For me the work thing was a huge deal. My opinions towards it have changed immessurably from bieng pregnant for the first time to the actual deed of returning to work.
To explain, i am an Intensive care nurse and ive been in my job for 12 years. Within that time i have worked very hard to Educate myself and to keep abreast of all the innovations in technology etc (medical knowledge is said to double every 9 years or some thing like that)that i have to deal with day in day out.
My job was my main focus.
We tried for 18 months to concieve and when i did (finally) i had a miscarriage which started on a night shift after lifting several 5litre bags for a dialisis machine.
Then trying again i became pregnant only to m/c again when on a double shift "taking it easy" with a 20 stone man with continuous runs, requiring cleaning up every hour or so!
I thought to myself that this job just isnt giving me any thing back here at all.
However, I was also thinking that i had worked for a very long time and very hard to get to the position i was in and didnt want to give that up, no way.
Then i had DS, i was off for the 6 months and couldnt bear to go back to that place to look after strangers when i should be at home looking after my baby.
We couldnt afford for me to stop working as i was the main wage earner.
We jiggled and negociated and i spoke to my line manager who informed me that as a valued senior member of staff, they would accomodate in the best way that they could. So, i now work 20 hours over 2 days which are according to my needs and we have granny looking after ds for 1 afternoon a week (who we pay to do this).
We have 5 days a week together and although my wage has dropped by maybe 25% we manage.
I need to make profit to cover bills etc.
My need to maintain my pride and joy "my job" has simply vanished over the course of 3 years with all of my ups and downs. My priorities and my focus have shifted in a way i just would never have predicted.
I am forced to continue to update my skills for my job, but i do this in work time and when convenient to me.
(I always did these courses on my days off and more often than not payed for them myself.)
I would give it up tomorow if i could.
So to answer your question, my job is not worth what it once was, i have been professionaly derailed by a little scrap of gorgeousness and im so so glad.