[Mz]

Food for thought:

I work for a large company. I have an entry level job. The big thing consuming all my time, energy and money the past few years has been "getting well when doctors say it can't be done". I am a lot more functional here lately and there are hopeful signs that I will soon be able to focus a lot more on something else (for example: I have had the energy to a do a great deal more overtime this year than in previous years). The entire time I have worked at this company, I have basically been extremely torn between wanting to get a promotion or better paying job within the company and not really wanting that. I have been in basically desperate need of money the entire time and, for that reason, would have taken a promotion if offered one. Yet I also was concerned that getting one or more promotions would make it harder and harder to leave and someday go do my own thing -- in part because it would mean walking away from more money but also in part because I would be more psychologically enmeshed in the company and have more of a feeling of belonging and also would need to give more of myself to the job, thus leaving less for other things I am working on.

My health issues have been a big factor in why I didn't qualify for promotion. This year, I am very happy to have the energy to work more overtime because it gives me additional income without making me feel more a part of the company and without really taking up more of my mental space. I do have to focus on the job while I am there, but the low level of responsibility involved in my job means I can still leave it at work and no one is calling me at home or anything like that, which does happen with some of the really important people at the company. (EDIT: If you haven't seen it already, you might want to check out Paul Graham's article about "the top idea in your mind" to understand the importance to me of not having my job mentally intrude on my life after hours. http://www.paulgraham.com/top.html)

I have so far not been offered any promotions so did not have to specifically make a decision. But I was really happy when I recently realized that working more overtime is the perfect solution for me right now because it avoids the things I don't want that would come with a promotion while getting me the one thing I really do want from a promotion: more money.

Good luck with your decision.