Author Topic: Would someone please face punch me?  (Read 4216 times)

RMD

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Would someone please face punch me?
« on: July 18, 2013, 10:41:50 AM »
I figured it's a question so I could put it here, right?

I've been in my job for almost 15 years.  I was a stellar performer.  Met deadlines with gusto, put in OT when necessary but tried to avoid it when possible, worked well with team members, was innovative in problem solving.  I'm struggling now and have been for the past 5 years.  (Coincides with the birth of my son and a move to management...I stepped back down to Individual Contributor thinking it was the managing I didn't like...now I think it's just plain burnout, maybe?)  I no longer enjoy what I do.  My job has changed and I am now feeling very trapped and pigeon-holed.  I see no room for growth in my current position.  I need out but with 15 years in the same department...  I'm fighting against myself.  I make 3/4 of our income.  I find myself dreaming of FI...and it's going to get me nowhere if I lose this job- which I fear is where I am headed.


So...my questions...

Any tips on how to re-energise oneself in a situation like mine?
Any thoughts on how to make a career change after being in one area and industry for an extended amount of time?
Have you been where I am...and did it turn out okay?

Thanks!


aaronpct

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Re: Would someone please face punch me?
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2013, 11:27:14 AM »
Sounds like you might need a long vacation, not one that requires tons of money but something that can help reset your batteries and help you reflect on what's really bothering you and allow you to get some time to think about how to overcome it.

Career change - some times doing the same thing for a different company can be great. New people, new work culture, and new atmosphere.  The longer something seems like it's "day-in & day-out" routine with the same job can take boring to a whole new level.

I think everyone gets to that point at some point in time, I think that's what has attracted tons of people to the MMM blog to help give hope, a plan, or a road map to those people who just want to do what their dreams allow them to do, not what they have to do because they have a mortgage to pay.

Personally reading through all the articles and discussions has helped me refocus my own own efforts and make more detail plans and to help make wiser spending decisions

footenote

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Re: Would someone please face punch me?
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2013, 11:33:38 AM »
I worked in retail for seven years and became both bored with retail and wage compressed.

I applied skills I gained in retail to financial services and both re-energized my career and doubled my annual total compensation in three years. (The wage compression was really bad and retail doesn't tend to pay well.)

So... think about your skills as a portfolio or tool kit. And look for opportunities where the transition costs (going back down to minimum vacation because you no longer have 10+ years of service, moving, whatever) are vastly outweighed by the potential benefits.

One more motivation: I've seen too many people lose jobs they had for 10+ years who were unable to adapt and find work. They only know one way of doing things and potential employers find them one dimensional. So, in addition to the allure of being re-energized and possibly better paid, think of a change as a resume builder.

pop pop!

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Re: Would someone please face punch me?
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2013, 12:24:50 PM »
I find myself in a similar situation.  I make money purely on how much work I do, so every hour that I waste at work is money I could have earned but didn't.  It's very de-motivating.  When you figure you "lost" $500 in a day by being a slacker, it's hard to get excited about saving $10 by not going out to dinner that night. 

Here's what I've fround.  My motivation and energy for work comes in waves.  I just have to ride the wave when I'm feeling motivated and energized to get a lot done, and then survive the ebbs.  With that being said, a job change about two years ago, doing roughly the same thing as my old job, did result in a positive attitude adjustment.  Although I still go through low ebbs, it's more 25% of the time that I feel down about my job rather than 75% as in my previous job.  But the low energy periods still come (especially in the summer!) and I use it as motivation to achieve FI.  One day I'll be able to spend more of my days doing what I want, based on my energy levels and interests, rather than having to drag ass into work when I really don't feel like it. 

I've also found that controlling my work environment helps.  If like me you spend too much time surfing the net, you might find that working offline if at all possible can help your productivity.  Sometimes I just go into a conference room where no one can find me and get shit done.  I once left work to go to a coffee shop, and the change of place made it possible to focus when I had been unable to look at my computer screen for more than 2 minutes at a time while in the office.

Good luck!

AlmostIndependent

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Re: Would someone please face punch me?
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2013, 03:38:01 PM »
Sounds like you might need a long vacation, not one that requires tons of money but something that can help reset your batteries and help you reflect on what's really bothering you and allow you to get some time to think about how to overcome it.

I agree with this. Take some time. Spend it with yourself and your family. Think about what is truly important to you; what you really want out of life. The answers will come.

mustacheme

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Re: Would someone please face punch me?
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2013, 05:22:36 PM »
I don't have any answers for you, but can say that I know the feeling.

I suffered severe burnout after an extremely demanding period of work. Since the work has eased up, I find it hard to be engaged in my job most days. I feel that I just don't enjoy it much anymore, and I wish I could find the reset button. That type of feeling though is what led me to thinking about saving more and ultimately to MMM. Before I'd always just accepted the concept of working until 65. I had always contributed to retirement accounts, and didn't spend lavishly, but I never thought of early retirement beyond maybe 55 or 60 as even a possibility. But feeling burnt out led me to start seeking ways to step out of the game or to at least have the option to step out.

So I don't know how to tell you to beat burnout, or how to transition to a new field etc, but I can say that hopefully the burnout will lead you (and hopefully me too) to explore options  that you hadn't considered before and to maybe discover some new possibilities for your life.

Best wishes!