Anyone broken free from professional life? Warning: rant

Wow, this thread took off. Some interesting stories. There's really no other time to start if you're unhappy than now.

My personal aim is to create a life where I: (this is a bit of brain-diarrhoea)

1. Get to ride a bike as much as possible.
   
2. Do something good for fellow people/the world.
   
3. Make use of the professional knowledge and experience I already have.
   
4. Align my daily activities to the things I really like to do, and have always had a natural aptitude for: designing, making, engineering, inventing.
   
5. Meeting and working face to face with like-minded people as much as possible.
   
   

I am so fed up with bureaucracy and small thinking that I want to make my own way in life so I really want to go out on my own and work for myself.

Now, to work out how bring all these things together and actually feed myself on this.

I remember talking to you years ago about those work problems, @dancing james - awesome to hear you not only got through it all, but are considerably happier now too...

Thanks, I am eternally grateful for how much life has changed and the people who helped support and guide me.

I had a really steady and satisfying job, I'd been there for a little over 20 years, I was in charge and had a great team. On the eve of my 50th birthday I was idly chatting to my director and told him I was having a party on the weekend. He realised I was about to turn 50 and qualified for early retirement, and offered to get me the figures. I thought nothing of it until the following week when he emailed them over. I thought it was a joke. It wasn't.
I talked it over with my partner, our kids were at secondary school, she was back at work, we were doing OK, so I took the plunge and the package. I had enough to pay off the mortgage and a few grand a year in a pension that just about covered the bills.
I spent a couple of years doing all sorts of jobs, I wouldn't say no to anything, but ended up overworked so stopped it all. I had managed to put a lot in the bank.
I then worked as a mechanic on a pro cycling team for two years, and a couple more years riding a neutral support motorbike. I got the odd bike mechanic job in between and now have regular slots on some events.
I rode several long bike tours, in some less well travelled parts of the world.
I set up a community bike workshop nearly three years ago, which is almost a full time job.
I do a bit of stuff with refugees helping with language and settling in, and some other work with homeless people (mostly getting them on bikes)
I teach safe urban driving courses, cycle training, and bike maintenance. Probably on average one day a week.
I am an active local cycle campaigner, a keen birdwatcher, I got a couple more rescue dogs than I can cope with.
I work when I want, always being offered jobs, and turn most of them down.
I was terrified when I first packed in the full time job, it was a really uncertain time. Now though I think I must be one of the luckiest people out there.

I'm sure you still have bad days, but that sounds amazing. well done you.

Interisting stuff here. Somewhat surprising this topic started off the same week I said goodbye to 50% of my job.

They seem like a lot of constraints, unless the numbering is also a way to prioritize them.

Could you be this guy?

Not so much broken free - more like released from the ***t Office after 38 years.
Am I institutionalised ?
Probably as in never having to deal with Tax/Nat. Ins/Pension stuff ( but then I've discovered its not that difficult and there is a reason I never showed much interest in that).
And I don't think I will rapidly decline without that 8 hours a day 40 hours a week structure but I will need some self imposed discipline if I am to do all the things I've wanted/want to do but excused myself from due to 'work' .

I can make a list :
1/ Music making
2/ Drawing & painting
3/ Pottery
4/ Gardening
5/ and cycling

and some voluntary stuff - complaining/campaigning should anyone need me :)

Strange and exciting times - so much leaving.
Its a milestone as we enter the new world >>>> sorry Crap Buzzwords thread

Great thread this is, good job @Invent , let me say your forum name is spot on already.

I am fairly young compared to other stories on here, having recently turned 29. I've always pretended to have clear ideas about what I wanted to do in life, spent loads of money to study to pursue a career I thought would be my lifelong job.
I have been working with my parents while growing up in a farm, I worked in kitchens while studying, and finally worked as a Structural Engineer for the past 6 years, for which I have been studying so long for. I've invested time and money (loans just done paying off) in this, so it hurts to admit to myself I am unhappy, but it would hurt even more to lie.
I initially thought it was a matter of the company, so I changed, I then thought it was a matter of the country (people in NY are more workaholic than in London), so I changed, now I am convinced it's a matter of any consultancy job done at a firm level. I still love the kernel behind it, but I grew sick and tired of the political games, bs and repetition that comes with the management aspect.

I am sold on the work-to-live, less-is-more, travel, change sooner than later, better sorry than safe and all the other philosophies listed above, and even considering yoga (as soon as my collarbone is fine). But in total honesty my main fear is the fact that this ultimately boils down to being lucky.

I often find myself thinking, "what would it be like to take the thing you like the most and turn it into a job?" nobody can guarantee you'd still love it the same. Imagine having sex, who doesn't like it, now imagine having it 40h a week, with the same girl, for 50 weeks a year, would you still like it? My point is, you need to be lucky to try a job cause you think you like it, and actually do, and some bastards actually do (or convince them enought to believe it), lucky them.
I love cooking and like 50% of the Italians abroad I'd like to turn that into a profession someday (catering? food stall? gastro pub?), but would hate to see that becoming something that ties me down and suffocates me, the same way my current job is doing now. To the point that I might not even ever try.

To come to the point, I will soon quit my job, again, and travel for a year, luckily my gf is on the same page and I will be able to do this with her. I am sure it will be great, but I also hope it will answer questions I am not aware of at the moment, hoping it will shed some light on the doubts above.

Interesting and inspiring thread! Can we ever truly be 'free' in modern society which seems to be so advanced and provides so much information, yet demands so much from us, in addition to the pressure we put on ourselves?

