Family VS Career
Discussion
Anyone turned down an opportunity because it would mean less time with a little one or the family, even when its a great opportunity with better salary?
Currently facing a scenario where promotion is a given (doing the job now as a trial) yet I am not enjoying the impact on my family, travel and lack of work/life balance.
My old is still there for now so I can go back.
Currently facing a scenario where promotion is a given (doing the job now as a trial) yet I am not enjoying the impact on my family, travel and lack of work/life balance.
My old is still there for now so I can go back.
halo34 said:
Anyone turned down an opportunity because it would mean less time with a little one or the family, even when its a great opportunity with better salary?
Currently facing a scenario where promotion is a given (doing the job now as a trial) yet I am not enjoying the impact on my family, travel and lack of work/life balance.
My old is still there for now so I can go back.
Nothing is more important than family...Currently facing a scenario where promotion is a given (doing the job now as a trial) yet I am not enjoying the impact on my family, travel and lack of work/life balance.
My old is still there for now so I can go back.
Just MHO
ErnestM
My OH is in the navy (25 years of it now!) and has been away from home and the kids a LOT over much of that time. Now, with the kids growing up I think they have missed out on him being away so much and it's been pretty hard on me too at times. He did put his notice in once but only with a view to going off-shore but decided against it at the last moment.
Looking back I wish he had left the navy when the children were young and he had been around a lot more. The whole work/life balance is SO important and money really isn't everything. Job satisfaction is important though so you do have to take that into consideration.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
Looking back I wish he had left the navy when the children were young and he had been around a lot more. The whole work/life balance is SO important and money really isn't everything. Job satisfaction is important though so you do have to take that into consideration.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
Trouble is I have been working so hard to get to this point - there is this big thing in me that doesn't know when to stop pushing forward.
Up here I am extremely lucky that my employer is Global so I can travel over the UK. Its a bit like kicking a gift horse in the mouth.
On the flip side (yes been in too many meetings today) - wee one is only wee once and the horrible days outweigh the good days by 70/30
With the current climate it feels really selfish too if you know what I mean.
No idea why posting this to strangers but had to get it out of system!
Up here I am extremely lucky that my employer is Global so I can travel over the UK. Its a bit like kicking a gift horse in the mouth.
On the flip side (yes been in too many meetings today) - wee one is only wee once and the horrible days outweigh the good days by 70/30
With the current climate it feels really selfish too if you know what I mean.
No idea why posting this to strangers but had to get it out of system!
I look at overall family quality of life. I'm pretty well paid. The downside of that is that there are times where I'm working long hours and can't see as much of the family as I'd like. The upside is that we have the relatively unusual luxury these days of my wife not having to work, so the kids get far more parent time than they might've done if we'd both been working in less intense jobs to bring in the same income.
On the plus side, I'm paid to do a job, not work a set number of hours, and I also get flexibility on working from home, so whilst there are days when I hardly see them, there's others when I can pick my middle one up from nursery and take him off for lunch, for example.
The other flip-side is that there's such a thing as too much family life. By the time we get to the end of a family holiday, going back to work is a wonderful experience!
Overall though, as the cliché goes, nobody ever went to their grave wishing they'd worked longer hours.
On the plus side, I'm paid to do a job, not work a set number of hours, and I also get flexibility on working from home, so whilst there are days when I hardly see them, there's others when I can pick my middle one up from nursery and take him off for lunch, for example.
The other flip-side is that there's such a thing as too much family life. By the time we get to the end of a family holiday, going back to work is a wonderful experience!
Overall though, as the cliché goes, nobody ever went to their grave wishing they'd worked longer hours.
FreeLitres said:
swerni said:
Look up maslow's hierarchy of needs.
Maslow's hierarchy fail - absolutely no mention of TVR.Edit: On topic, I turned down a well-paid contract with the UN in Rome as it would mean I was away from the UK too much. Jobs (as I don't have a career any more) for me are a way to fund my life, which is everything outside my work. As long as I'm earning enough to fund my life as I want it, then I feel no need to chase more money or career progression.
People like to think that a career gives them security, but aren't things that are out of control often described as "careering"? I believe that a career (you know, the ever-upward push within your chosen field), restricts your viewpoint and hides other opportunities in life from you.
For me it is important to be in control of what I do and of my expectations in work and in life. Of course it helps if you don't continually covet expensive things (a bigger house, a faster/flashier car, etc) but can be happy with what you have (with the caveat that you've already reached a stage where you don't need a bigger house, for example).
Edited by ewenm on Wednesday 7th October 13:03
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