Work/Life Balance

[worsleyweb]

I have been a train guard for the past 3 years.As of tomorrow i start as a train driver.

I was in the Ambulance service 13 years,the railway offered me,and half a dozen of my colleagues from the same station,an escape from that.

Being a paramedic is a very stressful and often thankless occupation,it tests every part of your make up and your emotions and,while there are good times,they are infrequent as almost everyday you leave work in a frustrated,angry or even a depressive state - i was at breaking point both mentally and physically.

So...while i wouldn't say don't become a Paramedic,please make sure your daughter is fully aware of the impact it will have on every aspect of her life.

Thanks - great achievement on becoming a train driver. hope all goes well, I am sure it will.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Yeah all the very best mate.

I won't go into too much detail but i've had an horrendous few months work wise with me going from feeling on top of the world to basically being at rock bottom.

Only thing i have to look forward to from now on is work as there will be little balance to be had and retirement will happen when i drop dead as it stands.

Get your railway application in pal,its a home for all us waifs and strays ;-)

 

[FantasyIreland]

Thanks - great achievement on becoming a train driver. hope all goes well, I am sure it will.

Thank you Worsley :-)

 

[Blue Maverick]

Lucky you!! What ideas do you have about retirement ? For me (I’m 45 but plan to retire within 10year), I’m considering either getting into business consulting or some type of trading business (that I can get my little lad involved in).

Well my daughter will be nearly 9 when I finish, I’ll be a sprightly 52, so it will be something* around school hours, maybe delivering prescriptions for a chemist or something like that, no weekends or nights ever again. My wife is 12 years younger so has years to work, with no mortgage my pension will pay all the bills and her money will be for saving and spending. If we can save enough might buy another house to rent out, who knows I may become a property magnet ;)

 

[manchester blue]

I have been a train guard for the past 3 years.As of tomorrow i start as a train driver.

I was in the Ambulance service 13 years,the railway offered me,and half a dozen of my colleagues from the same station,an escape from that.

Being a paramedic is a very stressful and often thankless occupation,it tests every part of your make up and your emotions and,while there are good times,they are infrequent as almost everyday you leave work in a frustrated,angry or even a depressive state - i was at breaking point both mentally and physically.

So...while i wouldn't say don't become a Paramedic,please make sure your daughter is fully aware of the impact it will have on every aspect of her life.

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Pretty much me. I can pick up my a pension at 55 and that's in 18 months time. I asked for an illustration a few weeks ago and I'm staggered at how much it is even though I paid in it 25 years. I'm in another job now and the work/life balance is the best I have had. It's in social housing and I am home based with local travel as and when but I get to make my own diary and it's very flexible. I see no reason to stop until they find me out as work does not stop me doing anything. To be fair I do get a lot of work done but it's not hard or stressful which I've had in the past. I was made redundant from a job ten years ago and have done this since so I have ten years in this pension too. My previous job was quite stressful especially in this recent weather so I'm glad I am out of that now.

My wife's pension is due in 6 months (early and reduced) and she will probably take hers as her income is low so she won't have tax implications and it will boost our monthly income and I might leave mine till I'm 60 as it's significantly higher. That's the plan anyway, going to get some advice.

Which part of Oldham are you? Intrigued to know the better part! (I live in Oldham-ish).

Royton mate it’s the new didsbury lol. Near the hallway house so we have tandle hills on the doorstep and some nice pubs, unbelievable difference to hollinwood, honestly that place is going downhill rapidly, I know I lived and still work in that area.

 

[manchester blue]

Royton mate it’s the new didsbury lol. Near the hallway house so we have tandle hills on the doorstep and some nice pubs, unbelievable difference to hollinwood, honestly that place is going downhill rapidly, I know I lived and still work in that area.

Yeah Royton is nice. I used to live on Broad Lane, or just off it in the new houses, near the Fairview. Looking at some of the pictures from there I think I'd still be snowed in today.

 

[Blue Maverick]

@FantasyIreland loads have left the fire service to become train drivers, more money better hours, if I wasn’t so close to finishing I’d have gone for it as well. Public sector have huge problems in retention now and lots of specialised jobs are not easy to replace it takes months/years to get people into these positions for shit pay and conditions and treatment. Tip of the iceberg.

 

[Blue Maverick]

Yeah Royton is nice. I used to live on Broad Lane, or just off it in the new houses, near the Fairview. Looking at some of the pictures from there I think I'd still be snowed in today.

It was bad round here but we had a great few days messing about in the snow and in the pub.

 

[FantasyIreland]

Good luck tomorrow.

Thanks pal.