Do people find their jobs less enjoyable because of FIRE plans?

[aGracefulStomp]

Hi everyone,

I start working my very full-time long-hours job next year (corporate lawyer), and I can't help but think that my working life is going to be more difficult than what it would be if I wasn't FIRE focused.

I say this because my friends are all about to start their first full time job and a lot of them are excited about getting their careers started. All I can think about is how I should count down to my FIRE date.

Has anyone found that your job became a lot less enjoyable when becoming FIRE focused? How did you deal with it?

[Jschange]

I find the opposite. Because when things are going well - I can choose to do this forever. When things are more stressful - I won't HAVE to do this forever. It results in a net feeling of choosing to do this forever. My plan is FI and then figure it all out.

[chasesfish]

Interesting question:  Early on, when I had 4-5 years away and was grinding through the work, it felt like a huge weight.

Fast forward three years and I'm very close to FIRE - I go in most days and say "I can't believe I'm being paid to do this".   Now that I don't "have" to work, I enjoy all the perks and the BS related to the job doesn't bother me as much.

I also understand that I'm paid to do a job, not paid based on working 70-80 hours a week.  I don't have the pressure to prove myself to earn a promotion and care less about appearances.  I focus on building, developing, and coaching the people I work with and results follow.

My advice:  Go do what you enjoy doing in law and where you can enjoy working with others.  You don't have to focus on working for a promotion or making partner.  I know plenty of happy lawyers who keep working after they make FI. 

[Linea_Norway]

A bit, yes. We have calculated that we can retire after another 7 years of full-time working. That is pretty late for American standards, but we live in an expensive country. I am not really looking forward to working full-time for another 7 years. But as my husband told me: if we would start working part-time now, that would delay our pension with several years. But I will surely have a look at our finances in another couple of years and see if we are capable of shaving off another year or two from pension age.

[Cassie]

Starting a new career that you love should be a exciting part of your life.  I would not get so focused on FIRE that you are not enjoying the present. 
Save for the future but live in the present. Time goes faster then you think it will.  I hoped you picked law because you love it.   I remember how exciting it was when I first started my career.

[Linea_Norway]

What I do enjoy a lot, is my shorter commute. I used to spend too much time on the train and was away for 10-11 hours a day. Now I work close to home and only need to be away 8,25 hours a day.

[ChpBstrd]

YES!
I'm constantly distracted by FIRE fantasies, and end up checking my spreadsheets and brokerage accounts when I should be working. I want out of the rat race sooooo bad that I can't stand it. It's in my mind from the moment I wake up to the time I go to sleep. I wish I could '"set it and forget it" and focus on the journey, which is logical, but here I am.

[Cookie78]

Some days it's less enjoyable because I'm impatient and want the freedom.

Other days it's more enjoyable because I don't give a fuck and don't have long left.

[happy]

When I first discovered the whole FIRE thing, it made it worse. Just the idea that I could be free made the current life more unpleasant. I did some personal work on enjoying life now and improved my situation at work by changing jobs.  A few years later, the plan is working, and  I'll be gone in a couple of years or so. I've worked myself into a position that maximises the enjoyment and minimises the horrid. I'm maintaining the status quo to a high standard but not trying to get anywhere. When something ridiculous happens I politely voice my opinion and  then let it go, after all I won't have to put up with whatever for an eternity.

OP maybe its a case of the Sunday night dreads - knowing you will be submerged in an all consuming job.  If I were in your shoes, I'd firstly be happy I had a high paying job that would allow me to FIRE quickly, and secondly I'd keep looking for a niche that I found at least bearable if not enjoyable whilst the time passed.

[Eco_eco]

I can relate to this. My early career was so very very dull. I think a lot of early careers are like this - doing the grunt work and dreaming of financial independence. Now we have enough money to not have to worry but I've found the jobs I've had for the past few years (at age 40) are much more satisfying. I'm in the same general line of work (public service) but not doing anything like the work I was doing at age 22. The work really is satisfying that I don't see my self stopping work for at least another five or six years.

[urover]

Thoughts of FIRE have kept the fire in me alive. The reason I wake up everyday to get to work, work hard, learn new things, and tolerate some of the b.s is because I know all of this will culminate in me FIREing one day. But yes, I tend to feel impatient at times but get over the phase quickly.

[Syonyk]

My job resembles an enhanced version of the type of stuff I do on my own time, and I get paid nicely for it.

