contractor burnout ... career break?

[hgllgh]

Yes sir I do. Even lasts a few months into the contract. Then you can spend a few months dreaming about your next break and then it's holiday time

Sounds like taking a career break in the answer then

i'm off to Australia later this year anyway so may aswell extend the trip to a few months, close down the company, claim ESC16, pay 10%, bank it (35K per bank just in case things do go tits up as sasguru would have us believe), find a nice beach in Australia and ponder life's great mysteries whilst checking out the blond haired blue eyed babes. (and then hope i can come back and start contracting again without Hector hunting me down )

[sasguru]

sounds like you have had the idealism knocked out of you over the years

What's idealism got to do with a bad recession? No one's going to give you a job because you're an idealist.

[marcus2704]

After nearly two solid years with my current assignment, and only having compulsory time off over Xmas (and bank hols), I have to say Im feeling burnt out, and little things get to me a lot more now. It wouldnt be so bad were the role not so boring and unchallenging to me. At the same time, jacking it all in seems like such a huge decision. I reckon I could go 7 or 8 months without work (which would be very bad) but even so actually stopping working is really difficult for me >_<

[n5gooner]

Am i the only one who enjoys working and hates extended time off?

no I'm there as well, although I have booked August off to goto Asia.

[Fishface]

close down the company, claim ESC16, pay 10%,

10% taper relief if you have justifiable reason

PLUS

10% CGT personally.

[RichardCranium]

sounds like you have had the idealism knocked out of you over the years

I can still remember idealism.

And then I got a job.

[RichardCranium]

I feel mucho burnt out too. Been contracting nearly 4 years in which I have taken very little time off, ...

So I'll just keep on screwing up my health until something gives.

Over 20 years of managing staff (including me) has taught me that almost nobody can work without a break. Eventually you go off sick.

In my 20s I would work up to an occasional 100 hours a week. For one project I did over 70 hours a week for nine months. I've had teams work for 19 days without a break.

But it cannot be sustained.

You don't live to contract. You contract to pay for your life style. Otherwise you are wasting your life a day at a time.

[RichardCranium]

Take a stopwatch to the bogs this afternoon and time yourself having a dump.
Then calculate how much that has cost your client.
You'll feel so much better afterwards, trust me.

I walked past the Networks Team office some years ago on a MoD site. A team of 16 contractors and one permie manager (who was off sick APFU).

They were bitching about the place at volume.

I doubled back and wandered in. Silence fell - I was more senior than their manager and they realised they were in for a talking to.

"You know the best thing about this place?" I said.

Apprehensive silence was the response.

"When you go for a piss, you're pissing on government property"and turned and walked out. About6 seconds later, gales of laughter followed me up the corridor.

And after that I never paid for another beer when any of them were in the pub.

One of life's little highlights.

[BrilloPad]

hi all

I've been contracting for the past 4 years and was a permie developer for about 7 years before that! The contract I'm on now is the best pay I've ever had. It's quite a good working atmosphere too but the actual project I'm on ain't the most interesting ... (reporting/invoicing/MIS etc ..yawn) ... even though the money is good, I'm just not motivated by it anymore
I'm blaming the contract I'm on but I'm wondering if it would be different on any other contract!

Have I got a dose of contractor burnout?
Anyone else had these symptoms?

What about a career break? Has anyone felt like me and then just jacked it in golne travelling for 3 to 6 months? What did you do when you got back?

Now is not the best time to take a break. I find that IBs hate breaks in CV. Money pressures also make it difficult for me to take a rest - I have now worked continually for 24 years, 22 in banks and 20 as a contractor.

I hope things work out for you!

[swamp]

Now is not the best time to take a break. I find that IBs hate breaks in CV.

Well when is a good time? Why work your whole life?!

IBs must be full of lifeless drones if they actually frown at a few months' career break.