invalidiuser

So my current job that I have been at for almost six years now is a very stressful job because of the demands and corporate politics that plays into it.
Been trying to not think about it but at times it just gets in your skin after so long. Pay is decent and have four weeks vacation.

Got another offer from another company. Very little stress but pays 10k less. Will have to start back with two weeks vacation also.

I do need money but the stress is just starting to get to me. Hard to decide.

What would you do if you were put in a position like this? Would you keep working with the stress or take the paycut and take the less stressful offer?

Shauk

stressing at work is better than stressing at home due to lack of money.

confront your stress issues at work I guess.

ratbastid

Once you're in the job and up to speed, it won't seem stressful. Busy, maybe. High-stakes, maybe. But that's different from stressful.

invalidiuser

Well, its not that im not up to speed. Im up to speed with my job. The only thing is that I forgot to mention is I work for about 60 attorney's. And most of the time I myself think they are di.cks because some things are just out of my control but still as if I was the blame.

ratbastid

Oh, I misread... Actually, to tell the truth, I didn't read. I made up that you were asking for help picking between two NEW jobs. Sorry....

allaboutmusic

Wel, one possible solution is to find a third job which has a better compromise of pay and stress. You may well find one with better work conditions and BETTER pay.

snowy

I personally would choose less stress...

When I am stressed, my health really starts to suffer, and I find the consequences of such stress isn't worth any amount of extra money. I took a job that paid less to have less stress in my life...and guess what? I ended up making more money in the long run and having a lot more fun doing it. I ended up with a job I loved instead of loathed, and got my soul back in the process.

If you divide it out, after taxes, I'm pretty sure you'll find that that supposed extra 10k a year isn't that much after all. Break it down into a monthly figure, a weekly figure, a daily figure. Then ask if it's worth it. If it is, I recommend learning some stress management techniques--I like yoga.

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guthmund

I say if you can do without the extra 10k, then take the less stressful job.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the Hakuna Matata philosophy. You can't do much with the extra 10k, if the stress is killing you.
I prefer to be happy and if taking a pay cut--assuming I can get by with it--makes me happier, then sayonara asshole lawyers!

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telekinetic

If I were in your shoes, as long as my current job's stress did not impinge on my home life (aka, don't have to take work home/take business trips/etc), I'd stick with it. If it does, it would be worth 10k for it to not.

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Leto

I'm a big fan of using stress to develop. I bet if you would find that if you do move, there will be a whole new set of stresses that manifest themselves and you would be wondering why you changed in the first place. (actually when I first saw your post, I thought it was going to be a discussion around moving to a job that was 10 kilometres closer to you!)

I would keep the money, keep the stress and follow allaboutmusic's idea. Build off of your capabilities, even within your current position I bet you could leverage yourself into a better position around all those di.cks. And get more $$ to boot.

If there was not stress at work, I bet they wouldn't call it work...

Willravel

I made a very similar change around the beginning of 2007. I'm much happier. $86k a year isn't $100+k a year, but I can still live comfortably on it. If you can live comfortably with the change, then go for it.

invalidiuser

Thanks for all your thoughts and inputs

cj2112

That depends if that 10k is the difference between 150k and 140k, or 35k and 25k.

Redjake

Yep - please answer this and I'll give my input

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invalidiuser

Going from 61k down to 51k a year.

Willravel

Hmm... that's borderline. Anything above maybe 80k and I'm sure you'd be fine, but losing such a high percentage is a tough call.

blahblah454

Got family? If it is just you then 51k a year should be fine. And if it honestly will lower the stress that much then I think it would be much worth it!

invalidiuser

Got three kiddies

Willravel

I'd shop around a bit more. Who knows, maybe there's a decent job out there with less stress and more pay!

ironman

I'd stay with the stressful job. You would be loosing about 20% of your income, which is A LOT. Better be stressed at work than been stressed at home.

