What Would Be a Good Job For Someone In Recovery?

Old 01-20-2011, 11:28 AM
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What Would Be a Good Job For Someone In Recovery?

I have been thinking over the last couple of days about switching to a new job while I'm in the early stages of recovery, because the one I have now (I'm self-employed) seems more stressful and harmful to my recovery now that I really think about it.

Of course, not everyone has this option, but let's say someone who is leaving behind a reckless past and addictions needs to change their whole life, including getting a new job.
What kind of job would be good for them?
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Old 01-20-2011, 03:25 PM
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One they like and do well. Especially if their workplace empowers them to do the job and it's both doable and worth doing...

Tall order, I know, but not impossible.
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Old 01-20-2011, 03:27 PM
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Not sales.
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Old 01-20-2011, 03:34 PM
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It totally depends on the person, and I agree with Mark in that it should be something they enjoy. When we are contented in the workplace, it makes it a lot easier to be contented at home. Do what makes you happy.
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Old 01-20-2011, 03:43 PM
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IMO it should be some kind of "service" work.
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Old 01-21-2011, 04:16 AM
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I think it should be a job that is fulfilling to do, something that you do because you love it, and not just for the money.
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Old 01-21-2011, 05:20 AM
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Penny, when you think about your self-employed job, what are the things that you suspect to be harmful? Is it the idea that you're constantly having to create business for yourself or is it just the presence of what you had been doing during the drinking career?

This general topic has been the latest chapter of my life, so I won't have any results to report on.

I am laughing at Bam's reaction, because I recently dropped a position that depended on selling ability through actual cold calls. I enjoyed myself while in the process of doing it, but it was torture leading up to it. I literally had to have a list in front of me that I could weed whack through and not let the phone out of my hand, so that I would keep going. (That's what some sales trainers recommend too.) After a while, I realized, if it was this unnatural, then I didn't like it naturally enough. I was too analytical for that. I would assess and over-assess my premise for approaching this place and that place, and that comes from my discipline in being on the receiving end of problems and fixing them (as opposed to looking for new territory). I also found myself gravitating toward others in the office when they would have something go wrong, and that comes from being in a supervisory position in the past. So as much as I had wanted to build on being a hunter and not a farmer, I had to let go. It wasn't the right place to make it work either. And all of that was after starting to be self-employed and after quitting drinking and after quitting my previous job in which I was earning nice barrels of money. So I am working on getting back into something similar to the past - even though that's what I did during the drinking career.

I asked a similar question around March of last year, if you feel like clicking on my profile (Statistics/Threads Started By) and sifting all the way back to it. There were reactions that were diametrically opposed to one another, yet there wasn't one single winning approach for me.

I think it has to be something that is going to facilitate your CHOICE to be what you are now (no longer using) but it has to sustain you too. One of the things we improve upon after quitting is how to have more than one important priority in life without the alcohol there. Or that's what we should do. So I'm going to be mindful of that once the "old career" is there again.

So my answer is not black/white. I wish I could hand it to you as factually as a pay statement, but it's part of the progress each person has to make on their own. Maybe dissect it some more? On the other hand, maybe you already have the answer and it's buried underneath feelings of uncertainty and newness and you just need to act on it.
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Old 01-21-2011, 05:43 AM
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It wasn't too hard for me to find (I haven't started that many threads, so it was on the first page), so I figured I would slap down the post of mine on this topic that I was referring to:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-recovery.html
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Old 01-21-2011, 08:07 AM
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I'd say something with structure. That is exacly what I am looking to do very soon. Selling my business.

Freedom to do as we please with no set schedules in early recovery can be a disaster, as I have found this out the last 7 years or so.
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Old 01-21-2011, 09:56 AM
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I was self employed for years (restaurant) and was told after I left rehab to sell the business because of the stress involved and easy access to alcohol. I didn't sell and am glad I made that decision 20 years ago. I made that decision for a couple of reasons. I loved what I was doing. I got a great deal of satisfaction operating a successful business even though I could have drawn a bigger paycheck without all the hassle if I accepted job offers in other fields. But job satisfaction is, to me, a lot more important than a paycheck.

