Choosing Peace Over Pay - Salam and Advice Welcome
Assalamu alaikum - I’m 22 and have been working a very demanding job where I’m on duty 50+ hours a week plus on-call shifts. Some days I’ll be at work from about 8:30am until 10pm, then get called in at 2am for a couple hours and be back at 8:30am to start again. I’m on call every other day and every other weekend. I care about the work and didn’t mind the hours at first, but after a year at this job and two years in the field I’m absolutely burnt out. It’s been harder since I lost a parent in September, and I’m often around cases at work connected to that loss. I can’t keep going like this for the sake of my mental health. I thought I could handle it, but I can’t. Right now I earn roughly $1200–$1700 biweekly. I’ve been offered a different job that would pay about $800–$1200 biweekly depending on schedule. I’m relieved and excited about the new role, but worried about the drop in income. It’s manageable for bills if I make some sacrifices - I’d lose some of the “fun money” I’ve gotten used to. I’m engaged and my fiancée earns well. He keeps telling me we’re a team and he supports me leaving this job; he’s offered to help if needed and says we’ll work it out together. I appreciate that, but I don’t want to be dependent on him - I like paying my own bills and feeling independent and responsible. At this point I’m leaning toward taking the lower-paying job because my time, peace of mind, and ability to grieve are more important than extra money. The new position still lets me serve others, which matters to me, but with healthier hours. I’ve been thinking about leaving for months, so this isn’t just an impulsive reaction to grief; losing my parent was the final straw. Please be honest with me: am I making a foolish choice, or is putting my wellbeing first reasonable here? I’m feeling lost and no longer excited about the new job because of the money worries, but also relieved at the thought of less stress. JazakAllahu khairan for any thoughts or practical advice.