Not enjoying work - Thinking about a major change

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This could be a long one so I'll try and keep it short.

I've seen a few posts like this so I know I'm not alone. I'm more just thinking that if I write my thoughts down it will help me and any advice I get is a bonus.

For the past few weeks I have been getting really stressed in my job. I work as an engineer and have started to get more senior so have moved in to a position where I have more responsibility and I'm expected to lead things. This has resulted in me getting very stressed over the last few months (something I'm normally good at avoiding). The project I am on isn't that well set up, it is a challenging project and there been some politics involved, so there are some issues that could potentially go away after the next few weeks. Still I started thinking that things aren't great at my company and was looking to leave. The trouble is the more I thought about it, I'm not enjoying my work and I haven't been for a while!

I'm not bad at what I do, in fact there are some areas where I'm quicker and can find solutions that other's wouldn't, but in some areas I am not where I'd like to be and so overall I feel like I can get by and finish my work, but I am really treading water. Over the past few months I've been figuring out a bit more about myself and my personality. I am the sort of person that likes to be comfortable in my job, so I've started to feel that I should just quit and go for a completely different career change!

I am now reasonably well paid and I have to accept a change would mean a cut down in my lifestyle. I don't live outside my means and I have been sensible with my money so I know I can get by, even if it means not being able to do everything I want. (I feel this is a small sacrifice to be happier all-round). The biggest risk I feel is that I make a change in to a job I end up disliking, not experienced and paid less. If I can nail this I feel it will be well worth it though.

The other thing is I'm working abroad a lot on my current project so I'm finding it difficult to get time to get my head together and rewrite my CV let alone find time to go for an interview, so I might have to quit to get the free time to go through with this plan! But part of me is thinking that's an advantage as then I can spend more time researching this and go to many more interviews so I can try quite a few different jobs increasing the odds of finding something that will suit me.

I'm still torn on what to do. I'll see how it goes over te next few weeks, but I feel like I need a break and I suppose it would be possible to go back to what I do, but I don't think that's what I want and it will be at a level I'm not too keen to do!

I hear you. I've been thinking the same way recently.

i feel the same way hang in there somthing will pop up that your interested in

This is me as well. Sadly, I have been thinking this for > 20 years. I still haven’t figured it out.

I don’t know what causes me more stress/anxiety – thinking about my current work or contemplating be out of work.

I've actually quite good at avoiding stress, or at least anything I can't get over in about a minute, but I've been finding it hard to switch off even at weekends.

Well tomorrow I plan to go for the plunge and hand my notice in. I've got a few ideas of what to do afterwards, but with the project I'm on if I keep working on it I won't have time to do some proper research and have little time to go for any interviews so could make the wrong decision if I stay and end up in another job I'm not fully suited for. I've got a few friends who can help as well and have some short course I could look at.

Now is the time to try something new. I'm prepared for it to take a while and I have some other stuff I'd like to try and spend a bit of time on so hopefully a break will help me recharge and start enjoying life again.

Since the additional responsibility seems to be the main problem, couldn't you just go back to your old role?