- Marija Riba and her husband quit their jobs and moved from London to Finland.
- Riva is still recovering several months after experiencing burnout from her demanding cryptocurrency job.
- Riba is focusing on her health in Finland, but she struggles to fully relax and take time off from work.
This told essay is based on a conversation with. mariya livaa 33-year-old who recently moved to Finland from London. Edited for length and clarity.
I’ve talked to friends who took a break from their careers to recover from burnout, and they all told me that they were able to relax, recover, and return to work safely. I was expecting the same thing when I started my break.
In July my husband and I quit our jobs and moved from London to Finland. I thought I would fully recover after a month off, but my burnout is deeper and deeper-rooted than I imagined. I don’t allow myself to take a complete break or quit my job because of the fear of failing and relying on my family’s financial support.
I got burnt out from working in cryptocurrencies.
There’s a joke that a few months in the cryptocurrency industry is equivalent to a few years in another industry. I felt burnt out earlier this year due to the intensity and pace of my crypto work, and I think that’s true.
I worked at web3 for four years before joining the Blockchain Art Verification Platform as Head of Product in June 2023. Although I was fascinated by the industry and honestly loved my company and team, I slowly became burnt out.
I had to be on the phone at odd hours for clients in the US and often worked weekends. I never felt like I could truly “turn off.” I felt undervalued by management and put so much pressure on myself to perform well that I couldn’t take it anymore.
In May, I suddenly started experiencing extreme shoulder pain that I hadn’t noticed in 10 years. And I thought: What was I doing in a place where I wasn’t completely happy if my health was only going to deteriorate?
My husband and I both quit our jobs and moved from London to Finland.
I thought about taking a solo vacation in Finland, where my mother lives, but my husband expressed dissatisfaction with his current design management job, so we jointly decided to quit our jobs.
I was so nervous that my husband submitted his monthly notice before I did. I’ve always been a very responsible person, so quitting felt like a mistake, but I finally took the plunge.
We finished our last month in July and the following week we packed up and drove to Finland to live with my mom and stepdad. We saw this as a safe place where they could reset and recover while helping with their declining health.
Living with my parents was sometimes emotional.
I hadn’t lived with my mom since I was 17, so it was a little strange to live with her. My husband and I cooked, cleaned, and helped out whenever we could, but I found myself slipping into parenthood and reverting to childish self-centeredness.
Sometimes, due to burnout, I would get so caught up in my own emotions that I would wonder why I didn’t get more emotional support from my mother who was struggling with her own issues. We encountered some communication issues, but were able to resolve them.
At the same time, I was happy to be able to spend more time with my parents. My husband and I are dipping into our savings to take a vacation, and I’m grateful that my parents are also supporting us financially during this transition.
My husband and I moved into our own apartment in October, and my parents paid the deposit and first month’s rent. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying, but Finland is the perfect place to focus on my health.
Our city is very small and everything is just a 5 minute walk away, which is a joy I have never experienced before. I meditate, go to the gym, and find peace in alone time.
My husband and I handle things differently.
When I lived in London, I traveled every weekend and loved it so much that when I envisioned taking a break from my career, it was to travel around the world. Unfortunately, I don’t have the mental capacity to exert that much energy. In fact, all I want to do is sit in one place.
Even though I don’t have enough energy, I haven’t been able to really rest and stop working. I gave myself a week or two to get used to Finland and immediately applied for a full-time job and started my own website optimization business.
It was interesting to see how my husband was coping with this period of change. He has been repairing everything in sight at my parents’ house and has recently been working on our apartment as well. I think that’s his way of dealing with it. He is also looking for a job, but I don’t think he can work as hard as I do.
I realized that I am not tied to any lifestyle
I don’t really know what’s going to happen next for my husband and I, but I’ve gotten used to trusting my inner voice. This vacation taught me more about myself and highlighted parts of myself that I want to work on, including my discomfort with not having complete control over everything.
I think part of the reason I had such severe burnout was because I ignored the red flags. I felt like I couldn’t leave because I had a job, friends, and a mortgage to pay. It wasn’t until I reached a breaking point that I finally made a change.
I still get emotional and overwhelmed at times and have a hard time accepting the fact that recovery will take time. But now that I’m facing my challenges head-on, I feel like I can go anywhere and do anything.
If you have relocated after a career break and would like to share your story, please email Tess Martinelli. [email protected].
