salary versus job quality

my current position has a good mix of salary/quality of life. too bad i hate my job.

My life pretty much sucks. I have a high stress job with weak salaray and have lived in a different state from my wife for a year and a half now. But I love my work.

Thanks tide....an honest answer.

One thing I've noticed too is how out of touch most people are with real compensation. That guy that everyone says makes $400k a year selling widgets does NOT!!!! Sure, there are ultra high earners sprinkled out there, but public perception is wrong 90% of the time.

My past career involved salary research........I know what I'm talking about.

Great point envy.......it absolutely evolves.

Actually debating this right now. Make a great living now, but am on the road at least 70% of the time and am pretty much on call 24/7 and constantly stressed. Have an opportunity to travel 0% and be basically stress free, but taking around a 25% paycut. At least initially. I've been on the road for most of the last 4 years and I'm growing weary of it.

I actually made that very decision when I chose my path coming out of college...had a number of job offers that paid a ton because they sucked (either high stress or heavy field work)...I chose one that pays decent but had a much better work environment and very seldom layoffs...

turned out to be the best decision I have ever made and plan to stay there until I retire...

too little money can make life pretty miserable and I wouldn't recommend people take jobs that just don't pay enough to live comfortably...however, quality of life and job security is a very good tradeoff for a little incremental pay...

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before I left due to neck and back trouble,

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Just because I thought about this last year while having a root canal. This must be an epidemic for you guys. Hunched over all those gaping maws...

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but am on the road at least 70%

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Sounds fun.

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pretty much on call 24/7

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Sounds like arse.

Have a good job doing what I want to do making fairly good money. Wife is the one who has the high stress job and long hours. Kids grown and gone and I find it harder and harder to bust my arse. On, been at it for 33 years all consulting.

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Ftr, I make a good living but I enjoy a relatively low stress environment, actually work no more than 35 hours a week, and rarely miss any valuable moments with my kids.

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Good for you. Seriously. Pretty much the same thing over here. I really enjoy the work I do and find myself having little to no job stress at all. Tons of freedom at work, good supervisors, etc. Have the luxury of taking off basically whenever I need with no nonsense, which to me is hard to price.

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I guess the bottom line is would you take a 50% pay cut for a better professional quality of life? Is it really worth it?

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I know a guy who did this and says it was the best decision he ever made. Worked for a company for about 15 years. Made over 100k a year but worked over 50 hours a week and usually 4-5 nights a week. Was missing out on alot of his kid's childhood and decided to put a stop to it. Took about a 50% paycut initially to have a better schedule and work environment.