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contractor burnout ... career break?

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    contractor burnout ... career break?

    hi all

    I've been contracting for the past 4 years and was a permie developer for about 7 years before that! The contract I'm on now is the best pay I've ever had. It's quite a good working atmosphere too but the actual project I'm on ain't the most interesting ... (reporting/invoicing/MIS etc ..yawn) ... even though the money is good, I'm just not motivated by it anymore
    I'm blaming the contract I'm on but I'm wondering if it would be different on any other contract!

    Have I got a dose of contractor burnout?
    Anyone else had these symptoms?

    What about a career break? Has anyone felt like me and then just jacked it in golne travelling for 3 to 6 months? What did you do when you got back?

    #2
    Originally posted by hgllgh View Post
    What about a career break? Has anyone felt like me and then just jacked it in golne travelling for 3 to 6 months? What did you do when you got back?
    Yes, for the last couple of years I have skipped winter.
    It has taken me 3-4 weeks each time to get a contract upon my return to Europe. This year I'll probably work through. good, but boring, contract and I need to top-up my pension fund - getting near retirment age...
    Bored.

    Comment


      #3
      Do what I do: cycle to the client, each cadence say to yourself "Show me the money"

      More often I sing Wombles songs, but you get the basic idea.

      threaded in "healthy body, healthy mind" mode
      Insanity: repeating the same actions, but expecting different results.
      threadeds website, and here's my blog.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by hgllgh View Post
        Have I got a dose of contractor burnout?
        Anyone else had these symptoms?
        Exactly those - I've only been contracting for a couple of years but was a permie in IT for a long time before and part of the reason I went contracting was because I thought it might break the monotony of permie life. It seemed to for a while but now I'm back to just hating anything with a keyboard.

        My current gig is due for renewal soon and I'm just so not bothered, we can't really afford it but I'm really thinking of just bumming around for a while till the money runs out... I might see if I can think of something to sell on ebay or something.
        Eeyore was very glad to be able to stop thinking for a little, in order to say "How do you do" in a gloomy manner to Pooh.
        "And how are you?" said Winnie-the-Pooh.
        Eeyore shook his head from side to side. "Not very how," he said. "I don't seem to felt at all how for a long time."

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by threaded View Post
          Do what I do: cycle to the client, each cadence say to yourself "Show me the money"
          now that made me laugh.


          i'll give it try

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by kali View Post
            I might see if I can think of something to sell on ebay or something.

            Phew. No money worries then.
            Seriousley though if you really don't care about the job, I would say firstly you should stick in a high-ball renewal bid, you know inflation and all that. Say +33%. You can then enjoy making your pimp suffer and if they give in you can enjoy making all that extra dosh.
            Bored.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by ace00 View Post
              Yes, for the last couple of years I have skipped winter.
              It has taken me 3-4 weeks each time to get a contract upon my return to Europe. This year I'll probably work through. good, but boring, contract and I need to top-up my pension fund - getting near retirment age...
              but do you feel refreshed/invigorated when you get back and start contracting?

              Comment


                #8
                FFS Quit yer whinging. The time is rapidly coming when you'll be begging for work, any work.
                Hard Brexit now!
                #prayfornodeal

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by hgllgh View Post
                  but do you feel refreshed/invigorated when you get back and start contracting?
                  Yes sir I do. Even lasts a few months into the contract. Then you can spend a few months dreaming about your next break and then it's holiday time
                  Bored.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by kali View Post
                    Exactly those - I've only been contracting for a couple of years but was a permie in IT for a long time before and part of the reason I went contracting was because I thought it might break the monotony of permie life. It seemed to for a while but now I'm back to just hating anything with a keyboard.

                    My current gig is due for renewal soon and I'm just so not bothered, we can't really afford it but I'm really thinking of just bumming around for a while till the money runs out... I might see if I can think of something to sell on ebay or something.
                    Exactly the same positions as yourself, except that my renewal isn't happening. Contract is ending .... when they told me I was like " yeh ... that's fine" and felt relieved

                    I could actually afford to take a couple of years off quite easily and start up again still with sizeable deposits in my business account!!! What I really want to do is get some of my own projects off the ground so I might spend some time doing that although I will still feel like I'm paying loads of stupid rent and not earning anything!!

                    Comment

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