The only real thing that the path to FIRE allows for is the ability for me to say, "No, I'm not going to do this just for the money."

I took a ~50% pay cut recently as a result of a move closer to family and to a radically lower cost of living area.  Many of my former coworkers thought I was clinically insane.  I mean, I bought a trailer house.  Their term.  I prefer the term manufactured home, and we're quite happy with it.

My commute is a 45 second walk to my solar shed-to-office conversion, I work part time, and I've got pretty good job security.

:)  And I couldn't be happier.

[Case]

Hi everyone,

I start working my very full-time long-hours job next year (corporate lawyer), and I can't help but think that my working life is going to be more difficult than what it would be if I wasn't FIRE focused.

I say this because my friends are all about to start their first full time job and a lot of them are excited about getting their careers started. All I can think about is how I should count down to my FIRE date.

Has anyone found that your job became a lot less enjoyable when becoming FIRE focused? How did you deal with it?

Split up the FI and the RE.  If you're focusing on retiring before you've even started your job, then I agree that your career could suffer and not be satisfying.  It indicates you're not really passionate about your work which will reflect.  You're too young for that!

It's certainly good to to have a life plan, but don't get tunnel vision.

I arrived at my FIRE path after being in a job that was not going well at the time.  I began to wonder what my life had come to, and FIRE provided an eventual out.  Along the way, I've found opportunities and goals to go after; might as well enjoy the ride while you're on it.  Ideal situation is that your job that pays well is also what you want to do for the rest of your life. 

The other way to look at it is, I don't want to look back on my life and feel like my professional career phase was merely to earn money in order to retire.  I want a sense of accomplishment and profession satisfaction; or at the very least to know I tried my best.  You're sabotaging yourself from doing your best by focusing exclusively on the end goal; reasonable chance you will regret it one day.

It is true that most of us are retiring in order to pursue new 'jobs' that probably want earn much money but will provide more personal satisfaction.  Regardless of that, the years you put in towards working don't have to be sunk costs.

[Cannot Wait!]

Do you think it's possible that you chose the wrong career?

What do you picture FIRE life to look like?

[arebelspy]

Has anyone found that your job became a lot less enjoyable when becoming FIRE focused? How did you deal with it?

Not early on, because we chose careers we likely.  FIRE was an awesome goal (years out), but we still liked out jobs.

My wife got a little burnt out towards the end, and started daydreaming (looking at AirBnBs around the world for places we might travel to), so this impatience caused us to pull the trigger a bit early.  So I think the last... 6 months or so she was ready to go. 

Before that, no.

But I think she'd have been just burnt out, but with no outlet, so accepted it--having FIRE as a thing may have given her more energy, and made those last few months more bearable, personally, than they would have been if she knew she'd be back to the grind right away.

[aGracefulStomp]

Good to hear the different perspectives!

& perhaps my expression was too negative about my thoughts on my job. I am excited about starting, I'm looking forward to the challenge. ive already done a clerkship there and found the work really engaging. I have no doubts that I'm where I'm supposed to be, and that this is the right way to start my legal career :)

My comparison with my peers was more along the lines of them seeing their career as their life's work, while I understand work as a means to an end (while no doubt finding fulfilling in many ways along the way)

[Linea_Norway]

I do really enjoy the thought that i don't need to do this or any other job until I am 67 or 62 years old (Norwegian pension age). But as it is still 7 years in the future, that is still quite a long time.

I have just been contacting a friend of mine by email, because I think he is a walking (or better said: cycling) Mustachian without being aware it. I sent him a link to this website and asked him about his future plans. It would be nice to have someone close by who thinks similarly and both discuss our plans.

[Nick_Miller]

I'm guilty of this.

Since I discovered MMM and the whole idea of a realistic earlyish retirement, I think about it constantly. I regret my previous choices. I calculate how long I will have to work until I get to do what I really want to do. I obsess about it a lot. Maybe it will wear off. I'm still relatively new to this.

I don't want to wish my life away. My job is fairly enjoyable and pays decently well, but I wouldn't be here if I was FI. I don't want to be forced to go into an office anywhere M-F.

[boarder42]

I'm guilty of this.

Since I discovered MMM and the whole idea of a realistic earlyish retirement, I think about it constantly. I regret my previous choices. I calculate how long I will have to work until I get to do what I really want to do. I obsess about it a lot. Maybe it will wear off. I'm still relatively new to this.

I don't want to wish my life away. My job is fairly enjoyable and pays decently well, but I wouldn't be here if I was FI. I don't want to be forced to go into an office anywhere M-F.

