Sometimes I'm jealous

TCMom78

I am usually happy when I'm at work, but I hate that work follows me home and on vacations. I am on a billable hour system as an attorney. Some days I wish I had a nine to five, and even wish I had something really remedial. Maybe it's the seven year itch, coming back from maternity leave, or lack of sleep... But the anxiety is just killing me! Any commiserations?

saraboston

That's the great thing about working in a hospital--thanks to HIPPA I can't bring work home with me. Then again, I wish I could bill attorney hours...

dglvrk2

My sister and I are both teachers.  We do thank our stars for the time off we get: me 4 3-week breaks per year and her 12 weeks in the summer.  However, we've tried to find a fulfilling job that doesn't follow you home in some way.  It's been years.  We have yet to find it.  Some medical professionals like nurses don't have work to take home, but they come home exhausted and emotionally drained.  My nurse friends often get called into work or offered extra time on days off and feel guilty when they don't take it.  

I think it's part of being a professional.  It's tough, I know.   

MrsN052408

I'm a lurker but can commiserate if you want to hear it. I'm a salaried nurse manager climbing the ladder to the C suite. I work no less than 50 hours a week sometimes more depending on what's going on. I feel like I need to be working 60 to be doing a good job. I have a 45 minute commute each way. I have a 3 year old and 5 month old. I feel like I am not doing any role well: mom, wife, employee. I am so tired of just keeping up. Sometimes I wish I were a staff nurse working 3 twelve hour shifts a week punching the time clock.

But, I like what I do. I commute because it's the best hospital in the county and I won't move away from my good child are. And, I know that the 5 month old will eventually grow to not need me so much in the middle of the night. I think it will be okay if I can hang on during these years when my family is young. Hang in there! You are not alone.

blh226

I'm an attorney too. I have to draw a line somewhere. When I'm at work, I'm at work, and I will work 12-hour days, but when I go home. I am at home. I asked my boss to text me. I only answer if the world will end.

littlestjerry

Ever since I was a public defender, I've vowed to try to stay in a job that follows me home as little as humanly possible. My current job requires nothing beyond my working hours, but I'm going to be a prosecutor in 2 weeks. I'm hoping I can keep it as 9-5 as possible.

I will say that my current job is really easy and barely requires a law degree. It's great that I don't take work home, but it's been challenging to my sense of self-worth and my ego. So, every situation has its downsides.

I would be so bad at billable hours, though. I feel for you!

azuremama

Yes! I'm an attorney but I work for the government, so not on billables. Most of the time, I don't worry about work at home, but I have a few cases that keep me up at night. Ugh. I'm 13 years out of law school (yikes, how did that happen?) and I swear the number of people I know from law school who are still in law is dwindling. Can you think of it as a potential stepping stone to government or in-house, where the hours and stress level might be better?

emberlee3

I am a hospitalist, but even though it's technically "shift" work, I often end up taking care of scheduling tests or following up with patients after I discharge them.  My pager seems to go off all the time even when I am not technically working.  Or I get called to cover for a colleague who is sick or has a family emergency...yes, I totally get what you are saying.