Author Topic: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?  (Read 15034 times)

Hula Hoop

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #50 on: February 24, 2020, 08:16:16 AM »
I'm also a GenXer so I guess that was part of my inspiration for starting this thread. 

American GenX

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #51 on: February 24, 2020, 04:25:16 PM »
GenXer here and not worried.

erutio

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #52 on: February 24, 2020, 07:40:35 PM »
Worried about it? 

Nah...I'm counting on it!

Hula Hoop

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #53 on: February 25, 2020, 03:27:01 AM »
Worried about it? 

Nah...I'm counting on it!

I like your attitude. 

Missy B

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #54 on: April 21, 2020, 12:03:17 PM »
Hula Hoop, I think you're just exhausted and what you do when you're exhausted hasn't any bearing on what you do when you're well rested and have free time.
I wonder if you've been able to get more down time recently and if so, has that changed how you're spending your time?

aGracefulStomp

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #55 on: May 07, 2020, 08:38:57 PM »
Hula Hoop, I think you're just exhausted and what you do when you're exhausted hasn't any bearing on what you do when you're well rested and have free time.
I wonder if you've been able to get more down time recently and if so, has that changed how you're spending your time?

I agree with Missy B.

Last year I had two months off between jobs. The level of energy I had at the end of my time off was so much higher than at the start. I was just starting to become engaged with old interests, I felt like I was able to start planning and wanting to do difficult things - big hiking and camping trips, go back to studying, start my own business etc. That would have only increased as time went by.

Now that I'm back at a full-time job, most of that energy has gone. (I say most, because my new job is way less demanding). I just don't have the time and energy to contemplate doing anything difficult - going to work 5 days a week is difficult enough!

I was worried that I would do nothing and be bored once I was FIRE...until I had those 2 months off.

I think the biggest issue is that it's hard to plan for FIRE before you get there because you just don't have the capacity. I think that's why slowing down (i.e. going to part-time) for a bit before you fully FIRE is the way I'll probably do it.

Padonak

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #56 on: May 07, 2020, 08:58:13 PM »
I am worried that I'll become even more of a slacker than I already am.

oneyear

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #57 on: May 10, 2020, 03:19:16 AM »
If you've reached FIRE, you're entitled to slack if you choose. Or be creative with the titling of activities. Addicted to video games is no. Professional gamer is a yes? Netflix binge, no. Movie/series reviewer - yes. Of course you'll need to watch a series in one sitting.

Right now I prioritise my time into work and family. Everything is a rush to be more productive in both those settings. Imagine being able to slow down and walk to the shops...

Linea_Norway

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #58 on: May 10, 2020, 03:33:13 AM »
Are you a slacker if you sit down and relax to read a book? I am glad I now have more time than before to read books. In earlier years, I would read on the train during my commute, but during the last five years, I didn't take take the train to work anymore (switch jobs) and my reading time plunged.

And what about meditation. I suppose that is not slacking, as you must concentrate doing it? I do mindful yoga, which is relaxing, but doesn't feel like slacking.

Hula Hoop

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #59 on: May 10, 2020, 10:29:32 AM »
Hula Hoop, I think you're just exhausted and what you do when you're exhausted hasn't any bearing on what you do when you're well rested and have free time.
I wonder if you've been able to get more down time recently and if so, has that changed how you're spending your time?

Thanks.  In a way I'm more stressed now because of the whole virus thing and also home schooling 2 kids.  I'm now working 40 hours a week from home and my husband is newly unemployed as his business (in Italy where we live) was in tourism.  I don't think tourism will bounce back here for a long time.

Anyway, we had a very intense lock down here until May 4th in which we weren't allowed to go outside apart from grocery shopping and going to the pharmacy.  We weren't allowed to go for walks or get exercise outside the house.  It was very tough psychologically especially for our 2 kids as we live in a small apartment without outside space.  Now that we're allowed outside to exercise, we all feel a bit better.

