Tired

[92U 3406]

12 years ago I couldn't be more happy going to work as a mechanic. For the most part I enjoyed just about every day on the job. In the last couple months though I've just lost every bit of interest in the job. I don't know if that's just a normal part of life/getting older or if this is a sign its time to pursue a new career?

 

[kenh]

I burned out, tired of the same things, same faces, etc.
Retired at 59.

 

[92U 3406]

That's kind of where I'm at. Just too young to pull the pin and retire lol.

 

[JD955SC]

Time for a career change. When I get fed up I plan to try industrial maintenance for a while.

 

[JLarson]

I did the industrial maintenance thing right after collage, ugh, I was plant engineer too, so double ugh. You get tired of working in the same plant day after day, more politics, office nonsense too.

We still do a lot of industrial stuff though but all over for different places, and it's a nice mix in with the utility and heavy equipment repair.

 

[92U 3406]

Honestly debating about applying at the railway. Always been a bit of a foamer and life is too short to be miserable lol.

 

[Birken Vogt]

There was a guy named Nick Leonian (sp?) who was on the internet once upon the time, and worked in Canadian railroad shops. Also brodiesel who is a member on here did a short stint at the railroad near here IIRC. I think it made them old and grouchy real fast but I bet you could reach them if you tried.

I kind of like the hanging-out-a-shingle gig, just make sure you charge properly, hopefully you see what your existing shop charges, try to keep it in line because they charge that for a reason.

 

[Coaldust]

I hear that a lot from my buddies around my age. I don’t know the answer. I’m trying the shingle thing. One year into it. Just had my first “board meeting” with minutes and everything, at my CPA. For IRS requirements. Kinda losing my motivation. Hard to get paid and I get tired of hustling work.

I tried to pursue a career with the UP in the early nineties. I was lacking six months experience, got on with a Cat dealer instead. Six months later the RR union contacted me and offered a dispatch. But, I was having a good time at Cat. IDK.
I don’t know anyone happy at the Alaska Railroad. Extreme politics.

 

[Vetech63]

Let’s all get together and start up a strip club.

 

[Sberry]

You think you got labor problems now?

 

[sled dog]

Let’s all get together and start up a strip club.

Vetech, I always thought a topless bait store with beer and snacks. All of us would drive a 100 miles to buy a dozen nitecrawlers, just cause...

 

[Vetech63]

12 years ago I couldn't be more happy going to work as a mechanic. For the most part I enjoyed just about every day on the job. In the last couple months though I've just lost every bit of interest in the job. I don't know if that's just a normal part of life/getting older or if this is a sign its time to pursue a new career?

It’s normal. I even go through phases where I’m just sick of it all, but it passes.....at least it has to date. I’m 57 years old and the only retirement I will have is what I can create for myself. What I have been staring at the last 2 years is my customers retiring. 5 longtime customers of mine have retired with those businesses ceasing operations just last year alone. I feel too old to replace them and definitely don’t have the physical strength and endurance I had even 2 years ago. I’ll keep pushing for now....but I see a change in business coming sooner than later.

 

[Tags]

Let’s all get together and start up a strip club.

I’m all for it as long as you don’t mean us members here have to do the stripping and dancing....

As far as the original question, I think no matter who’s doing what, everyone gets to that point every now and then. All’s you can do is look around at your other options or just put your head down and plow through. No matter what it is you’re doing it’s going to happen at some point, it’s just a matter of how much you can take and how much you need to make...

 

[Mike L]

I’ve been wrenching for 12 years now. About 9 in I burned out. Was at a dealership that was a mess (trying to be nice) and I spent most of my week using a laptop to diagnose issues and do paperwork, not pulling wrenches. A family friend made me a job offer to maintain his fleet of trucks that I couldn’t refuse and I quit on the spot. Only lasted 8 months there, the burnout got worse. Hate trucks, and hate working indoors. Was pretty nervous going independent. Been on my own almost 2 years and it definitely was the change I needed.

 

[Tugger2]

Im 63 and freedom 85 is getting closer by the day. I know how mean about getting tired. My shingle has been hanging out for over 30 years now,its getting pretty faded.

 

[John C.]

I've been the journeyman for a long time. I've run five different shops and was working as a service manager for a dealership for about a year at that point and hated most all of that time. I saw a need for machine inspections and pitched the idea where I was working. They of course said I was worth more to them as a manager so I pitched the idea to another dealer. They said yes as long as I was not their employee. It didn't take long to see you can't make a living on just that so I did repair work as well. Then I started getting calls about wanting to know values, so I started looking for some training for that. Joined a professional society and have been learning new things every day since. Every day is something different. I draw social security now so don't have to work the usual minimum of 40 billable hours a week. Five or six days a month is plenty. I have my aches and pains but I'm not tied to an easy chair.
My advise is to look at the gray areas on your tree of skills for other limbs to crawl out on. If you can work on yellow iron, you can work on nearly everything. But maybe you don't always need to do manual labor. You will have a wealth of experience that people will pay for. In the mean time, take a long vacation as soon as society starts opening up again.

 

[Nige]

FWIW I suffer from tiredness far more when I'm not working than what I do when I am working. Maybe that's why I'm now on my 3rd retirement.....
Do I need counselling.?

 

[Mike L]

FWIW I suffer from tiredness far more when I'm not working than what I do when I am working. Maybe that's why I'm now on my 3rd retirement.....
Do I need counselling.?

More than likely You need counseling but I doubt it has anything to do with retirement

 

[Old Doug]

I dont like my job the worst part is i dont have a boss. If i had a boss here that would help out when something needed to be figured out it would be alot better but the owner is not that guy. Its very hard to almost impossible to find parts now days. I spend more time on the phone than i do working.I need a fuel tank the easy button was spend 3 times the money so thats the way i went with. The KW parts guy said they had one in the warehouse so i could have it in 3 days. 4 days latter he now dosesnt know when he can get me one. Its no problem to find another job here but is it going to be any better? If i was younger i would try the RR. I worked in a Rail car repair shop and knew several guys that work for the RR i know its not the same every wear but i have never heared anyone talk bad about it.

 

[lantraxco]

Let’s all get together and start up a strip club.

Probably have to run it by hand until we could afford some girls....