Stay or Go?

[Nemesis.]

I hit my FIRE number a couple of months ago, mostly due to market performance. (Woohoo!)
I've moved my actual retirement date up a few times as the numbers kept exceeding my estimates.

My current date is in approx. 2 1/2 months.
I've got a trip planned 7 weeks from now and then intended to give notice shortly after I got back.

The problem is, my employer made everyone come back into the office full time 2 months ago and I hate it.
I've been moved to an area of the office where there isn't enough light, it's dusty which bothers my sinuses and it's so noisy a good part of the day, I can't focus.
On top of that, there have been several problems with the building we are in but the guy in change won't let people work from home unless it's almost life threatening.
This same guy keeps trying to get me to work on one of his projects, including by attempting to manipulate me into agreeing.
Needless to say, I think he's a tool and don't want to work with him. The projects I'm already working on are also very stressful.

So I'm trying to figure out if it's worth staying or if I should just give notice now.
I'd be giving up a week's worth of vacation time and a little bit extra in savings.
Inflation worries me a little.
I'm not exactly LeanFIRE but certainly not Fat.

Just wondering, would you stay and deal with the stress for a little extra cash and vacation time or just get out?

[Morning Glory]

Check to see if your vacation will just get paid out if you leave.

[Nemesis.]

It used to be but not anymore.
Instead of accruing per pay period we get it all up front but you lose any unused part when you leave.

[Loren Ver]

I'm a big fan of getting going while the get going is good. 

DH and I cut out before we even hit our rather leanFIRE number because we found the date humorous and I wanted to be able to say I retired at a younger year than if we wait until after my birthday.  So, uh, we are rather biased.  Feel free to grab the salt :).

That being said, the reasons you gave to wait the 2.5 months with the details provided are not any sort of golden handcuffs.  Nor are they silver, not even close, maybe the really cheap nickle plating that gives people rashes if they have sensitive skin.   So, to me, sticking around seems to be more a matter of you are doing it because you said so, those dollars and days you have sitting on the table aren't really worth very much when compared to the giant power of your ever growing stash.

Maybe just run lean for spell, until you gain back to 2.5 months of pay in growth and pretend this very happened, enjoying your extra "vacation" time that you paid yourself.

Or, spend the time at work, just doing the parts that you like.

Just drive REALLY safety.  NOW is NOT the time to get in an automobile accident (while day dreaming of being free, or sneezing due to sinus troubles).

Loren

[Wolfpack Mustachian]

If you're FIRE, in the grand scheme of things 2.5 months is nothing. If you're not satisfied, you're so far beyond FU money that you're at FIRE status - go ahead and leave! You've won! Woohoo! :-) Your FIRE status isn't going to be affected by less than 3 months of income. You're looking at "losing" 1 week of free pay (vacation time) but gaining 3 months (2.5 with 2 weeks notice) of not having to deal with crap.

Go for it! You've got this!

[maizefolk]

I worry a bit about inflation too. But it's also easy to get sucked into OMY syndrome. If you've hit your number you are almost certainly fine, and in the edge cases where you aren't, 2.5 months pay is really unlikely to make the difference between having to return back to work sometime later in your life or not.

It sounds miserable. I'd say give your notice.

[lhamo]

How much notice do you have to give to take the vacation time?

If you can take the vacation time in the next few weeks instead of waiting until your already scheduled trip, I would just bump that up and then give notice.  If that isn't possible then I'd probably just resign immediately.  Don't let this job stress hang over your upcoming trip.

FWIW I agonized over how to time my departure from my last job, including how to use vacation days vs. getting paid out for them.  In retrospect I should have left the job weeks, if not months, sooner than I did.  If you are going to get hit hard with SORR, a few extra weeks of paid work really won't make a huge difference.

[okits]

Just wondering, would you stay and deal with the stress for a little extra cash and vacation time or just get out?

I'd get out.  I'd add up the monetary benefit of the remaining 2.5 months, scoff at it, and vow that if I really end up needing that money I'll do something else to earn it instead of being at a dangerous workplace with bad air, bad coworkers, and stressful work that I hate.

You won the game.  Go get your prize and enjoy your freedom.

