I just accepted a new job (at a place I worked at before and loved). I took a pay cut. I am happier than I can even begin to explain.
In more detail: I'm currently on maternity leave with my 10-month-old baby (I'm in Quebec, so: year-long leave at partial salary). Prior to this, I was working at the Soul-Sucking Corporate Job From Hell. The only redeeming factor about that job was an excellent boss, who was fired when I was 6 months pregnant (and I'd have tried to find another job then if it wasn't that you can't really job-hunt immediately before a maternity leave). The horrible job involved working closely with the lower denizens of hell, in the depths of the industrial sector of this city (inaccessible by bikes and most busses), for 50-60 hours per week.
The job I just accepted is outside the urban center we're in, in a lower cost-of-living area. Highlights of this change:
- It's a job I actually want to be doing, working with people I know, respect, and have worked with before.
- Instead of being expected to work 50-60 hours per week, 35 is the expected standard. 15-25 hours a week back!!
- Lower cost of living area means a pay cut... which, after taxes, is 47$/week. I will trade 47$ for 15 free hours ANY DAY.
- I negotiated being able to work from home 3 days per week, with a company laptop and cell phone (bye cell phone bill, bye 3 days of commuting!)
- My husband has also negotiated working from home (no more commuting for him!) Combined, this means we have cut down our commutes to less than 15% of what it used to be
- We're moving to the land we already own in the country and building a house... that's walking distance from most of our family and a short drive from my parents. Ideal for raising kids (and, in the country, this means we can expand the garden and take over some of my in-laws sheep, maybe adding some goats and chickens - it'd be a nice project to do with our kid and her cousins)
- We found an excellent daycare that's a short bike ride from the house we're building
And, after all this, we'll still be able to put over 30% of our combined salaries into savings/investments (up to 40-50% if we tighten up some areas significantly)
I'm pretty sure this is the best career move I've ever made.
