When I was in my 20s, I worked a very stressful job in finance that had me clocking in long hours and dealing with a lot of hassle during the day. The fact that it was a fairly hostile workplace also didn’t help.
I managed to stick out that job for five years, and the only reason I made it work that long was because I liked the salary and bonus that came with it. I figured that if I pushed myself to bring home a large paycheck in my 20s, I’d buy myself the option to shift into a less stressful job or career in my 30s.
Because of my experience, this Reddit post resonated with me. The person who wrote it is fairly young with a decent amount of money in savings. But they’re also totally burned out, which is far from healthy.
Since I can relate to this poster, I’d give them the same advice I gave myself years ago. But I’d potentially take things one step further.
When burnout wreaks havoc on you
Job-related burnout is the sort of thing some people might be quick to brush off. But I can tell you from firsthand experience that it can take over your entire life.
By the time I was ready to quit my job, I was so disillusioned that I couldn’t imagine myself being happy at any job, period. So I can see why the poster feels lost.
They have some savings, but certainly not enough to think about retiring. And also, they’re very young, so at best, they’d probably be looking at a short career break rather than the end of their career.
What I did at the time was bank as much as I could and then leave that job once my saving got to a place I was comfortable with. This poster may or may be there yet. But since they’re pretty young, I’d say it’s definitely not too late for them to look at a new career.
That’s what I did. I went from working a finance job to something far more creative.
Was the pay good? No, it was not. But I needed an easy, somewhat fun job for a couple of years after five grueling years at my finance job.
During that time, I didn’t save any money because my paycheck wasn’t great. But I was also able to cover my costs without dipping into my savings, so I considered that a win.
That career change gave me a much-needed reset. And since then, I’ve ventured back into roles that have been more stressful and deadline-driven — though not nearly as intense as the job I held down and hated in my 20s.
It pays to get help
If you’re struggling with job-related burnout, no matter your age, it’s a good idea to both take a break and get some help. Of course, if you’re 55 years old with $7 million, you could consider early retirement if you think it’ll solve your problem. If not, you may want to take a few months off if you can afford to and give yourself a mental break.
Or, do what I did and switch fields. You could also try a simple job change within your field to see if things improve in a different environment.
And if you’re not sure what to do next job-wise, talk to a career counselor. They can help you narrow down your options. That’s something I never did but probably would’ve benefitted from.
You may also want to consider talking to a therapist if the idea of holding down any job feels overwhelming. They may be able to give you strategies for coping with that sort of pressure.
Finally, it’s a good idea to work with a financial advisor if you’re looking at giving up what could be a larger paycheck in favor of a smaller one. An advisor can help you figure out what income you need to meet your personal goals so you don’t end up trading the stress of a demanding job for the stress of not earning enough money.
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