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During 25+ years of doing IT, I've been a contractor ~60% of the time, and I can say that for me, being a permie was the most stressful time of my life. It eventually caused me to have a total breakdown, which required lots of therapy just to recover. I then quit the job, and switch back to contracting. Oddly enough, previously to that incident, I treated contracting no different to being a permie, I'd heavily invest, commit 110%, and push and push until stuff was delivered. I didn't know how to take my foot off the gas, even when I was only hired to do one specific thing. I'm now in my second contract since my breakdown, and I have that disconnected attitude, when I can just walk away, and I try not to let the work issues affect me. I'm now a much calmer person (although that could be the daily drugs talking... I don't know). It's all horses for courses at the end of the day, some people like to be neck-deep in work, and thrive on the stress and pressure, and others just want to be left alone to do what they are good at during 9-5 and then forget about work until the next day. What is true though, is that stress will kill you, and no matter what your role is, it's not worth your life. |