Anyway, I have watched a ton of Netflix in the evenings since early March and read only 1 book.  Since I'm working from home and the kids are doing home schooling we don't need to get up until quite late (8-8.30) as no commute so I've been staying up late and slacking off.

Missy B

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #60 on: May 21, 2020, 11:32:48 PM »
Hula Hoop, I think you're just exhausted and what you do when you're exhausted hasn't any bearing on what you do when you're well rested and have free time.
I wonder if you've been able to get more down time recently and if so, has that changed how you're spending your time?

Thanks.  In a way I'm more stressed now because of the whole virus thing and also home schooling 2 kids.  I'm now working 40 hours a week from home and my husband is newly unemployed as his business (in Italy where we live) was in tourism.  I don't think tourism will bounce back here for a long time.

Anyway, we had a very intense lock down here until May 4th in which we weren't allowed to go outside apart from grocery shopping and going to the pharmacy.  We weren't allowed to go for walks or get exercise outside the house.  It was very tough psychologically especially for our 2 kids as we live in a small apartment without outside space.  Now that we're allowed outside to exercise, we all feel a bit better.


Italy's lockdown was brutal. We were always allowed outside to exercise where I am (BC, Canada) and I often thought how difficult it would have been if we couldn't. I would not have done well, and I am good at entertaining myself at home. hard to imagine doing that with children. I hope things continue to improve, it looks like Italy is doing very well with controlling new cases.

Chris@TTL

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #61 on: May 22, 2020, 10:42:00 PM »
I think the key reason you (or, I) won't become a slacker is simply that it takes a lot of effort to get to FIRE in the first place. Folks who do that are unlikely to be unhealthily lazy.

Video games get boring at some point (I finally finished Chrono Trigger). I can't help but be productive after a while, and you're probably in the same boat.

Body Surfer

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #62 on: May 30, 2020, 03:08:35 PM »
We have reduced the amount of TV we watch. Mostly it is such a waste of time. As worthless as most programs are on TV now, commercials (the split seconds I actually see one before instantly turning the channel) are even worse. Wow, are commercials awful; so unbelievable and riddled with the left-wing agenda. Just discuss your product. People are sick of the 'promote one people group over others' scam, especially over the group that invented almost everything in the first place. Pathetic.

[MOD NOTE: Dog whistle noted.  Banned.]

There are so many fun activities one can do and learn. FIRE is a great time to change who you are and experience new things. Enjoy
« Last Edit: June 02, 2020, 08:12:09 AM by FrugalToque »

Hula Hoop

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #63 on: May 30, 2020, 03:16:52 PM »
People are sick of the 'promote one people group over others' scam, especially over the group that invented almost everything in the first place. Pathetic.


Ummm...what?? Not sure what a "people group" is and absolutely no idea why you placed an apostrophe after others' - is that a plural or a plural possessive?  If it's a plural possessive (as indicated by the apostrophe) what do the others possess?  I'm so confused.

And who still watches TV with commercials? I haven't done that in years and I don't think my kids ever have.

Paul der Krake

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #64 on: May 30, 2020, 03:32:42 PM »
And who still watches TV with commercials? I haven't done that in years and I don't think my kids ever have.
US tv advertising is a 70 billion dollars a year industry.

sui generis

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #65 on: May 30, 2020, 04:14:28 PM »
I'm gonna ignore the racist dog whistle above and add a totally unrelated comment.

It's really a refinement of my first post on this thread  (where I talked about being ok with a decompression that may take longer than you expect).  I guess I just also want to caution against worrying so much about being lazy that you build yourself right back into a busy life that you were trying to dismantle and be more balanced about.  I find balance really hard to achieve.  In my just under two years, I have only vacillated between being far too busy and getting to be a bit lazy (as a rebound from the busy-ness) but worrying that if that lasted much longer I would be ashamed and distressed.  Part of my too-busy-ness is about stuff I'm desperate/passionate about, so it's sort of a special circumstance....but still not being able to find a balance in those circumstances is a bit concerning.  Although I do believe myself to be, at base, a complete slacker, it's actually hard even for me to end up acting that out in day to day life. 

