Wanting to take a year out of work for Health?

Jay83

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, not sure where i can post this.

Recently I've been thinking about leaving my job and taking a year out of working to just concentrate on my health and rest. I turn 30 next year. Ive been in my current job for almost 5 years and for the last 3.5 years ive been miserable in my job for various reasons but i just assumed everyone was the same about going to work everyday.

Anyway my weight has ballooned. Ive always had a eating problem ever since i was young, like extreme eating to make myself feel better/happier. when i was in my early twenties i had the motivated to diet and lose most of my weight but ever since ive been in this job my weight has been constant yo-yoing. most of the time my motivation for losing weight is that it would mean i would have the confidence to go out and look for another job and leave this current role but being at work makes me so miserable that i comfort eat and its just like a cycle. So i wanted to take a year out and just work on getting into better shape and being in a happier position in life. I want to have children in the next few years and being this weight really wont help one bit.

I am not very ambitious so dont mind getting a lower paid job later on if it means i am happier and less stressed out all the time. I had been saving for a deposit but now thinking rather use that money for a year to change my life around.

Sorry for the long thread, i dont know if what i wrote even makes sense, i just sort of wondered if i am thinking crazy thoughts and should just suck it up and continue and struggle as i have been doing? thanks for any replies x

dandelionclock30

Its upto you and only you can make that choice.Its a good idea about wanting to lose weight and get fitter if thats what you need to do.
What you do with your life is your buisness only, not anyone elces. Are you absolutley sure that you cant improve your current position at work? Only you know exactly how bad it is.
Could you go part time? and look for another job that way you will have some income. If you do give up your job you also may not be able to get JSA for quite a while as you quit voluntarily.
If you do give it up, I would think about doing something constructive like a college course or some voluntary work etc. It can be hard entertaining yourself all day at home.

getmore4less

I would look at your life outside work first.

Can you make that interesting so work is less of an issue.

what did you do last weekend?

also look at work and what is it about it that is causing the issue can that be changed, maybe part time or different hours or changes in what you do.

Any internal vacancies or projects that would be of interest.

as DC30 says filling a day may not be easy and help change things

InsideInsurance

Without wanting to put a blocker in the pipe dream but are you financially able to take a year off work and live just on your savings/ partners income etc?

I agree with the above posters. Its your life and if thats what you want to do and can afford to do it then thats your choice. You need to be careful that you actually achieve what you want out of it though.... having to find things to fill your life 24/7/52 can be very challenging, isolating and depressing etc.

A friend did exactly what you are suggesting but 3 years on they still arent working and now way about 3 stone more than they did whilst they were working - effect of switching from a fast paced retail job for reading.

Work is a significant part of life but by no means all of it. I personally would go crazy without a job and at the same time when I am working I dont allow the 40 hours a week I actually work rule the remaining 128 hours that are mine.

Look at your wider life and try and work out why your evenings and weekends etc arent able to balance out the negatives of your working life

MissSarah1972

How are you going to finance yourself over the year if you quit a job? How easy do you think it will be to get a new job in a years time?

tyllwyd

It's quite a drastic decision to hand in your notice if you haven't got anything planned for when your savings run out.

Have you thought about any other options - would your work give you a month or longer as unpaid leave, could you work part-time, are there any other roles in the company which you could move to as a sideways move? Look into everything else before you make a decision.

Uncertain

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

If you do give up your job you also may not be able to get JSA for quite a while as you quit voluntarily.

JSA would very likely be sanctioned for up to 26 weeks unless it could be argued (with the support of your doctor) that leaving was in the best interests of your health.

In any case you can only claim JSA if you are actively seeking work. If you simply stop working out of choice and opt to live on your savings then you are not eligible for JSA.

princeofpounds

Can understand what you want to do, but I would strongly suggest that you don't simply quit working. Much harder to find a job when you don't have one than when you do.

My approach in your situation would be to keep working, but to change to something that was more in tune with my personal objectives.

So, for example, if I was a call centre worker, I'd think about quitting and becoming a labourer for a landscape gardener. You would get your exercise for free, spend time outside, possibly have more flexible hours, etc.

Ashles

Jay83 wrote: »

Anyway my weight has ballooned. Ive always had a eating problem ever since i was young, like extreme eating to make myself feel better/happier. when i was in my early twenties i had the motivated to diet and lose most of my weight but ever since ive been in this job my weight has been constant yo-yoing. most of the time my motivation for losing weight is that it would mean i would have the confidence to go out and look for another job and leave this current role but being at work makes me so miserable that i comfort eat and its just like a cycle.

If you give up work the inclination to just eat all day may actually increase. Without any job or any routine you may become more miserable and eat more (and cheap, high fat food) to cheer yourself up.

To give up work and then keep the motivation to lose weight (eating less and/or exercising) would take will power.
If you have that will power I wonder if you could find a way to build exercise into your daily commute or schedule somehow?

For example I work in London but live I Brighton so it is a fairly long commute, but I have built into my journey a 30 min cycle ride using the Barclays Bikes (from where I work to London Bridge). It goes along nice back roads and now I actively look forward to that cycle.
I have paid £45 for a key for the bikes and that lasts the whole year (so provided I keep under a 30 min journey there is no extra charge and if it goes over 30 mins it's only £1).
In two months (and watching what I eat a little more) I have gone down two belt holes.

A small change can be really effective if you build it into your daily routine - eg a jog, or even a walk (eg get on the bus a stop further away etc)

bargainbetty

The drastic grand gesture rarely works in reality. Start to take baby steps in addressing your food issues and see how you can make little changes that will make you feel better about taking control of your life.

Your happiness is in your own hands. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy and do it one or two nights a week. Start finding healthier versions of your favourite foods. Look for another job (lower paying, less stressful if you like) and stop thinking that your weight makes much difference to anyone but you. However, less money can become more stressful. Bear that in mind.