I've been at this for almost 2 years now - so maybe thats still relatively new but i still obsess about it alot and it has not warn off.  your last statement is the one that most drives me.  WTF havent we figured out that companies can make way more money not having central locations.  Get rid of all that overhead and commuting waste. Better yet how about we figure out how much the work i'm doing is actually worth on a non hourly basis and just pay me for what i execute.  Some will be slower than others and work longer hours some will work 2 hours a day and get paid the same.  hey this reminds me of something.  School.  grades for performance regardless of how many hours you spend on it as long as you can do it.  how offices havent developed metrix for this i have now clue.

[obstinate]

Quite the opposite. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel makes me think about all the BS I can give zero shits about in just a couple of years.

[arebelspy]

I've been at this for almost 2 years now - so maybe thats still relatively new but i still obsess about it alot and it has not warn off.  your last statement is the one that most drives me.  WTF havent we figured out that companies can make way more money not having central locations.  Get rid of all that overhead and commuting waste. Better yet how about we figure out how much the work i'm doing is actually worth on a non hourly basis and just pay me for what i execute.  Some will be slower than others and work longer hours some will work 2 hours a day and get paid the same.  hey this reminds me of something.  School.  grades for performance regardless of how many hours you spend on it as long as you can do it.  how offices havent developed metrix for this i have now clue.

Some jobs are.

Like picture a commission-based salesman on the road.  They don't care if you make your sales quota for the month in two days, or thirty.

It's rare though, you're right.

[boarder42]

I've been at this for almost 2 years now - so maybe thats still relatively new but i still obsess about it alot and it has not warn off.  your last statement is the one that most drives me.  WTF havent we figured out that companies can make way more money not having central locations.  Get rid of all that overhead and commuting waste. Better yet how about we figure out how much the work i'm doing is actually worth on a non hourly basis and just pay me for what i execute.  Some will be slower than others and work longer hours some will work 2 hours a day and get paid the same.  hey this reminds me of something.  School.  grades for performance regardless of how many hours you spend on it as long as you can do it.  how offices havent developed metrix for this i have now clue.

Some jobs are.

Like picture a commission-based salesman on the road.  They don't care if you make your sales quota for the month in two days, or thirty.

It's rare though, you're right.

yes and i have golden handcuffs at my current position that just seem too good to leave.  i have actually done calcs on what i thought my salary would be if i went to a full time contract employee vs my current situation and it accelerates FIRE in most cases since my spouse can cover our healthcare.  likley just a fear and 1 or 2 extra years isnt killer when it comes to the job security of not having to worry about it.

[MgoSam]

I find it makes my job more enjoyable, mostly knowing that it is temporary. I've always been someone that loves to plan ahead, when I was in high school I was thinking about college. While in college, I was thinking of my career. When I started my first job, I was thinking of what I wanted to do for my career (because I wasn't enjoying my current job), and now that I have a career I love, I can't help but plan ahead to the day I don't need to work for money.

With winter coming to MN it helps for me to remember how beautiful spring/summer will be, and also how nice it will be to someday live in a place where there is no snow.

[Schaefer Light]

I'm guilty of this.

Since I discovered MMM and the whole idea of a realistic earlyish retirement, I think about it constantly. I regret my previous choices. I calculate how long I will have to work until I get to do what I really want to do. I obsess about it a lot. Maybe it will wear off. I'm still relatively new to this.

I don't want to wish my life away. My job is fairly enjoyable and pays decently well, but I wouldn't be here if I was FI. I don't want to be forced to go into an office anywhere M-F.

I've been at this for almost 2 years now - so maybe thats still relatively new but i still obsess about it alot and it has not warn off.  your last statement is the one that most drives me.  WTF havent we figured out that companies can make way more money not having central locations.  Get rid of all that overhead and commuting waste. Better yet how about we figure out how much the work i'm doing is actually worth on a non hourly basis and just pay me for what i execute.  Some will be slower than others and work longer hours some will work 2 hours a day and get paid the same.  hey this reminds me of something.  School.  grades for performance regardless of how many hours you spend on it as long as you can do it.  how offices havent developed metrix for this i have now clue.

Amen to that.  I think it's why I liked school so much better than I like work.  I almost feel like I'm being punished by being efficient.  You finished your work early, huh?  Well, sit there until 5 o'clock and then you can leave.

