https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:35:37 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543906 Sun, 23 Aug 2015 01:45:29 +0000 Anonymous 1543906@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Take care of yourself, Kari. I hope the time off will rejuvenate you. Hugs! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543415 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 23:16:14 +0000 kerry 1543415@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I joined YLF last year when I was on a LOA (2 weeks). The LOA was just what I needed to gain some much needed space and make important changes. Eighteen months later life is dramatically different and I feel so much more myself. I hope you find some clarity in the space you've created by taking this time. Wishing you wisdom and joy in the coming months. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543345 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 21:12:40 +0000 Marlene 1543345@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hope this LOA gives you the clarity you are seeking. &nbsp;Take care of yourself. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543309 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 19:53:40 +0000 annagybe 1543309@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Take care of yourself. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543276 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 18:58:54 +0000 catgirl 1543276@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hugs, Kari - I hope we can meet up in Seattle and talk in person. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543239 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 17:58:45 +0000 abc 1543239@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hugs to you, I hope you feel better soon and the LOA provides some clarity. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543135 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 15:24:31 +0000 Adelfa 1543135@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>So sorry things have been so hard, Kari. I wish for you to relax and heal on this leave, and also to find some clarity! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543110 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 14:25:35 +0000 Angie 1543110@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm glad you're having downtime to figure this all out, Karie. Good luck, and keep us posted. We are here to support you if and when you need it. Much love to you and Lucy.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543071 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 13:32:09 +0000 jackiec 1543071@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hi Kari, I'm sorry things have been so stressful for you. I'm glad you are able to take a leave to recoup and reassess. I'll be thinking about you and it sure would be nice to see you more around here (stress outlet). Take care. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543056 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 12:39:54 +0000 Glory 1543056@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari I am sorry to hear things are so hectic for you. It is a great first step to see what is going on and then figure out what you would like to do about it. Be good to yourself! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543042 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 11:08:49 +0000 Anonymous 1543042@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh, Kari. I'm so sorry things have been so awful for you lately. A job and stress like that is not worth your health at all. Take all the time you need to recuperate and think carefully about your next life step. Big ((hugs)) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543038 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 10:51:16 +0000 cheryle (Dianthus) 1543038@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari, I am sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. &nbsp;My feeling on it is that we work to earn money so that we can enjoy life. &nbsp;Perhaps you can use the time off to figure out if the job can be salvaged and if the good outweigh the bad. &nbsp;If work is impeding the enjoyment of life, then it is not achieving the objective and it is time to consider change.</p> <p>Is it possible that the wedding stress is contributing as well? &nbsp;Have you resolved the issues with B about the type of wedding and the arrangements?&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543028 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 09:38:13 +0000 Summer 1543028@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>No job is worth wrecking your health for, Kari. &nbsp;I'm glad that you are stepping back for awhile to recuperate - take plenty of time to unwind and regather your thoughts.<br />You have a beautiful wardrobe which will take care of itself for a while, and while a smaller budget can be frustrating at times, it does give the opportunity for some very focused thinking.<br />Please take care, and enjoy spending a little more time here on YLF. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1543016 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 08:13:07 +0000 harmonica 1543016@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hugs Kari. You are making an important change by slowing down now. Change can be painful, but it is important to listen to your body. Take care! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542933 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 02:18:42 +0000 Beth 1542933@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Kari, I wish I could just reach out and give you a hug through the laptop screen. And then we'd go have lunch at a corner table somewhere and talk turkey.</p> <p>I'm glad you're taking the LOA. It'll give you a chance to really reassess where you are and what you want. Balance is so important, and there's no job that's worth your health.