Almost a year ago, I finished packing up a few things, walked out of my cubicle, said goodbye to the few people who were in the corridor, took the elevator down to the lobby, walked out of the skycraper in the financial district of Boston, and left my career behind. This was after ten years of working there, and after giving one year in notice. As I walked through those revolving doors, a weight was off my shoulders. No longer would my husband and I struggle over who would stay home with a sick child, who would rush home to do pickup, and who would skip work when the bad New England weather caused daycare to close.
A few weeks later, a new weight was there – a smaller one, but a weight nonetheless. This weight was concern over our family finances, and concern over whether I’d be employable when I was ready to reenter the workforce. I had a great opportunity – for a very part-time job, in my field, that wasn’t incredibly lucrative, but would keep my resume fresh.
For someone used to working full time, part time is actually really hard. It’s tough to go in and out of the work mentality. I think I’ve worked out a good system, setting specific hours that I work. But, I still have to be mindful of myself, or I end up working more than I should. The company I am working for actually needs more than I’m able to give, and I really had to think about it – but I decided to leave. After all, I had to remember what it felt like to have the weight completely gone.
Now, I have an amazing freelance writing opportunity, and some chances to work with some wonderful companies. I look forward to this new chapter.
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Thanks for sharing your journey. Having options is a good thing, but it doesn’t make decision-making any easier. Looking forward to learning more about your freelance work.