[Retire-Canada]

Hi everyone,

I start working my very full-time long-hours job next year (corporate lawyer), and I can't help but think that my working life is going to be more difficult than what it would be if I wasn't FIRE focused.

I say this because my friends are all about to start their first full time job and a lot of them are excited about getting their careers started. All I can think about is how I should count down to my FIRE date.

Has anyone found that your job became a lot less enjoyable when becoming FIRE focused? How did you deal with it?

Nope. Quite the opposite. Knowing there is an end in sight makes me much happier than if I thought I had another 20yrs of this!

Once you get enough saved that you can survive for years with zero income it also gives you the confidence and freedom to say no to stuff you don't want to do or to change jobs.

[Dicey]

The goal of FIRE is the only thing that kept me sane.

This seems like a good place to share this exchange from just last week. BTW, I kept my phone number because it was mine before I worked for this company. It has a good pattern and I didn't want to change it. Plus my parents were elderly and I was their emergency contact for everything.

Random Caller*: (In an exasperated tone) - Yeah, what did I have to do in order to finally get your line?
Me: Fine with me, you can have it.
RC: (With interest now) -  Really? What do I have to do?
Me: Beats me. I retired four years ago.
RC: Who do I have to call?
Me: No idea. I retired four years ago. Buh-bye.

It was fun. I'm smiling as I write this.

*I didn't know the caller, but I knew of the store he was calling from. Never gonna happen, but it was fun to mess with him a little bit. Plus, one phone call to the parent company would have given him the necessary information. I could have offered it, but I have literally erased it from my memory bank. And from my phone too, lol.

Note: I just saw R-C's response. So true!!

[SouthLand]

Yes indeed, it does happen and quite easily.

I think a lot of the "FIRE blues" comes from thinking about time lost. You read so much FIRE literature (especially guys like MMM who are very enthusiastic about it), and you start to think, "Every day I spend working is a day I don't spend living. I have to get out NOW!" Good for energizing you to take a first step but very very very bad for when it comes time to actually, you know, live out a ten to twenty year plan. You really can't wake up every morning feeling like you have to GET OUT NOW else you'll jump off a building before you reach year three on your plan.

I always try to keep things on the Maslow Hierarchy. Worry first about addressing foundation needs (food, shelter, health, etc.), then worry, but worry less, about addressing the upper level needs as you are able. Unless you are born rich, you WILL have to work a (relatively) long time to FIRE. Ten years, which is probably an optimistic goal for most folks, seems like a long time just starting out. But keep it on the hierarchy; you know you are working to meet the need, you've done the math, the plan is in place. You ARE getting out. It'll just take time. Meantime, don't worry about FIRE. It'll take care of itself as long as you stick to the plan.

The other thing that can help to beat the FIRE blues is remaining open to career changes. This can't always work for everyone, but if you've got flexibility, then try to actually have a career. Apply to other jobs that fit your FIRE plan and will give a shake up to the day-to-day routine. This will help you actually love your work since you'll have more control, you'll be learning more, and you'll gain more experience.

[Zikoris]

Quite the opposite for me. I suspect my low-level office clerical work is WAY more fun with an end date. I can enjoy the low stress work, socializing, and nice office without thinking "Oh god, I'm going to still be doing other people's dishes when I'm 60".

[arebelspy]

RC: (With interest now) -  Really? What do I have to do?
Me: Beats me. I retired four years ago.
RC: Who do I have to call?
Me: No idea. I retired four years ago. Buh-bye.

Hah.  That's awesome.  :D

Though I feel pretty bad for them. 

[Dicey]

RC: (With interest now) -  Really? What do I have to do?
Me: Beats me. I retired four years ago.
RC: Who do I have to call?
Me: No idea. I retired four years ago. Buh-bye.

Hah.  That's awesome.  :D

Though I feel pretty bad for them.

Nah, don't feel bad for them. The last year before I retired, I was pushed into a different division, so it has actually been five years since I carried that bag. As a sales rep, some people just treated us like crap for no logical reason. Not noticing someone's absence for five years? Come on. No sympathy is merited, but thanks for caring, ARS.

[mandy_2002]

One thing that helped me is that I didn't have a focused FIRE mentality when I went to work.  I started saving the max to my 401k soon after starting, and was at 40% savings rate without thinking about it after 2 years.  My goal was to retire at 60 with way too much money, way more than I would ever need, and a pension on top of it.  When I started seeing I could live on less, I stumbled upon the shockingly simple math, did the calcs, and was hooked mostly because according to them, I could retire in 1.5 years.  I've always been savings focused, but if, during the 90-hr work weeks (which happened before my discovery), I started thinking about retirement, I would have gone crazy, quit, and gotten a job at a frozen yogurt stand.  (Slightly above minimum wage is what I needed to support my extravagant lifestyle.) 

