In April 2023, Emily Hayes reached her breaking point. After a late night at the office on Friday, she found herself working overtime on a Saturday morning to prepare for a major trial. Struggling with mounting stress and exhaustion, Hayes broke down in tears, regretting not being with a loved one who was going through a tough time. It was then that she decided to make a drastic change.
Today, the 32-year-old former lawyer has transitioned into the tech industry, taking a significant pay cut for the sake of her well-being. While she once earned $370,000 (about Rs 3.1 crore) as a lawyer, her new tech job pays her $220,000 (about Rs 1.9 crore) annually. Despite the salary decrease, Hayes views it as a small price to pay for a “fresh start in an exciting new field.”
Reflecting on her previous career, Hayes shared how working at a law firm made life unpredictable. “You can never count on free time in the evenings or logging off before 10 pm. I think you really have to love the work you’re doing to make that trade-off of your time feel worth it,” she explained.
Hayes spoke candidly about the difficult work-life balance she faced. “It felt like I had to choose between showing up for my job in the way that was expected of me and showing up for the people I love in the way that I wanted to. I panicked about the tension between the two.”
However, adjusting to her new life on a smaller paycheck hasn’t been easy. Hayes admitted that the six-figure pay cut was “much harder” than expected, as she had previously enjoyed spending without much thought. Now, she’s had to budget more carefully. “The biggest change with this pay cut, anything, has just been shifting my mindset around money,” she said. “I realized I had to think hard about my purchases even when they didn’t seem extravagant.”