[Omy]

Can you tell them you're quitting if they don't let you work from home? If they say no, go. If they say yes to working from home, you can leave on your terms. You have FU money...use it!

[bmjohnson35]

A few weeks of pay shouldn't matter if you are really FI. You can always go back to work part-time, full-time, seasonly, etc, if the need arises.  If it was me, I wouldn't live with the stress when I have another option available.

[RedmondStash]

A few weeks of pay shouldn't matter if you are really FI. You can always go back to work part-time, full-time, seasonly, etc, if the need arises.  If it was me, I wouldn't live with the stress when I have another option available.

This.

A few weeks of pay shouldn't matter if you are really FI. You can always go back to work part-time, full-time, seasonly, etc, if the need arises.  If it was me, I wouldn't live with the stress when I have another option available.

Also this.

Whenever you FIRE, you're going to leave money on the table. It's unavoidable. The questions to me are: 1) Is the money worth the stress & misery it takes to get to that milestone? And 2) Will that money make a real difference in your life, or would you never even feel its absence if you didn't have it?

[TomTX]

Tell your boss you need to work from home. Don't ask, tell. You should likely make it reasonably polite along the lines of "I need to work from home" rather than being demanding or making an ultimatum. Just do it.

Start working from home.

See if they fire you.

[Nemesis.]

Thanks everyone!
Wow, that was awesome. :). I appreciate all the encouragement.
I never thought of it as like OMY but I realize now it is.

[okits]

Thanks everyone!
Wow, that was awesome. :). I appreciate all the encouragement.
I never thought of it as like OMY but I realize now it is.

👍

If the people really have been terribly behaved, feel free to do something like this on your last day.

(Okay, not really, but maybe the mental image made you laugh!)

[calimom]

A few weeks of pay shouldn't matter if you are really FI. You can always go back to work part-time, full-time, seasonly, etc, if the need arises.  If it was me, I wouldn't live with the stress when I have another option available.

Yes, this. With the other option being that you have enough money to live the rest of your life as it appears. You've won, and congratulations!

No need to do anything other than be pleasant and gracious on your way out. You've already won!

[mwulff]

Depending on your personality I'd say you have several choices.

1. Mr Somewhat-nice guy: Follow the plan, go on vacation, give notice.

2. Mr Somewhat-less-nice: Tell your boss you'll be working from home, follow the plan. Don't give a fuck about what he says.

3. Mr FU: Tell boss "don't like the office, don't like you. Here is my notice!".

4. Mr FI, FU: At the end of workday tell all coworkers bye, leave laptop, keys etc and never come back. Walk out of the office and into legend.

Me personally, I would go with option 4.

[rantk81]

You could FIRE now.  You could also start taking a bunch of sick-days off on account of the dusty in the air causing medical problems -- with a slight suggestion you might be able to WFH instead of just taking the days off out-right.

[pasadenafr]

I agree that you can - and should - leave ASAP. 2.5 months shouldn't change anything, if it does then you're probably not ready.

Can you take your vacation now? No reason to leave that on the table. If you have sick days, take those too. Then resign on the day you come back, and leave forever.

[Nemesis.]

Depending on your personality I'd say you have several choices.

1. Mr Somewhat-nice guy: Follow the plan, go on vacation, give notice.

2. Mr Somewhat-less-nice: Tell your boss you'll be working from home, follow the plan. Don't give a fuck about what he says.

3. Mr FU: Tell boss "don't like the office, don't like you. Here is my notice!".

4. Mr FI, FU: At the end of workday tell all coworkers bye, leave laptop, keys etc and never come back. Walk out of the office and into legend.

Me personally, I would go with option 4.

Well, I did it!
I went with something something in between 1 and 3 (not 2)
I told them I was burnt out from being back in the office and working in that crappy space. (gave 2 weeks notice)
I wouldn't tell them what I was doing next beyond "taking some time off and them doing some non-(my profession) related stuff."
That tool who is responsible for all of that is on vacation and won't even find out about it until next week. :D
My immediate boss is home sick but I talked to him and he was cool, but sad.
One person I told burst into tears...I wasn't prepared for that.
Actually...I wasn't really prepared for the reaction I got from a lot of the people I told today.
That was exhausting. I knew I was carrying a heavy burden but I didn't realize how heavy until the people I was carrying it for found out they'd have to do it now.

