What would you do?

Hi,

In October last year I went back to work full time, I had planned to find a part time job and something not too demanding, in my pre baby life I was an Operations manager and I just loved it huge pressure huge stress and huge rewards when it went right.

Anyway just as I started job hunting I was offered a similar role but on a smaller scale and they would let me do 4 days although it was made clear results would be needed.

It sounded good, the money was awesome - so I decided to take it as just seemed like a good idea.

All started ok as I guess any job does in a honeymoon period, but now the reality of the job is hitting home, my team are very hard work, they b*tch and moan heaps my boss has piled massive volumes on me and I know work on my day off and evenings, the targets are just crazy but I think the big thing is I just can't be bothered. I don't have the energy or drive and that really annoys me, I just want to turn up do a job and come home to my son, and as DH pointed out tonight I simply don't have that kind of job.

Very luckily we are not reliant on my job financially, I do need some work but it doesn't need to be this, DH has said if I want to leave thats ok, but I just feel terrible about the thought of giving up, pre baby I would have loved this job and I think if I no longer love it I feel a bit lost as to what I do want to do.

Sorry if that all came out a bit like a whinge/moan/ramble

Just confused - all advice welcome

Hi,

Just my 2c worth, but if you've been feeling like this for a while, ie not enjoying your work and feeling exhausted by it, then it might be time to consider resigning and finding something less full-on.

It sounds like you're looking for something fulfilling and challenging, but that will also leave you with enough time and energy for your family. Maybe just start by looking around and seeing if there are any other roles out there that might suit you better, before making a decision?

I guess your priorities have just changed!

My thought about working is that you spend SO much time at your job so you have to enjoy it, else what is the point of life?   One time I left a good job because I just wasn't feeling fulfilled anymore and I told my boss I was leaving in three months even if it meant I had to work at McDonalds (no offence to any maccas employees out there). I got a better job anyway...but yeah, if it is making you unhappy then it just isn't worth it...find something else.

It sounds like your priorities have changed. Lots of professional women struggle with returning to work as they don't have the same energy and passion for the job they had pre-babies and pine to be at home with their littlies.

Women are leaving their professions in droves causing a big problem for traditional female professions such as nursing, teaching, family law etc. Organisations are responding with family friendly practices to retain staff but often you still feel pulled between work and home.

I agree with DH that your job is not one that you can walk out the end of the door at the end of the day and forget. It is not one that you can function well in when you've had a terrible night with a sick or teething toddler either. I don't mean to be down, but I'm another professional that struggles to balance it all some days.

Another point - sometimes these part time jobs are full time jobs that are conducted in four days on 80% of the going salary. So the person will always struggle to fit everything in each day.

Thank you so much for all your comments.

So in a weird about turn, my boss called and asked to take me to lunch and I really though she was going to say so this is perhaps not suiting either of us, instead she said she would do pretty much anything to get me to stay.

I expressed I could not and would not be committing to more hours with more stress she agreed, I explained how horrid the team were, she wants to sort them out - I am in shock really.

So that has helped, but ultimately the job is the same so I have decisions to make, I may start to look round before leaping.

Its so hard to find a happy middle!!