Author Topic: Working less after kids  (Read 1834 times)

frugledoc

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Working less after kids
« on: July 26, 2017, 02:03:51 AM »
Hi all,

My wife just gave birth to our son. He is our second and last child (daughter 3.5 years old).

I'm a physician, 38 and wife is SAHM 39.

I'm on 3 weeks leave at the moment and have had some thoughts which have taken me a little bit by surprise.  Just wondering if others had this and if it is likely to be a temporary mindset change or permanent.

Basically,  I want to work a lot less.  At the moment I'm probably working around 150% of full time equivalent once you take extra weekends, lists etc into account.

However, I feel we are pretty close to FI, if not there already.  My desire to do any extras had basically plummeted to zero, even though they pay very well.

I want to have more weekends to spend with my family, and would like to get home earlier more days rather than doing additional activity.

I would say my work life balance is okay even when working 150% capacity as I am a very organised, efficient worker but I think less work, more play is the way I see things going forward.

I am also concerned that a large spike in Net Worth over the last few years due to a rising stock market has made me soft and a stock market crash may make me want to slog away again to make more money, but I suppose I could dial things back up again if this was to occur.

Not sure I'm explaining my thoughts very well, hoping some people will know what I'm talking about!

gooki

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Re: Working less after kids
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2017, 04:00:58 AM »
I've had the same thoughts, I attempted to do 4 days a week, but couldn't find an employer willing to agree, so now I work from home in the afternoons 4 days a week. This enables me to pick my kids up from school and have more time with them.

FWIW I'm still 3-4 years from financial independence.

coconutindex

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Re: Working less after kids
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2017, 04:22:33 AM »
Very familiar thoughts. Am also a physician. We have a one year-old and will try for nr 2 soon. Seriously considering changing fields. Presently in surgery, but family practice would mean fewer hours, less on call duty, and even better pay. But difficult call to make.

bunchbikes

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Re: Working less after kids
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2017, 04:57:09 AM »
I'm on 3 weeks leave at the moment and have had some thoughts which have taken me a little bit by surprise.  Just wondering if others had this and if it is likely to be a temporary mindset change or permanent.

I had the same thing happen. When my daughter was born, the thoughts were immediate, severe, and permanent.  I had already scheduled a 1 month maternity leave from my job.  When it was almost time to go back to work, I extended that to the legal limit (3 months).

I went from "On track to be at the top of my field" to "I want to be home more, and something needs to change".  All of the things I had previously thought important, were no longer as important as spending time at home with my family.

I started my first successful business on that maternity leave.  It was painful to go back to work, but as painful as it was, I stuck with it until my business was making enough to where I could quit for good. At work I was completely checked out, especially the last 12 months. Generally, I was the last person to arrive, and the first to leave. My priorities was getting home.

I work from home now... so I get to spend tons of time with the family, and I've never been happier.