Learning to walk before I run

Karmacat

Ed, once you say "a weight was lifted from me", you *know* it's the right decision.  I'm so glad you listened to that inner voice.  To consider a change of direction, and make the first tentative steps towards it, is tiring but exhilarating, exactly - it's just a step at a time, that's all, you just need to keep going.  The price of not living your own life can be very, very high.  Just enjoy your Christmas, and come back to all of this fresh in the New Year.

South_coast

Ed, as usual I don't have anything useful to say, but I am delighted by the term SNAFU 😀! Hope you manage to get it sorted quickly and get on with your downtime

Suffolk_lass

Ah, a happy few minutes exploring the origins of slang terms. Although often attributed to the US military it is more like a p-take of their penchant for acronyms. Along with FUBAR (a reference, perhaps to today's public sector?) and our favourites (DH) likes PEBKAC and I like DILLIGAF - the latter I used to introduce by asking if people knew where Bounty Island is, then refer to the rocky outcrop that lies near if (that's where the people who care about that live).

Have a good Christmas break and chill out. You have definitely made the right decision.

I read a recent article about a generation of workers who are doing the minimum they can get away with in their jobs - No going beyond but competently doing what they need to and no more. It's not in my nature but I can see the attraction. A reasonable stop gap while you explore other options, perhaps?

SuperSecretSquirrel

What they said 👆 You've made the right choice for you.

I wouldn't say that my job "makes me happy", but I do actively enjoy it, and that certainly doesn't hurt. When combined with lots of other things, the end result is happiness (in general at least, not ALL the time - that would be weird, I don't think I'd be happy being happy ALL the time, who are those weirdo's? 🤣).

If your job is getting you down it certainly can't hurt to explore other options, even if it's just seeing what's out there and getting a feel for what you might enjoy. Maybe the same kind of work in the private sector would be more enjoyable? If you're considering a switch from public sector anyway it might be a good place to start? It sounds like the problem is more to do with the organisation than the work itself...

Good luck! 💪 

edinburgher

Thank you all

@badmemory - When I think back to me when DD1 was young, I spent 1/2 my time being very frustrated at all the changes that having a baby brought and selfishly missing my youth (such as it was). I've pretty much grown out of that now and I think it has made me a better person

@Karmacat - The holiday has now arrived! Feeling gratitude after I had to log in to an annoying IT problem and somone from a team who I had never heard of had fixed it for me.

@Suffolk_lass - PEBKAC Ah, you are thinking of quiet quitting. I am 50% dervish and 50% quiet quitter already at work, it's not the healthiest combination. Yes, I think there may be some practical stepping back that I can do. For example, no reason for me to be managing a challenging member of the team if I have no management ambitions in the team

@SuperSecretSquirrel - The organisation isn't horrendous but 1) we have to respond to complaints. Hundreds of complaints and 2) We have statutory deadlines, so there is no respite. I know there are plenty of deadlines in the private sector, too, but I actually find it easier to be motivated by "month end report is due" than "Mrs Johnson is threatening to contact the ombudsman".

Today I finished up the last bits of our Christmas food shopping (we only have to do the starter and it was ordered in). Picked up some condiments and herbs (poaching some prawns in vermouth and poaching liquor for a very posh prawn cocktail as part of it), snacks, a Christmas cheeseboard and a few wee bits and bobs. Vouchers covered all of it, not often I get £60 worth of shopping for "free".

I have got our post-attic conversion credit cards down to under £4,000 now and I am also pleased to see that I've passed my nominal SIPP target of £100/mth per financial year already and there are still several months to go. Plodding away quite the thing, will wrap Mrs E's presents tonight, kid presents all done.

South_coast

SuperSecretSquirrel said:

I don't think I'd be happy being happy ALL the time, who are those weirdo's? 🤣

My BF is one of those weirdos - it's soooo annoying 🤦‍♀️

edinburgher

@South_coast - as long as they're not a morning person too!

South_coast

I hate to say it, but he's almost both 😡! I am definitely the more morning of us, but he can be up and about (and perky 🙄) as required!

edinburgher

That's just sickening

South_coast

Now you understand my life 🤣!