You're not thinking deep enough bar lass. Me and Miss Vic r qualified teachers who often sit at home 'doing nowt' at the minute. That's because employers don't like to employ overqualified people who just leave as soon as something they really want comes along. Also it would look pap on our CV, like we aren't commited to teaching, so we do supply which, at the minute is on the quiet side which results in lots of sitting at home, (Never doing'nowt' I assure you.) Not everybody does it out of choice...I would much rather be working but the fact is there is great competition for qualified jobs in this area. Good for you. Everybody wants the good life. It depends on what you think the good life is. Some people are money motivated and the latest car or the swishest property will make them happy. I think as long as I have friends and family around me, I'm doing something I see to be worthwhile and I have enough cash to go out for a pint at the weekend I'll be happy. I also see a little bit of stress in your job to be a good thing to motivate, but I cannot see the point in so much stress that it causes health problems and worry. No job is worth that, life's too short. The head of the PGCE course at Newcsatle Uni left a really high paid job in Jan last year to go and be self sufficient in France and I think that's so admirable.