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What is your dream job/salary?
- Thread starter Dodgeman
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What an illuminating post!
But glad you are almost doing your dream job.
Thanks. Here is a link to another time I posted about this, with more details. It was called 'inspiring". That was almost 7 years ago. A lot has changed since then, but I'm still enjoying the ride.
When I started your post I misread what you wrote as lightning, and I thought, "This is gonna be good".
Then I thought I read "entertainment lightning", and I thought, "This is gonna be really good". Visions of Van de Graaf generators, Lichtenberg figures, and giant electrical machines sprang to mind.
Then I got to "dimmer switches" and realized my mistake. Seeing the amount of text you subsequently wrote about lighting (not lightning), I was a bit disappointed. Still, your story was a good read, and I'm glad you're basically living your dream-adjacent job.
I’ve been working from home exclusively for the past 7 months. It’s great and I’m very thankful that I’m able to do it, but it’s not quite like I thought it would be.
One thing I didn’t realize is how much of my people interactions occurred in the office. I’m generally an introvert so I don’t require that much socialization, but I do believe everyone needs some for mental health reasons and after a few months, I started feel feel like I was definitely lacking there.
The other thing that’s a challenge is that there aren’t any natural transitions into and out of “work mode”. My commute used to serve that purpose. It’s a bit of a challenge getting started working on projects 15-20 minutes after waking up, or switching into “Husband/Dad mode” the instant I walk out of the office.
These are small things of course, and like I said, I’m grateful. I’ve been working towards this for five years now with my current employer. Just said all that to say that the ideal scenario is often slightly less than ideal.
What work do you do that allows you to work form home?
(Personally that has never been a thought in my head, curious as to how it would play out if I had that option.)
I work for a commercial bank in the US. I guess the best way to describe my job is “data consultant”. Basically, we (my boss and his team) help insure the quality of the data used and created by commercial lending and the various groups that support commercial lending.
A normal day looks like a few conference calls, mining data, going through process/systems documentation and lots of “trying to figure out why something looks the way it does”.
It would probably bore the life out of 90% of people but I like it.
I can work from Home whenever I want, but unless I need to be at home for a workman I generally don't.
Your right that a commute does help you separate work from home.
Of course I do work from Home quite often in the evenings and weekends!
Agreed that a commute - or, even a short walk - something that distances you physically from where you work - can serve as a good separating filtering function between the two.
But, sometimes, especially when I am writing, or researching, I work from home. I welcome the silence and the solitude, because I regard the very idea of an open plan office as the spawn of Satan; certainly, I can never get meaningful work done in such an environment, work that requires some thought.
Agree with @AlliFlowers that even introverts (and I am one, as well) need occasional professional (and personal) encounters with the rest of the human race. However, these days, I find that one or two days a week can meet that need.
I've worked from my home office for the last 15 years as a dev/architect/writer. I do occasionally have to make a trek up into town (~30 minutes), and a couple of times a year might take a business trip OOT (ATL, DC mostly) - but usually I'm here. I did a lengthy-ish gig in SV/SF for a few months in the AR/VR space, that was significant travel, but the comp was vulgar
The HO happens to be 2 blocks from the ocean, so when the waves are awesome, the day is great, pretty much any time where I'm not under-the-gun for a deliverable, I can close "the office"
I'm my own boss, we've bailed on clients we decided caused too much grief, I'm in a position where I can be very selective about the type of work I take on. Clients to come to us, I haven't been on a "sales call" in two decades I've worked from my home office for the last 15 years as a dev/architect/writer. I do occasionally have to make a trek up into town (~30 minutes), and a couple of times a year might take a business trip OOT (ATL, DC mostly) - but usually I'm here. I did a lengthy-ish gig in SV/SF for a few months in the AR/VR space, that was significant travel, but the comp was vulgar
The HO happens to be 2 blocks from the ocean, so when the waves are awesome, the day is great, pretty much any time where I'm not under-the-gun for a deliverable, I can close "the office"
Must be nice to get a sick comp.
Lol at being able to stop working when you want & wish I could do the same.
That says something though when a person is that much of a headache that you don't want to take their money & I guess in your case don't need to...
Well, I guess part of my point: I place a lot of value in not having to daily commute, to being here / picking up my daughter from school, being able to take a long weekend down at Universal on a whim. I wouldn't take twice our revenue if it meant sacrificing those types of freedoms. Plus, it's my experience - and our particular lifestyle choices - there's not much we' do different within a pretty wide range of revenue difference (if that makes sense, sorry, that wasn't articulated very well ... last night was a late one
)Well, I guess part of my point: I place a lot of value in not having to daily commute, to being here / picking up my daughter from school, being able to take a long weekend down at Universal on a whim. I wouldn't take twice our revenue if it meant sacrificing those types of freedoms. Plus, it's my experience - and our particular lifestyle choices - there's not much we' do different within a pretty wide range of revenue difference (if that makes sense, sorry, that wasn't articulated very well ... last night was a late one
lol yeah. Funny enough I am on the fence of wanting a pay cut and more at home time vs. about 15k-20k more in pay & a lot less at home time. Wonder If I will feel the difference.
Dream job would be able to dabble in my various hobbies (Photgraphy, Hiking, Audio Editing/ Live Sound Engineering, 3D CAD Modeling) and add a few new hobbies (podcasting / writing & preferably podcasting/ writing about said current hobbies).
If I could replace my current salary/benefits and add a bit on top of it, that would be great.
If I could replace my current salary/benefits and add a bit on top of it, that would be great.
What's a mimi retirement? Based on my predicted pension I think I'll be having a mini retirement!
I got tired of working, so I'm taking a year off.
Taking time out is an excellent idea; it allows you to change perspective, see and do new things, and return with renewed energies should you wish to resume your old life.
Like they say, you only live once. I'm 52 and I'm enjoying life before I get old. I plan on entering geriatrics in poverty, with one of those reverse mortgages.
I could never work at home full time, I feel like between the isolation, same environment all day/night, limited interpersonal communication, etc, I would go stir crazy.
I can do some work from home, basically the more mundane and monotonous stuff like approving prescriptions/reviewing patient profiles. But I’d rather separate my work life and home life. Once a while is nice, but it’s not something I’d want to every day of my life.
I'm an introvert, and much of my work involves writing, thinking and researching - even in my current work.
Mundane stuff - letters, emails, swift banal reports, I can do while suffering the background noise of others.
But, for serious thinking, and researching and - above all - serious writing, I want privacy and solitude.
Professionally, I long for an office of my own (and - oddly - for much if not most of my professional life to date - this is what I have enjoyed).
As for social interaction - above all, professional social interaction, I am happy to meet with people over coffee (my daily fix in a professional setting), or in mess halls or when hosting proper dinners.