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542913 Fri, 21 Aug 2015 02:02:56 +0000 Anonymous 1542913@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm very sorry Kari. I have no words of wisdom but take care of yourself. Never under estimate the healing power of a hot bath and a good walk </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542776 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 20:58:10 +0000 Laura (rhubarbgirl) 1542776@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I'm glad you're able to take a leave and relax and reassess. Stress can manifest itself in a lot of ways and it takes a long time to 'come down'. I think it took me a year after I got out of tech until I felt like I was no longer sleep-deprived. Take care of yourself and don't set too many goals too fast (says the voice of experience). </p> <p>I could write a tome about my own similar issues, but in brief I'll just say that one of the reasons I left my last office job, and before that left the tech industry, is that my mental and physical health issues were being exacerbated by my job. Some people can handle that kind of constant stress and work all the time, and some people (namely me) just can't. I still feel like a failure when I think about it, and honestly I haven't solved the blow to my self-esteem yet. Work is where most adults spend most of their lives; it's where we have most of our social interaction with people and it's where we get a lot of our identity and sense of purpose. So I get the fear about being away from an environment that is challenging and makes you feel like you're learning new things all the time and really contributing.</p> <p>In a larger, societal sense, I hate that we're all doing this to ourselves - we are one of the most fortunate groups of people in the history of this planet, but everyone is so afraid of losing their jobs and losing the tenuous grip they have on their economic success that we spend all our time working, and when we're not working, we're stuck in the mindset of our jobs that we've learned how to ape out of self-defense. Anyway, that's a rant for another day... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542731 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 19:06:15 +0000 Diana 1542731@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Big hugs, Kari.&nbsp; I hope things calm down for you soon.&nbsp; I'm very glad you're taking a leave of absence - it sounds like you really need it.&nbsp; </p> <p>I'm going to send you a PM too.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542724 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 18:32:57 +0000 Alassë 1542724@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I look forward to seeing you on the forum more and hope that this leave affords you time to decide what work/life ratios work for you. All the best, Kari. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542717 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 18:10:44 +0000 Maneera 1542717@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I hope you feel better soon, Kari. Your hectic workload sounds like a recipe for disaster. It's good you've got this break to sort things out in your head....and see how your health fares without the extra stress. I highly recommend meditation to relax and reach a place of calm.....it works...especially when your mind and body need some downtime to heal, relax, unwind and rejuvenate. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542715 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 18:09:38 +0000 Eliza 1542715@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thinking of you, Kari. Good to take a leave and make your health the priority. Well worth it to think through the work-life balance dilemmas. The ubiquitous 24/7 connection to work demands becomes extra burdensome in environments with unpleasant dynamics. All the best to you. Looking forward to seeing you here as you have time. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542713 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 18:05:31 +0000 Anonymous 1542713@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Life can be overwhelming sometimes.&nbsp; It's good you're stepping back to regroup.&nbsp; Be kind to yourself and stop to smell the roses!&nbsp; And breathe.... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542693 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 17:36:41 +0000 deb 1542693@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Oh Kari, I am so sorry to hear this. You need to take care of yourself first as you are doing. Good for you. Deciding on career/life issues is so hard. We are here no matter what you decide to do. &nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/rethinking-worklife#post-1542691 Thu, 20 Aug 2015 17:26:35 +0000 Kari 1542691@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I've been going through a bit of a crisis in recent months with social stuff, and I've posted about that, but there has been another component I haven't felt ready to share publicly until now.&nbsp; I've been working for 2+ years at a corporation that has a very intense work load, especially at certain times of the year.&nbsp; Due in large part to the amount of work and stress, I've struggled recently with resurfacing depression and insomnia, and my health has hit a breaking point to the extent where I'm now beginning a medical leave of absence.</p> <p>There are a lot of other underlying issues, some of which are specific to my team and some of which are part of the company culture.&nbsp; My workplace unfortunately has a reputation for these very sorts of problems (I won't name it for privacy reasons.) </p> <p>As I'm trying to recuperate and get some balance in my life, I'm hoping to figure out if I can even stick it out at this organization.&nbsp; There are a lot of things I really like about it, namely the smart, team oriented, collaborative people that I work with and the exposure to work I hadn't been able to do elsewhere.&nbsp; I won't say I'm the "breadwinner" necessarily, but my salary is definitely the highest in my household.&nbsp; But the lack of balance is taking its toll on my body and my life, and I've been letting everyone down.&nbsp; I haven't made headway at all on planning my wedding, I collapse and sleep after I get home from work, and I can't keep up with all of my professional projects.</p> <p>I'm hoping to participate on YLF a bit more after not having time for it in these past couple years, and drastically missing social interactions that I used to have during my active participation.&nbsp; However, as I'm on leave and grappling with what my future employment will look like, I am curtailing my budget dramatically.&nbsp; I purchased wisely during NAS, filling a lot of holes and needs so that my wardrobe is in a GREAT place, but I think that will be my last hurrah for shopping for quite a while. </p>