I got hired for a job as a paraprofessional tutor that is full time, 30 hours a week, $18 per hour, with benefits. I also got hired for a 2 day, 9 hour a week, $14 per hour job doing the same thing at a more far away place. I am thinking of doing the lower paying job to “practice” and put off the full time job till next year. Then next year, if I feel ready, I will move to the full time job. I am feeling part time is the best place to start because I just quit a desk job after staying there one fricken week. Am I being chicken for not taking the full time job? It does have great benefits. And I do want a car and all that. The job is to tutor one on one with a sped student.
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That is a tough choice. I’d always ask you to consider your mental state. For example. I get paranoid if I’m too stressed so I don’t mind doing mindless labor. Other jobs where I think can be problematic.
It’s not a bad thing thinking of taking the lower job for a while and seeing how you go especially if you just found it hard in another job! You know you better than me…I’m a bit older and I’d definetly try smaller first but that just suits me!
I think it’s great either way what you choose! If it’s successful then your doing great and that is fantastic!
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Hey, thanks! I remembered your advice on prioritizing and I must not forget that I must prioritize my mental health over the prospect of money. I will prioritize keeping a job over working long hours. I decided I will call both employers. I will start the part time job next week and add on the second job if I like what I am doing. I want to work because people say it helps you to recover. My parents act like it is all about money and success sometimes but that is laughable for someone who is mentally ill. Health comes first.
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Being reasonable watching your capabilities and choosing a job on this base does not mean being a chicken at all, it is an act out of wisdom,
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Yeah. You sort out that mental health money and other things follow. I forget sometimes because I did it for a long time without meds and got by. It’s a different story on the meds too. Negatives and breakthroughs can make it tough.
Wish you all the best. I love how you have plans and your proactive in your recovery! It’s good to shoot the moon as the old 70’s rockers always said! ie It’s great to have dreams and the desire to move forward!
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It’s good to play it safe sometimes, I wouldn’t call it being a chicken, I would call it being prudent or realistic.
I’ve never worked a professional job. I’m like @rogueone, I am perfectly happy doing yard work for 4 hours on a nice sunny day and pulling weeds while not having do anything complicated or something that takes a lot of thought. I work as a janitor now and I’m just happy going off by myself in an office building three days a week and pushing a vacuum for 5 1/2 hours daydreaming about Big Macs, Katy Perry in a swimsuit, and reminiscing about going rock climbing while stoned as a teenager.
At my kind of jobs like stocking shelves or unloading trucks or even when I was Park Ranger, I signed up for part-time but I would work as many hours as they needed me to. I say this because I called “rising to the occasion.” I could surprise myself by going from working 20 hrs one week to working 37 1/2 the next week and so on.
I’m sure you will work hard and the part-time job is a big responsibility but maybe it would be good for you to take it a little easier for while and work the job with less hours as you figure out your life and your future plans. Better to not set yourself up for failure.
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You know I wasn’t always so determined to change my life until I went into therapy though I was still motivated. After I quit my bank job I was so exhausted I did nothing but drink bubble tea every day for 2 months before I got moving again. Even after that I was afraid of work. I had bad habits like spending my disability money unwisely and using my phone too much. When I failed at my community college class near the end of the semester I thought it would be a while before I could study again. But then I went to day treatment and I learned many techniques but only one really sunk in. That is that the meds will only do so much and if you want to change you have to instigate it yourself and take the baby steps. Keep trying to get up and try again and correct the problems in your life little by little. Do the dishes, volunteer, sleep less, study more. Do it repeatedly till it sinks in. There is nothing that will make me magically better so if there are things in my life I want to change, I just have to keep trying…
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I’m not sure this is a hard job. The job description was to sit one on one with a sped student and make sure they do their work. It requires some college education but I chose it because it sounded easy. Idk if I can stock shelves or be a janitor though I admire you. I have difficulty with physical stamina and would probably get too much emotional issues. I went to a top 10 university and can’t get off my high horse enough to spend my life as a part time janitor, though one day maybe I will be able to handle it. I could say I really grew up.
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