I hope other folks are more successful at finding the right balance than I have been!

shuffler

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #66 on: May 30, 2020, 05:49:17 PM »
People are sick of the 'promote one people group over others' scam, especially over the group that invented almost everything in the first place.

I'm gonna ignore the racist dog whistle above ...

Eh, I don't mind a bit of pro-Polynesian racism now and then, since it's so rare on these boards.

I mean ... Body Surfer is Polynesian right? Because body surfing was invented/originated by Polynesians.  I'm sure BS'er wouldn't advertise himself to us as a proponent of a sport unless he was a member of the group that invented it in the first place.

Jonboyz

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #67 on: May 30, 2020, 07:37:10 PM »
I have been pretty much FIRE'd for the past 2 years, age 47yo.

I have been working on a novel; however, progress has been slow (160,000 words of 1st draft) and spend 1-2hrs/day writing--the rest of my day is playing video games, mucking around, and spending time with family.

Admittedly, I have slacked off more than I had hoped. But, I'm enjoying life (mostly) and couldn't ever return to 'work'.

GreenToTheCore

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #68 on: June 01, 2020, 12:58:18 PM »
People are sick of the 'promote one people group over others' scam, especially over the group that invented almost everything in the first place.

I'm gonna ignore the racist dog whistle above ...

Eh, I don't mind a bit of pro-Polynesian racism now and then, since it's so rare on these boards.

I mean ... Body Surfer is Polynesian right? Because body surfing was invented/originated by Polynesians.  I'm sure BS'er wouldn't advertise himself to us as a proponent of a sport unless he was a member of the group that invented it in the first place.

I would like to acknowledge the greatness of this response. I appreciate your style @shuffler

sherr

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #69 on: June 02, 2020, 07:57:46 AM »
We have reduced the amount of TV we watch. Mostly it is such a waste of time. As worthless as most programs are on TV now, commercials (the split seconds I actually see one before instantly turning the channel) are even worse. Wow, are commercials awful; so unbelievable and riddled with the left-wing agenda. Just discuss your product. People are sick of the 'promote one people group over others' scam, especially over the group that invented almost everything in the first place. Pathetic.

There are so many fun activities one can do and learn. FIRE is a great time to change who you are and experience new things. Enjoy

Ho boy, I'm not willing to "ignore the racist dog whistles". Let it be known for all time that @Body Surfer is a white supremacist. Reporting to the mods.

Chris@TTL

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #70 on: June 04, 2020, 10:12:55 PM »
I see no slacking in this thread of concern about slacking :-)

Back on topic...

I think part of the point of FIRE is to give us time to evaluate what the bigger point is. It might take a little slacking to let the mind wander, to have space to play around, to stop worrying about paying the next bill and the little 9-5 hamster wheel. Giving yourself room to self-actualize like that might require just a little slack along the way.

That's okay.

As long as we don't get stuck there.

So, perhaps the more central question is: how do we make sure we don't get stuck in a hole of slack?

Dicey

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #71 on: June 05, 2020, 03:54:19 PM »
Slacking right now...have been for weeks...

IslandFiGirl

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Re: Anyone else worried they will become a complete slacker after FIRE?
« Reply #72 on: June 09, 2020, 11:13:15 PM »
Slacking after FIRE...ha ha, you bet your sweet bippy I'm slacking.  Some days I'm totally ok with it and think hey, I needed this break after working so hard for so many years, and other days I'm like wow, I didn't do a gosh darn thing today and I'm not loving how that feels.  But I can tell you that getting to decide to slack and knowing that the only person who cares about it is me is a pretty great feeling.  On the days I have energy, I do stuff...fun stuff, or work around the house doing chores, home improvement, whatever I want, and if I feel like vegging, then I do that and just feel grateful that I get to run my life and not some boss who gives two farts about me.  Slacking?  Yeah, bring it on!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!