Jack’s Money Journey

Making the jump from being an electrician to an asset surveyor was not easy. Honestly, it scared the hell out of me. I’d been working with my hands for years, used to the rhythm of tools and wires, and suddenly I had to swap that for a laptop, spreadsheets, and site visits. And, thanks to my dyslexia, every new system, report, and form felt like climbing a mountain.

I won’t lie the first few weeks were tough. I actually considered going back to my old job. Nothing seemed to stick, and it was getting to me. Excel was particularly brutal — there’s no instant spell check, so every form or report felt like a minefield. Mistakes would pop up, I’d get frustrated, and I wondered if I’d made a massive mistake switching careers.

But I stuck with it. Slowly, things started to click. I remember the first time I submitted work and didn’t get any corrections back, it felt amazing. I had finally cracked it. That little moment made all the early struggles worth it.

The thing with dyslexia is that everyone experiences it differently. For me, one small change made a huge difference: I bought portable monitor so I could have multiple spreadsheets open at once. No more flipping back and forth between screens or losing my place — suddenly, things flowed a lot smoother. Little adjustments like that turned what felt impossible into manageable, everyday work.

Before the switch, my weeks were non-stop. Weekends? Gone. Family time? None existent. By Friday evening, I was too tired to spend real time with Miles, Lara, or my partner. I loved my old job, but I was missing life, sacrificing time for money.

Now, things are different. I’ve got every weekend off, plus one work-from-home day a week. That means:

• Taking the kids to their Saturday activities.
• Evenings with my partner where we can actually talk without a clock ticking in the background.

Financially, it’s been a bit of an adjustment. The new job has a higher base salary, but I’m earning less overall without the overtime every weekend. Even so, trading it for time, freedom, and peace of mind is priceless.

This week’s takeaway: changing careers is scary, but sometimes it’s the only way to get the life you want. Money matters, yes, but so does time, family, and finding ways to work with your challenges, not against them. Balancing all three is the real win.