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Help a burnout recoveree

Should Santtu take a third job?

  • Yes, it's the most certain way to handle the money problems, and he can do the hours.

    Votes: 3 75.0%
  • No, he'll collapse. He should do quality work for a little time and hope it works out.

    Votes: 1 25.0%
  • He should go begging, stealing, move out of country or otherwise evade the problems.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    4

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
To cut it short, I've had burnout and depression, tho I don't have anymore. I still have troubles to do intensive work, or work for a long time. I've got money problems that can only be solved by choosing one of the two evils. How can I decide which of the two options to take?

I currently have 2 expert level jobs that pay ok, but the pay depends on my results. There's insecurity and stress from doing the job well enough to get the payment. I will have to be in top condition to be able to do these jobs, and still, there's an element of uncertainty.

I've been invited to an interview for a steady paying job that's relatively easy for me. Doing the 2 other jobs, plus this, I'll surely get enough money to pay for everything I need. I'll be able to put in less hours to the expert jobs, lowering my average hourly salary. I'll risk exhausting myself to the great amount of work.

I will have to choose either of the hard choices to fix my current financial problems. What kind of stress should I accept? Stress from a demanding job, or stress from a lot of work?

In other words, should I take a third job?
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
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ENTJ
Really I think its nocap's joke at exhaustion ;) He means that a person won't feel exhausted if he(she) has it all right. And that's his standard - to have it all right.

ENTP can seem like eternal sources of energy. But, we too can burn out. (and recover).
 

Wandering

Highly Hollow
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
Messages
873
MBTI Type
INFJ
Would it be possible to reduce your financial needs, so you don't end up needing that third job at all (or so you can take it and drop one of the expert jobs)?
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
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ENTJ
Would it be possible to reduce your financial needs, so you don't end up needing that third job at all (or so you can take it and drop one of the expert jobs)?
Possible later, not for a month or two. I have a long term solution, but it's the short term solution I'm lacking.
 

Wandering

Highly Hollow
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
Messages
873
MBTI Type
INFJ
Possible later, not for a month or two. I have a long term solution, but it's the short term solution I'm lacking.
Ah, OK. Well, if it's really that short-term, then I'd say you could take on the third job, BUT you need to take extra care of yourself during that couple of months! In particular, you need to make sure you get enough sleep, and that might mean cutting down on other activities that take up some of your time.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
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ENTJ
Ah, OK. Well, if it's really that short-term, then I'd say you could take on the third job, BUT you need to take extra care of yourself during that couple of months! In particular, you need to make sure you get enough sleep, and that might mean cutting down on other activities that take up some of your time.
Sounds reasonable, but what I feared. If that's true, I'd have to do some things I love less .. and take a fanatical approach to health and nutrition ;) That's an outside view. Thank you.
 

Wandering

Highly Hollow
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
Messages
873
MBTI Type
INFJ
Meh, welcome!

Sounds reasonable, but what I feared. If that's true, I'd have to do some things I love less ..
I don't know if this would work for you, but you could try motivating yourself by planning something extra-pleasant for the end of that two-months period, to kinda "compensate" for all the stuff you love that you would have to do less. (Am I making any sense?) You know, like a student would plan that big party for the end of the finals? Something to look forward to, something to make it "worth" giving up temporarily on the stuff you love.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Meh, welcome!


I don't know if this would work for you, but you could try motivating yourself by planning something extra-pleasant for the end of that two-months period, to kinda "compensate" for all the stuff you love that you would have to do less. (Am I making any sense?) You know, like a student would plan that big party for the end of the finals? Something to look forward to, something to make it "worth" giving up temporarily on the stuff you love.

Yeah, at least I have money after it (should I succeed) so I can pay for a week of celebration ;) Nice idea :) I think it sounds cool. I have much less doubt about getting people to celebrate with me, compared to the doubt I have of enduring all this *without* celebrating it in the end ;)
:hug:
See, I do have doubt about getting people to celebrate with me,) Just small. No worries.
 

Nocapszy

no clinkz 'til brooklyn
Joined
Jun 29, 2007
Messages
4,517
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ENTP
Are you joking? :huh:

No I just wanted santuu to elaborate on his/her situation. It's relevant.

Burnout carries obvious meaning. When a candle or a fire burns out there's no more fuel.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
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ENTJ
Yeah, that's exactly what I found out. So, after a while of being without a fire or a spark, I saw my fuel being replenished at a slow rate. So, I consider having burned out at a time, and having slow rate of renewal at the moment ;) Should I use the metaphor, my fuel pipe isn't giving me fuel at the former capacity. The engine's still all right.
 
S

sammy

Guest
Don't take what I say as expert advice, but if the third job serves as a relaxer for you, while still paying constantly, I'd take it on the condition that I'd have to do less intensive work for one of the two other highly intense jobs (otherwise that's two stressful situations + one calm one, but not necessarily meaning it will lead to less chance for burning out again if say, one of the more intense jobs picks up pace and you're expected to carry the load of three jobs now).

Do you have to keep both of the intense jobs to meet your goals or could you drop one of them and take on this third calmer one?
 

Seanan

Procrastinating
Joined
Feb 18, 2008
Messages
954
MBTI Type
INTJ
I hope I understand correctly. If I do, I would do more, less demanding of perfection, work short term. The uncertainty would be the most stress producing for me.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Don't take what I say as expert advice, but if the third job serves as a relaxer for you, while still paying constantly, I'd take it on the condition that I'd have to do less intensive work for one of the two other highly intense jobs (otherwise that's two stressful situations + one calm one, but not necessarily meaning it will lead to less chance for burning out again if say, one of the more intense jobs picks up pace and you're expected to carry the load of three jobs now).

Do you have to keep both of the intense jobs to meet your goals or could you drop one of them and take on this third calmer one?
I want to keep both of my current jobs.

Job 1: This takes 50-120 hours this month, completely depending on my ability. Non-negotiable item. The job is result-based and I don't get it finished this month, but only later, so the money from this job alone won't help me in time. I want to do this job.
Job 2: hourly project job. Flexible goals, work comes at unpredictable times. I can influence the amount of work, but doing too little work, I risk the clients growing impatient with the process and having them leave. My hours depends on whether we make an attractive offers for our clients. This may or may not offer enough money for my urgent needs (this month), depending on how much work I have. This is my best job so far, I want to keep it and keep the clients of the company, as well.

Job 3 (the one being asked). Steady pay, full time job. Uses the skills I already have, and the pay doesn't depend on my performance. I am not a bit anxious about how this job goes, and I can forget it after leaving the workplace. I don't have a say in my work schedules, which are most likely from 9 to 5.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
I hope I understand correctly. If I do, I would do more, less demanding of perfection, work short term. The uncertainty would be the most stress producing for me.
For me too, I believe..

But I'd also be stressed out when I couldn't do my hobbies and spend free time after .. say.. a 12hr long work day. I also might not be able to push myself to work on the 2 good jobs after the #3 "mediocre" job, which would be a catastrophe.

The problem is just that the jobs #1 and #2 are good, but the most pay doesn't come now from #1 and the #2 is in the start-up phase, with rather little hours of work in it. It can only support me if the clients buy our products and I get to work on them.
 
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