What to Do When You Are Tired of Working Full Time
By Ellie Williams
Spending day after day staring at a computer screen can take its toll. You might feel the rest of your life is passing you by or simply experience burnout. You’re not doomed to spend your days trapped in your cubicle wondering what might have been, however. Even in a shaky economy, you can often reinvent your career to afford time for both work and play.
Reduce Your Hours
If you don’t want to leave the corporate world behind, switch to part-time work. You might earn less, but you can often make the transition by cutting living expenses or searching for jobs that pay a higher hourly wage. In addition, some organizations offer benefits such as health insurance for part-time employees, giving you some of the security associated with a full-time job without as many demands on your time. This option doesn’t necessarily require abandoning your current gig. If you’re happy with your current employer, ask your boss about cutting your hours or moving to a part-time position within the company.
Take a Sabbatical
Sometimes, a short break is all you need to return to the workplace refreshed and with renewed commitment to your career. Many major organizations offer both paid and unpaid sabbaticals, so your boss might understand if you want to step away briefly. However, this strategy works best if you’re a highly valued employee or play a vital role in the company’s success. Describe to the company how you plan to use this time and why a break will make you a better employee. Make a plan for your sabbatical, ideally devoting your time to pursuing personal interests or projects.
Temporary Work
Add variety and flexibility to your work schedule by opting for temp jobs instead of a single full-time position. With this strategy, you can vary your hours based on your needs. If you want to spend more time with your kids or want to take a class, for example, you can scale back your workload. When you have extra expenses, on the other hand, you can request more assignments. With many companies unable to fund additional full-time positions, some are turning to temp workers instead, meaning you’ll likely find these opportunities plentiful.
Consider Telecommuting
Search for ways to support yourself without spending your entire day at the office. Ask your boss if you can work from home a few hours or days a week. Or, launch your own freelance business where you can set your own schedule. Evaluate the skills you use every day at your full-time job and then brainstorm how you can sell these same talents yourself to multiple clients. If you have strong written communication skills, consider working as a freelance writer. If you’re skilled at time management and organization, you might be well-suited to a career as a virtual assistant.
This article was originally posted in Chron.
