Originally Posted by
neilly
Interesting stuff. Hope you don't mind me adding to it. I moved to Skye 12 years ago from Edinburgh hoping to find the perfect work life balance-working as mental health nurse in NHS. Rather than being less stressful, I spent 10 years climbing the ladder, driving 2000 miles a month, managing staff all over the Highlands and being bogged down with the usual crap. I was too scared to change jobs as I was obsessed with my pension-which kept changing-I had an awful team to work with and hated my job. Living on Skye is great, I was running every day in amazing places but it's a hard place too. Expensive, remote, small close knit communities (good and bad). 2 years ago I ended up off sick with depression for 6 months-on top off my own issues my wife was being medically retired with a neurological condition. We had no idea what to do. It's amazing how things change though. After a lot of thought I applied for a demotion, back to the job I did 10 years earlier- a big drop in pay but when I worked it out it was the cost of the fancy lease car I was driving and dressing better! Back to a clinical job, no management crap, just me and my patients-I work with addictions. While challenging at times I love it. After a couple of months I didn't notice the drop in pay, it's amazing how easy it is to cut back. We started doing BnB with our spare room and it's been a revelation. I now only work 3 days a week, am getting out in the hills whenever I like. I've started a sight running business on my off days and am training to be a Pilates teacher. I plan to retire at 50-3 years away- and we're building a self catering chalet in the garden as our next project. Life is rosy just now but two years ago I couldn't see a way forward. The thing that was hardest was giving up the status of being at the 'top', but after a few months neither I nor anyone else cared. Good luck. Neil