IvoryTowerDenizen:
Yes. I was on the track to head up a research lab in an R1 university- doing a high powered post-doc and all that jazz. DH and I both looked around at how insane people were working to make that track come true and said no thank you. We were expecting our first child and wanted to have time on weekends and evenings to be a family. We took industry jobs and eventually I stepped off the research track completely and teach at a primarily teaching college.
Not a day goes by that I don’t long to be directing an academic research lab. But it was still the right decision for our family.
I am facing this exact decision right now (academic research vs. teaching vs. government). The second to the last line makes me really sad.
I don’t know if it counts but I’ve stuck with very low-pressure jobs (not a career) my whole life. I don’t want to have to put much effort into what I do to make a living.
I don’t mind not making much money though.