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laconic1

That is a tough call. I personally would choose less stress, but a ~15% pay cut would put me from living moderately comfortably to just over paycheck to paycheck. But if there is room in the budget for the pay cut or if there is some extras that can be trimmed out of the budget then I would go for the less stress, or even a different kind of stress.

Redjake

I'd probably stay with stressful job and continue to find a way to make it less stressful

The grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side - who knows, the less stressful job that pays less might become stressful later on. Then you'd be stuck making less and being stressed.

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ASU2003

Less stress for sure. Well, I guess part of it is if there are any differing time commitments also. If the 61k job makes you work unpaid overtime and the 51k job doesn't it becomes easier to choose. Even if the commute is longer it would be a factor.

Remember that the government will take 25%-33% of that income difference. And if you come up with a manageable lifestyle budget and prevent unnecessary expenditures( in both situations), I bet you could live a better life being happy with less money than being stressed at work all the time.

But that is me. My budget is around 20k for my nice happy lifestyle (which anyone here would like just fine). I make twice that after taxes, but I'm also away from my home for 1/3 of the year. If I had a wife and 3 kids to provide for and be there for, I may have to change the budget and pick a more stationary job.

snowy

Well, if you have kids, you ought to consider the impact your work stress is having on your children. Children are very, very sensitive to these sorts of things. They can tell when you're not happy with what you're doing, or irritated by your job.

I would seriously consider allaboutmusic's suggestion regarding the "third" job--keep shopping around.

Does your wife work, or are you the sole income in the household?

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Willravel

I should be sacked for forgetting about this. Well played, Snowy.

Leto

I have to agree with this assessment.

Snowy's point is well taken as well, however, being a parent of 3 too, and having experienced both sides of the equation that you are faced with, I would much rather deal with the stress at work, than the uncertainty or stress imposed on my home life with the loss of approx 15% of my income. Kids are also resilent and understanding if you are upfront with them.

shesus

You are the only one that can make the decision to stay or go.

What I've found is that money isn't everything, but it helps a lot. I've also realized that stress will follow you where ever you go. Leaving the stressful job to one that appears to have less stress will not solve any problems. You will just be covering up or avoiding your stress issues, which is within you and how you deal with things.

I have made many jumps of life changes and moves hoping to have less stress and financially stable. I have found that it doesn't matter what choice is made, the same issues appear. I've since changed my outlook, perception, and reactions.

Maybe the issue isn't your job. Think before you leap the grass isn't any greener over any fence.

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livevideoguy

No job is worth being stressed out over. I personally ould take the 10k hit. I recently had a job that caused LOTS of undue stress on me at work. That in turn caused all kinds of issues at home. I went back to old job with little stress and my family has noticed how much happier and easier life is for ma once again.

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percy

If it puts you into another tax bracket, you may want to think about less pay.
But if I were you and seriously were considering taking the pay cut, I would negotiate something with the potential new employer. Maybe a performance bonus(or better one), extra holiday time, maybe getting to work at home a couple of days a week.

If the new employer wants you bad enough, they will negotiate concessions. If not, stick with the old job and learn some stress management techniques.

Martian

This is a complex decision. It depends on a few different factors. Lifestyle -- how much of an impact will it make to take the 10k hit? It's entirely possible to support a family of four (or five) quite comfortably on 51k per year, but it may require you to make concessions that you're not comfortable making. Do you have a spouse who is working? Perhaps if wifey took a part time job she could make up the difference. Or if she's already working than the family income may be high enough that a 10k per year hit is easily managed.

I'd probably be inclined to look at the upward mobility of the two positions as well. If your current job offers more room for advancement it may be the better option. How important that is to you will depend on your age as well though. If you're fifty you might just be looking to ride it out until retirement. Or maybe not, I don't know.

If you decide to make the move, I'd say try to work it so that you can cash out your vacation time before or during. Might as well take advantage of it if you've got it.

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girldetective

invalidiuser : Im curious. What did you decide?

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