Having a FIRE focus in a dreaming way may not be the best way to start a "hard" career.  However, it is motivation to succeed, since you can't FIRE without the years of income.  For me, ignorance and frugality were a wonderful combination.

[MandalayVA]

It's been weird for me because my FIRE is coming from me being made redundant--the British way of saying "shitcanned" :D--but I don't have a definite date on when that's happening.  Could be January, could be June at this point (June first is the latest according to my paperwork).  I can kind of see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the damn train keeps going around curves. 

[2Birds1Stone]

First off, in response to those that say they absolutely hate their jobs and can't wait to get out.....I just don't understand why you don't chose a more enjoyable path to FIRE? I mean, I would HATE to have to come to work 200+ days a year to a job I loathed. Rather work an extra year or two and make that time enjoyable than wishing a decade or more of time away.

Being FIRE focused has made my job more enjoyable, about 90% of the time. I'm still a ways away (5-6 years) but knowing I have enough money in the bank to walk out at any minute and be able to take my sweet time finding a replacement job means that things just don't get to me like they used to. Knowing that I have 5-6 more years in a career is very encouraging, I don't have to focus on promotions or pleasing anyone, I just do my job, get paid, and the stress is minimal.

The only time it gets me down is when I think about what else I could be doing with my time if I were already FIRE'd......but alas......delayed gratification is a good thing sometimes. I'll still be 35 when I FIRE, plenty young to do lots of awesome shit for more than half of my adult life (knock on wood)

[financialfreedomsloth]

It's been weird for me because my FIRE is coming from me being made redundant--the British way of saying "shitcanned" :D--but I don't have a definite date on when that's happening.  Could be January, could be June at this point (June first is the latest according to my paperwork).  I can kind of see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the damn train keeps going around curves.

Just treat june first as definitive date and that way anything earlier is extra! + retiring in the summer will be more fun than doing it in full winter (rain, gray skies, ...)

[Trudie]

It ebbs and flows.  I will say that I tend to get preoccupied with my FIRE plans... and I check my accounts and spreadsheets too often.  Here's what I learned - you have to have ways of learning to enjoy things now... even if it's hard some days.  Because focusing on plans is just that -- something can happen that's disruptive.

For instance, I've been so focused on my numbers and making things add up that I never stopped to truly consider what it would mean if we had to continue working for health insurance (now that Obamacare is up in the air).  Add to that the fact that your health can change at any time.  My husband was just diagnosed with a form of rheumatoid arthritis that has a strong genetic basis... nothing he could have done (including his regular workouts and yoga) could have prevented it and now I'm realizing that at least one of us may be working for another ten years for the health insurance.

I'm not trying to be a downer at all.  In some ways, knowing that our days are numbered should be impetus to FIRE and seize the day... it's just that there are other factors and access to affordable health care is a huge one for many people.

[tonysemail]

i'm in the home stretch and I feel it's a mixed bag.
most days, I feel very blessed to be FI because management could screw the project and I'd still be OK.
it's quite easy to stomach the day to day problems at work when you believe in your exit strategy.
But every once in awhile, something so dumbfounding happens that my frustration boils over.
On those days, it's a curse to be FI since I feel the freedom to just quit on the spot.

[Metric Mouse]

Hi everyone,

I start working my very full-time long-hours job next year (corporate lawyer), and I can't help but think that my working life is going to be more difficult than what it would be if I wasn't FIRE focused.

I say this because my friends are all about to start their first full time job and a lot of them are excited about getting their careers started. All I can think about is how I should count down to my FIRE date.

Has anyone found that your job became a lot less enjoyable when becoming FIRE focused? How did you deal with it?

Nope. Quite the opposite. Knowing there is an end in sight makes me much happier than if I thought I had another 20yrs of this!

Once you get enough saved that you can survive for years with zero income it also gives you the confidence and freedom to say no to stuff you don't want to do or to change jobs.

This is how I've always imagined it. Sadly I missed out on the FU years at work.

[Retire-Canada]

This is how I've always imagined it. Sadly I missed out on the FU years at work.

How did you miss out on them?

