Major Job Decision - HELP!!!

[farrellcollie]

I am a lawyer who has been practicing for over 20 years. The best thing I ever did - and one of the hardest - was to take a large cut in pay (over half)to quit working 60+ hours a week in a medium law firm which I hated - to become an appellate public defender - something I had always wanted to do - I have never regretted the decision. I now work for myself from home (mostly appellate work) and I teach at a law school. LAw is a fairly flexible field and, for myself, I have tried several areas until I found the ones I really liked. I am not making as much as others from my class who are partners in large law firms - but I make the house payments, feed and vet the dogs, and have a life I enjoy.

[KnottedYet]

i work for an engineering company and some people that work here work those insane hourse but their happy and content with their jobs. Here's what i think:

If at the end of the day you find yourself a tortured person at your job and complaining more then enjoying then maybe it's time to step away.

Amen.

But for gosh sake, don't complain AT WORK!!
And don't get in the habit of hitting the bottle to get thru the week

Knot-on-her-3rd-gluten-free-beer

[Thistle]

I chased the money ...then one day I realized they had "bought" me. I had a crappy quality of life, my beloved and I were on very thin ice, I never slept, and I was miserable.

Long story short, I bailed and couldn't be happier. Life is too damn short to spend 80+ hours a week at work.

me too. i've never regretted it for a moment, despite the fact that finances are much tighter.

i dont think you would be crazy at all.