I come from a family of restless spirits and 'the grass in always greeners'. Having grown up in numerous countries, with dual nationality, and family at opposite ends of the earth, none of the qualifications and accolades my siblings and I have gained, or their respective professions (veterinary medicine, architecture, broadcast journalism etc) have managed to fulfil us, so we seem to have spent our working lives doing lots of foreign travel, loads of things outside our jobs and in my case, changing career paths, gradually working out what I'm good at and what feels authentically worthwhile and fulfilling to me, and not detrimental to my emotional wellbeing, for the sake of pleasing others or making more money.

It sounds a bit clichéd but I think experiencing some sort of life-changing event such as a serious illness, accident, bereavement, redundancy etc. can provide a natural opportunity to take stock and perhaps take a long dreamed of leap of faith. If you can make changes without waiting for a major predicament to arise, that's great. I can understand why it might feel impossible to walk away from a vocation that took you 7+ years to train for but ultimately, no one will thank you for staying in the profession, if it means you're growing increasingly resentful, bored or miserable. And I don't think anyone would judge you if you decided to return to medicine later either. Thankfully we live in an age when it's not so weird to chop and change many times if we wish.

Fascinating thread this, particularly as I do career guidance/counselling (this is not a pitch for clients btw) and am seeing an increasing number of people who are giving up the 9-5. As I work in the creative industries the switch is to go freelance, then I see clients who aren't earning enough by freelancing and it my job to reinvigorate their business.

The world of work has changed dramatically in the past 10-15 years in that we are worked harder, paid comparitively less (If I wanted to go back full time in my previous job I'd be paid £3k more than I was 17 years ago - crazy/not worth the effort). We also have far less switch off time - think how many of us are glued to our phones, constantly checking emails, statuses, the news etc. It can be relentless.

@Miss_Mouse is right when she says often there is a trigger.

Mine was being off sick from a car crash and sitting in the jacuzzi at the gym at 8.50 am, looking at the clock on the wall, thinking about everyone rushing to work, and wondering why the hell I had to go off sick to get any quality of life!

I might be able to (in theory) dictate my working hours but it is tough. It's great having time to go the gym I just wish I could still afford the posh gym fees so I could sit in the jacuzzi again.

*Googles "garden hot tubs"....

Flipping heck! ££££££££££

"I love cooking and like 50% of the Italians abroad I'd like to turn that into a profession someday (catering? food stall? gastro pub?), "

A friend of @Apone has just made the transition and is loving it, and his place down in Brighton is doing really well...

I used to work 4 days and didn't mind going in to work, even looked forward to it and was happy to be there. 3 day weekend felt like I wasn't there that much. Now doing 5 days, 2 day weekend. Feels like I'm always there, increasingly hating waking up to go to work.

It's exactly the same job in the same office.

4 day working week makes a lot of sense.

I'll be dropping back down soon as possible as quality of life is dramatically better for that one day.

This is exactly what I requested, but it was turned down. Would've stayed but now looking for next job.

A former colleague just took every Wednesday off as holiday for about 4 months. He loved it.

Friend of mine accrued so much overtime he was asked to take it as time in lieu........
He did a four day week for a year.......

My wife switched from 5 to 4 days. On the basis:

1. She took calls at the weekend so was doing more than 5 anyway.
   
2. She needed time away from the rockface. (she's a headteacher).
   
3. She is bloody good ar her job and her governors recognised that.
   
   

Not exactly escaping from professional life but breaking the mould. It has made a big difference to her personal wellbeing and her attitude towards work. Arguably she's doing a better job. Certainly means she's prepared to carry on for longer. The alternative was to step away altogether and the school would have lost its leader and her skills would have left tbe'market'.

Ironically she has been headhunted for an exec role...5 days a week with travelling but without the direct responsibility for staff, pupils or bloody parents. This is her dream job!

A friend of @Apone has just made the transition and is loving it, and his place down in Brighton is doing really well...

Really good to hear this!

curious about the golden handcuffs....what does this mean?

Great to hear he made it and still love it! I have heard all sort of stories, from friends importing olive oil in the states and making milions, to people loosing money and faith in their dreams.

Can't really see the way to crack the doubt without trying it myself.

What's the place called? I'm often in Brighton, I might just go for a chat and add one more story to the list.

It means that I'd take a massive paycut if I left - unless I did a similar job at a competitor, but then I would lose my shares in the current company (I'm not sure moving sideways would be healthy anyway). So if I leave it has to be to do something that I'm willing to take the paycut for.

http://www.cincin.co.uk/

If you're interested in using your medical skills to do some real "good" out there in the world, perhaps joining up for a stint with an organisation like Medecins sans Frontieres might be worth a punt for a change of scenery? That would tick number 2 and 3 on your list. Is a sabbatical possible as well? I know my employer has schemes in place which allow these sorts of career breaks.

If you're interested in changing careers but making use of your medical knowledge, you could do what I did and become a professional editor. I come from a research background, but there are quite a few medics (or ex-medics rather) where I work. Feel free to ping me a message if you'd like to hear more.

One of my friends packed up a career in IT to become first a paramedic, then a cycle paramedic, and she really enjoyed that, although the emergency services are super stretched and underfunded at the moment.

I think he's referring to being in a well paid job which makes you feel trapped.

It's financial security, which is addictive as the alternative is scary, especially if you've been broke before, but it sucks out the energy to do the things you enjoy.

You end up becoming a miserable money making machine with an inflated but hollow lifestyle, living to pay your mortgage and credit card debt every month.