[Omy]

Wow...you don't mess around...congrats!

[okits]

Huge congratulations, Nemesis!

[Nemesis.]

Thanks!

I wasn't going to do it for 2 more weeks but I got to work and just hated the space I was in.
I'm in Florida and the A/C doesn't really work in that space.
I had just had enough. I didn't need to be there anymore.
I triple checked all my numbers and then went to find someone to tell.

[maizefolk]

One person I told burst into tears...I wasn't prepared for that.
Actually...I wasn't really prepared for the reaction I got from a lot of the people I told today.
That was exhausting. I knew I was carrying a heavy burden but I didn't realize how heavy until the people I was carrying it for found out they'd have to do it now.

Good for you on following through! And extra bonus points for realizing just how much above and beyond you've been going to make things work.

If you hadn't said your immediate boss was a him I'd be really worried you were a particular person I work with who has been handed more and more work as her supervisor's supervisor (a newly minted late in life MBA with delusions of management) has driven more and more of the talented and motivated people to find work elsewhere.

Hopefully some of those people who will have to carry the load now that you're gone can go find other jobs where they'll be properly appreciated and the tool who made a mess of everything will be left holding the bag.

[bmjohnson35]

Congratulations!

You will soon be leaving that negativity and stress behind you. 

[kei te pai]

Great! So good to hear you took action without this thread turning into another one dithering around for no good reason.

[Loren Ver]

Woot!  Good job!  Now one to more enjoyable things.

[Nutty]

Congratulations!  Decisive action is liberating. 

[simonsez]

I hate it.

That's what stuck out to me in your original post.  I'm of the opinion even if you don't have enough for retirement, that if you truly hate a job you should quit it and go from there.  Life is too short for that.  If you hate your job but have enough funds to be FIRE, well it's even easier to decide.

Glad you made the choice that you did, congrats!

[dougules]

One person I told burst into tears...I wasn't prepared for that.
Actually...I wasn't really prepared for the reaction I got from a lot of the people I told today.
That was exhausting. I knew I was carrying a heavy burden but I didn't realize how heavy until the people I was carrying it for found out they'd have to do it now.

It sounds like you were downplaying how bad it was.  Good for you for putting your health first.  I hope the person that burst into tears finds another option soon. 

[lhamo]

Whoo hoo!!!  Now you will have a bit of time to decompress BEFORE you have your big vacation, which hopefully means you will actually enjoy that trip even more.

[iluvzbeach]

@lhamo, what a fantastic way to approach it!  Yes, time off before the vacation will really help the OP to enjoy the time even more.

[Dicey]

Congratulations! Be sure to add/update yourself in the 2021 cohort. Then go out and enjoy the rest of your life!

[elysianfields]

@lhamo, what a fantastic way to approach it!  Yes, time off before the vacation will really help the OP to enjoy the time even more.

Smoley hokes this is so true!

In the Foreign Circus, we bust our butts finishing things up during the last two weeks before we go on leave.

It takes most of our leave time to completely disconnect from work mentally, it creeps into our vacations.

We return to 1000s of unanswered emails and work has already moved on to the *next* project in the unrelenting cycle, and we need the next vacation...

[Nemesis.]

Congratulations! Be sure to add/update yourself in the 2021 cohort. Then go out and enjoy the rest of your life!

Done!
And yes, I'm looking forward to de-stressing before my trip and really enjoying it.
I'm already looking forward to relaxing a while before I start focusing on getting healthier both in body and spirit.
Thanks everyone who chimed in! :)

[Dicey]

Congratulations! Be sure to add/update yourself in the 2021 cohort. Then go out and enjoy the rest of your life!

Done!
And yes, I'm looking forward to de-stressing before my trip and really enjoying it.
I'm already looking forward to relaxing a while before I start focusing on getting healthier both in body and spirit.
Thanks everyone who chimed in! :)

Good! While you're getting things done, your Signature Factory date needs to be updated - It's really cute, BTW. Boy, this getting ready to FIRE is hard work, lol!

[fixie]

Go.  Especially if you have enough sick leave and annual leave to get you through, but why stay just another few months if it is so bad?  Time and health is all you have.  Think of it like taking your vacation early and forever :)

-fixie