[Linea_Norway]

Today I toke a FIRE day. It feels great to have a day off when everybody else is working. Watching the chess WC yesterday until 3 o'clock at night.

I should so definitively do this more often.  Just working a bit more each day and taking a day off. Again next Friday.

[redbird]

Honestly, I never had a job I enjoyed. I just worked because I needed money. Decided to FIRE because I hated working and decided I would rather be in charge of my own life instead of having it dictated by a boss.

[Gatzbie]

*thread saved as it relates to a thread I made a little while ago.

[Janelle]

I'd like to join the folks who say their job became more enjoyable. In fact before I started reading this forum, I was extremely unhappy even though I love many things about my work, and thought about seeking therapy just to cope with the idea of doing this kind of thing for 30 more years. I stumbled upon this blog on the same day that I was researching counselors in my area, read through all the major posts in a weekend, made some drastic changes, and am now looking at many less years of work.

For me, it has made a major difference in my outlook and I've been much more positive at work ever since. There's something comforting to me in knowing that as much as I enjoy some things at my work, it isn't going to eat up my whole life.

I don't post here often, but I thought this one was important because this community, and reading everyone's stories and advice, has made a massive positive difference to me! 

[Metric Mouse]

This is how I've always imagined it. Sadly I missed out on the FU years at work.

How did you miss out on them?

I didn't realize I had fu money until after I quit working, basically. So I'll never likely have the experience of working a career with the knowledge that I could quit at anytime.

[TheDeclutterer]

I struggle with it, several times a day when doing nothing remotely related to my employer I ask myself, "why I am here again?"!

[Metric Mouse]

This is how I've always imagined it. Sadly I missed out on the FU years at work.

How did you miss out on them?

I didn't realize I had fu money until after I quit working, basically. So I'll never likely have the experience of working a career with the knowledge that I could quit at anytime.

Hey MM,

Two questions - Why do you have a pack of cigarettes as your symbol?  How is it possible to have FU money at 22 YO?  Just curious, that's all.

They're actually guitar necks. It's a poster for a band. I enjoy the artwork.




Second question:

Downgrade in my employment status was my trigger. Easy to walk away at that point. Nice to not have to go back either.  I could have worked until I was 30 or so, part time and had more money.  Enough is enough for me though.

 Awesome at your age.

Metric Mouse, you should tell us how you did it.

Ipods, the M&P line, the Sandy Hook Shooting, Netflix and cattle. And a fair amount of hard work and frugality when most people my age were dragging main or playing Halo in their parents basement.

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Has anyone found that your job became a lot less enjoyable when becoming FIRE focused? How did you deal with it?

Personally, I started work before forums were a substantive thing, but ER.org was a big thing by the time I was FI and not sure what I wanted to do.  Then MMM (and associated forum) came along...  So for me, I see the internet in general as informative but just a loud cacophony.  Who knows what the future holds, but it is still the same now as ever - think freely and decide for yourself what is best, after reading all of the input (and we are lucky to have lots of free input).

[mustachepungoeshere]

I find the opposite. Because when things are going well - I can choose to do this forever. When things are more stressful - I won't HAVE to do this forever.

This.

My old job was toxic, and my unhappiness was confounded by knowing there I was no way I could stick it out as long as would be needed for FI.

New job makes me so much happier (better team, more aligned with my interests, better professional development, fewer hours, more money, the list goes on), and that makes FI seem like a more real possibility.

Also, I've found that job satisfaction is great for the budget. Less likely to spend trying to self-medicate what is broken.

[Libertea]

I'm semi-retiring at the end of this year, to be followed by taking a six month "sabbatical" to relax and travel abroad before starting a new (much lower paying but hopefully more satisfying) job next summer.  For the past three months, I've been in the odd position of having already resigned but not yet actually having quit (and I still have one more month to go). 

For whatever anecdotes are worth, resigning has made a tremendous IMPROVEMENT in my attitude, outlook, and ability to tolerate my job.  As others have said, a lot of the work BS that used to drive me crazy just doesn't touch me any more.  I made up my mind a few months ago that if X or Y wasn't going to affect my life in January after semi-retirement, I wasn't going to care about it now, either.  So now when other people complain about X or Y, I agree with them that it sucks, shrug, and say, "that's part of why I'm leaving."  Which, incidentally, also ends the negative fests of bitching and complaining that go on ad nauseum at work, feeding into the group negativity.  Everyone WANTS to complain, you see.  But I'm one of the few who's actually doing something about it by voting with my feet.