was the most dramatic, I just bailed. Had enough, the job was stressing me out big time, no respect, less pay, and was making me get sick a lot. I bailed. Moved out of the state all together... That was the toughest, and best thing I did.

After that? A decision to go into industry, which turned out to be easier than I thought. And then, a few years later, the "industry" collapsed and I found myself changing again... not by choice. But I wound up in a better place anyway...

-Josh2

Be careful what you wish for...

Three years ago, I was in the same place that you are today. I had been in the IT field for 20 years and was fed up with all of the BS. I decided to pack it in and started my own business.

Running my own business was fine but I felt that something was really missing. I had always specialized in performing large enterprise technology migrations (40,000 users and up) I wasn't able to attract that type of business because I was a small fish. So, I worked on smaller engagements, kept myself busy, but wasn't feeling that I was using all of my expertise.

Late this past year, I decided to get back in the corporate world. I interviewed with a few different people, and, believe it or not, IBM was able to give me what I wanted. I work primarily from home, get to pick the projects that I want and I make it very clear to them and the clients that I am only available between 8:00 and 5:00 on weekdays. The job can be stressful, but I've learned that I can only control certain things. Also, I've found that I am more outspoken and less tolerant of idiots and mediocrity. I've started many statements with "IBM may fire me for this, but..." Both the clients and my coworkers/superiors seem to appreciate my candor.

I guess the lesson here is, Be you and do your job well. Then, if you find that your employer doesn't appreciate it, tell them to... It may take a while, but you will eventually find an employer that appreciates your talent and skills (unless of course you are really weird). Life is too short to be unhappy.

I considered changing careers, but my value in the market would have taken a severe hit.

25 years in the music industry.

Last year I took the entire year off. Got hairy, had to sell my -6 but it showed me how much I appreciated the relaxed atmosphere, wearing jeans to work and making decent money. While I was off I started the side business which is now growing slowly and supplying parts for my fix.

QUOTE

I considered changing careers, but my value in the market would have taken a severe hit.

True, true... I did the same thing.

I think the time off allowed me to reflect.

It all works out in the end... no worries.

QUOTE (Eric_Shea @ Jan 17 2006, 03:16 PM)

While I was off I started the side business which is now growing slowly and supplying parts for my fix.

You call driving around in a Benzo full of VW parts a business??

Hope to see you at WCC!

Seems like a bad day of IT Porsche guys.. wierd.
PP thread

Ok Three years ago I was dump from a job I had for 14 years (cut backs)
Took some time off then went to work at a british car shop. I work 30 to 35 hours a week. Life and me are sooo much better now. Life is too short time goes to fast everyone should slow the f%*K down

John

I made the decision last summer to make a change, 20 years in management was driving me crazy, I took a chance and went on an interview for a web developer position in my company. The guy that interviewed me took a chance on me and I've never looked back, I take care of me and my work and don't have to woryy about 20 whiny employees. I work from home two days a week and love it. Best thing I ever did!!

Oddly enough, the answer came from my boss himself.

"It's just work." He came in saying this over and over again. I finally got it in my head. I'll do whatever they want for 40-45 hours a week. Then I walk away. Now, to be fair, there has been a lot of just post midnight work lately, but, it's just work. When it's done I walk away.

It's really kinda of hard to explain. You have to keep saying it to yourself over and over again... suddenly one day it hits ya. It's just work! No point in getting excited. It will be there tomorrow.

I'm making pretty good moeny and getting 4 weeks vacation (negotiated mostly when I started). I don't want to start over again on that scale.

It's just work man...

i was a journey-man carpenter taking home 2k a week [before getting sick]. if i was ever mad at a boss, job, etc. i'd just quit! head to the hall, and find another job [union].

point is, lifes too short to stress over shit that makes you unhappy! the struggle to be happy, imho, is what life is about. i'm happy, but i'm still struggling [being terminally ill].

you never know what tomorrow will bring

good luck, rich!

Gint hit the nail on the head...

in my opinion no matter how good your job is, it's still a job... you still have to get your ass up and force yourself to do something, when you would rather do something else... that's why they call it "work" not "happy-fun-time"... I feel your pain, 5+ years at the same company, doing the same type of shit, seeing the same people, putting up with the same lame crap gets old... that's why I have about 5x more hobbies now than before, because the last thing I want to do when I get home is think about work... and something has to go seriously wrong before they get more than my 40.5 hours a week now... I used to work 60-70 hours a week, all the time... I'd cover for other people to take off, work 7+ days of 12 hour shifts, nights, weekends, whatever... that leads to fast burnout... so now they get 8 hour days, in by 8, out by 5, full hour lunch, and minimum drive to meet all deadlines with the accuracy needed... luckily they don't demand as much, and I don't seek more than I want... I ration my work to where I'm busy enough, but not stressed, and not anymore bored than everyone else... which is how I'm on here as much as I work...

QUOTE (rdauenhauer @ Jan 17 2006, 02:17 PM)

Im going the other way. Looking at simplifiying things. reevaluating the current resto & contemplating a garage sale.

Got a guy who might want one of your projects....let me know.

Do what I do....only work 11 months out of the year. We are off to Suriname next week.

Must be that time of year......Monday at 6:55 am flipped a coin. My sanity lost. I need to go to the farm and shoot something. Cheap 2L pop bottles shaken up and warm. The pink ones look cool agains't the snow. But I'm working 10 in a row, then 4 weeks straight days. I'm going to turn into Miles by the end of this.....

QUOTE (Carlitos Way @ Jan 17 2006, 02:48 PM)

[QUOTE In the end, mediocrity is rewarded in Corporate America.

How true - my company was purchased 18 months ago and they just finished destroying us. We went from a profitable company of about 200 people to a group of 20 misarable people who wished they were laid off with everyone else. The only good thing about this is my useless new boss is all the way across the country and I have very little to do and I can do it from home in about 10 hours a week. I don't volunteer for more work and I don't do any more than needed.

I've spent 25 years in IT...was experiencing the same thing (mostly too much bullshit). So, I actively sought out the type of company that fit my way of working/style/environment. Landed at Harley Davidson and I can tell you it's rejuvenating to work in a place that is fun, passionate and doesn't tolerate the bullshit.....oh, and one that also makes cool stuff!

Gint

You caught the brass ring there. If your job, spouse, kids, car, geographical location etc. make you nuts, it's 'cause you're letting it. Old stupid song lyrics: 'Work 8 hours, sleep 8 hours, have 8 hours of fun'.

Take it from an old phart. Very few careers will make you rich or happy. You have to do that with that extra 8 hours each day.

I thought you were talking about the banner and front page photo of the 914 club

Health insurance is a consideration. I know several married couples where one spouse has a job that has good health insurance, and the other spouse has a job with no health insurance (such as a small independent business owner, for example). Good health insurance is important for protecting your assets and your credit.

If your coverage is through your employer, make sure you're eligible for Cobra coverage.
I don't know how long Cobra coverage lasts.. 6 months? 12 months?.. but it's nice to have. Just bear in mind that you usually pay the full premium during that time.

Best wishes in whatever you decide, Rich.

a very intelligent friend of mine in grad school had this to say about a job.....


"work can't be all that great if they have to pay you to show up."


while i continue to climb the corporate ladder and get even more responsibility, i keep those words in mind. goes along with what gint said, it's just work. helps keep things in perspective.

good luck....