Was the stress there? Absolutely! But I joined AA, and in working the steps I learned how to handle that stress. I had people to turn to, a sponsor to advise me, a new outlook on life that put stress into perspective. As for the easy access to alcohol? It was a non-issue. If I wanted to drink again I could just as easily have walked across the street to the ABC store and grabbed a bottle.

So I'd advise you to carefully consider you options here. As Anna said, something that's fulfilling and that you love to do are important considerations. But take a look at your current job. Maybe it fulfills those criteria. If it does, then I suggest you consider how to deal with the stress rather than running from it. There's no guarantee that you won't end up in a position that's more stressful.

Changing jobs as part of changing your whole life sounds a little like the geographical cure of leaving town to get sober. It doesn't work. Now, if your job is one of those "people, places or things" that will threaten your sobriety then certainly get out now. But as Toronto said, there's no black/white answer. You have to take a lot of things to think before you make the decision, and I'm sure that others will come up with a bunch of other points to keep in mind.
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Old 01-21-2011, 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by pennywistle View Post
I have been thinking over the last couple of days about switching to a new job while I'm in the early stages of recovery, because the one I have now (I'm self-employed) seems more stressful and harmful to my recovery now that I really think about it.

Of course, not everyone has this option, but let's say someone who is leaving behind a reckless past and addictions needs to change their whole life, including getting a new job.
What kind of job would be good for them?
The question creates more questions. Once we are stabilized through a program of recovery, have means of support to maintain our chemically free walk in life, aren't we equipped to do anything? I haven't noticed any directives from any mainstream methods of recovery that imply that any profession is off limits, out of bounds, or unacceptable. I can think of a few that might be non-conducive. A conflict to and with our value system.

Truthfully, the pursuit of any job that is "stress free" in this economy may be a difficult goal to fulfill. Personally, I opt for being able to control the amount of stress I take on. Being employed by someone else removes that luxury. You eat what is put on your plate, or you will be finding another table to eat at. If you are lucky. I am fortunate that the damages of my using past are well distant. I'm aware they could return, but as far as what happened when I was using, and the instability of my early recovery, they are today a non-issue. Some of us may be dealing with more of the "wreckage of our past", and that may affect our decision of going on, or making a career change. If our boat has been swamped, the decision may of been made for us, and all that remains is a matter of accepting it.
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Old 01-22-2011, 10:09 PM
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Thanks everyone. Ramblinhope, I think you're on to something. What is the saying, "Idle hands is the devils work"? Thank you
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Old 01-23-2011, 09:30 AM
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I agree that it's probably not a great idea to change jobs just for the sake of changing jobs. The common advice is no big changes in the first year--something people usually think of in terms of relationship changes (dating, getting divorced), but it applies to jobs, too.

You may have a good reason to change (e.g., you're a bartender or a server who finds it difficult to be around the alcohol), or are in a job where you are subject to actual abuse. If not, though, learning to deal with your responsibilities sober is part of learning to live sober. If it's a matter of the job just being unfulfilling or not what you want to be doing for the rest of your life, it might be best to postpone the changes until you are more solidly into your recovery and dealing reasonably well with the job that you have.

Just some things to think about. There are no hard and fast rules. I agree that structure can be a good thing.
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Old 01-23-2011, 09:53 AM
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sorry, I had to thank everyone who replied to this thread Excellent!!

I work part time and when at work I really enjoy it. I don't feel the urge to drink. They key word there is part time. At home I am building an online business but that down time when I'm not "working for someone else" that is when the trouble begins. As long as I am busy I feel great. With alcohol and "working for ones self", you find that you are less productive, less motivated, less focused (in my case anyway) because it is not a brick and mortar shop.

Fo those that say find something you like; you could easily go the other way and find enjoyment in what you do vs seeking it out.

This is one of my favorite and inspirational vids regarding work (it is a long one but a good one):

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Old 01-31-2011, 01:37 PM
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I have my own pet care business...I love it! it can be abit isolating to be on your own all day...and when I was drinking it was easy to find the time to drink, but now I find the time to do better things...I love animals!! they feed my soul.....I don't know what I'd do without them!!
Find what you love to do, and the rest will follow!! Follow your bliss!!!
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Old 01-31-2011, 04:40 PM
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Why do we feel the need to dissect every aspect of sobriety? Just sayin...
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