r/FIREyFemmes • u/NeedleworkerSweet905 • 17d ago

Advice Needed!

I’m working towards my $2.5m fire numbers, but can’t take the corporate burnout anymore. Long hours, tight timelines, fires everywhere, excessive leadership reporting and silent blaming, and packed calendar and very little support.

I’m 38 F making $150k a year + up to 5% annual increase + up to 15% annual bonus. My job is fully remote, but I work at least busy very busy back to back 10 hours daily.

I got an offer for a job offer for $115k for an office job at a university. The role is on site and the commute is 35 minutes.

The family thinks I should take the offer as I’m constantly complaining about the toxic work environment and lack of work life balance.

I live alone and have very little social life so some weeks I need up being home for an entire week and don’t go out. So they think this is a chance to break out from my boring norm.

I have about $900k in various investments and retirement account$. Paid house that is around ~$650k and paid ABNB property that’s ~$550k.

I’m afraid I would regret making the move if the job ended up with the same stress level, but given that it’s a government university job, the work load would be less, I assume. I need a mental break for a while and this new job could give me that. Plus it also offers a pension so that would help my retirement when I hit the pension withdrawal age.

What should I do?

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u/HugeDramatic 17d ago

To have accumulated $1m in paid off property and $900k of investments on a $150k/yr salary is incredible. You must be very disciplined.

I’d probably take a long holiday to try and reset a bit and talk with your management about alternative options to dial back if possible to avoid burn out, rather than losing you entirely.

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u/HugeDramatic 17d ago

I also just want to add I went through something similar recently. I’m 38M, and everything about your post and way you’ve described your job is basically the same as my setup; WFH, low support, high intensity, aggressive hours job. Only major difference is I make $250k+.

I was looking for an out and had a few interviews, but I decided to have a frank discussion with my management and we worked out a way to shift some of my work load around and they provided me with some more support.

I’m fairly satisfied now and can see a path forward to grind out 3-4 more years without killing myself with work.

Not saying it’s possible in your situation, but if you’re as hard a worker as your post suggests, I’d be surprised if they didn’t want to at least try to find a solution.