Rush it through, don't be slow, BLT on rye to go

[cyrano]

I have too many things going on in my life.
I've known this for a while, but it's become impossible to just work a little harder and ignore it.
Especially now that I've re-added going to the gym to my schedule, and I'm starting to write again, and I'm trying to find out where guitar lessons fit in.

My current disposition is not a career I'm prepared to stay in for another twenty years. However, I've become accustomed to my current salary level and am not ready to go back to minimum wage levels again. There are a limited number of options that fit both of those sentences, most of which involve going back to school. And if I go back to school, I don't want it to be like last time where I went and learned things I wanted to know. I need to get in, get the paper, and get out.

My brain is full. May I be excused?

Comments

[9thmoon.livejournal.com]

It's good to think about these things. I've been thinking, too. And the thing about school is... it takes up a lot of time!

[miss-friday.livejournal.com]

There is just as much useless, yet required, knowledge floating about today as there was when you left.

If you are becoming accustomed to your salary, keep the job for as long as you can. Maybe try to move up a level or two.

Balancing everything is hard. Prioritize. Keep your health and well-being at the top.

[amanda_lodden.livejournal.com]

It's hard when what you want to do doesn't match up with what you want to make.

However, what's worked for me (and I realize this will be controversial) is to ride the rollercoaster. I *liked* being a tech, but Things Happened and I found myself thrust more and more into roles that I hated at the time, but turned out to be good at.

You are in a position, whether you realize it or not, to have many opportunities come sidling up to you via friends who have similar "wanna do something different!" tendencies. The trick is being prepared to jump on an interesting one. For now, work on putting yourself in a position to take advantage of an interesting detour-- pay off any debt, save a bit so that you can make it through some lean times, keep your resume and skills current, learn how to learn on the fly (you do pretty good at that from what I've observed), and learn how to automate as much of the boring bits of your life as possible.

I too am stuck in a "can't keep up as it is, can't work harder" cycle, and learning to step back and simplify processes has been very hard, but very worthwhile when I manage it.