In April 2023, Emily Hayes confronted a grueling Saturday morning, working additional time to organize for an vital trial after leaving her Los Angeles workplace simply the night time earlier than at 11 p.m. Months of stress and exhaustion had taken a toll. That morning, as she sat in entrance of her laptop, Hayes broke down. Overwhelmed with emotion, she started “sobbing,” lamenting that she was caught at work whereas somebody near her was navigating a troublesome scenario, wishing she might be there to help them.
That second marked a turning level for Emily Hayes.
Quick ahead to right now, the 32-year-old has left her high-paying authorized profession to transition into the tech business, prioritizing her well-being and embracing “a contemporary begin in an thrilling new subject.” Though the transfer got here with a big pay reduce—from her $370,000 (roughly Rs 3.1 crore) annual wage as a lawyer to $220,000 (round Rs 1.9 crore) in her new function—Hayes believes it was a small worth to pay for a greater high quality of life, as reported by CNBC Make It.
“Working at a legislation agency could make your life so unpredictable. You possibly can by no means rely on free time within the evenings or logging off earlier than 10 pm. I feel you actually have to like the work you’re doing to make that trade-off of your time really feel price it,” Hayes shared with the publication.
Reflecting on the demanding work-life steadiness at her former job, Hayes defined, “It felt like I had to decide on between displaying up for my job in the way in which that was anticipated of me and displaying up for the folks I like in the way in which that I wished to. I panicked concerning the pressure between the 2.”
Nonetheless, transitioning to a decrease paycheck introduced its personal hurdles. Hayes admitted to CNBC Make It that adapting to the six-figure wage discount was “a lot tougher” than she had anticipated. Along with her earlier earnings, she might “spend with out a lot thought or stress,” however now, sticking to a finances has change into a necessity.
“The most important change with this pay reduce, if something, has simply been shifting my mindset round cash — I spotted I needed to suppose onerous about my purchases even once they didn’t appear extravagant,” she shared.