I guess that's the difference with having a 3% vs 4% WR and having a still working spouse as buffer.
I can't wait to read here that you're all set, too - I know you're close. It's very exciting to read the updates in this thread.
...
I've gone through most of the workplace issues you've mentioned at one time or another and definitely feel for you.
Many software shops have around-the-clock schedules FWIW due to offshoring. Management tries to spin off hours meetings with teams in other locales as "only" 30 minutes, but this is disingenuous. You're exactly right: If you have a 7PM meeting on Tuesday, you will not be playing racquetball with a friend or, in the summer months, going outside to mess around with your kids, whatever. You are tied to the house so that you can be on that meeting. You may have followups that you need to take care of immediately following the meeting, too -- extending that 30 minutes to perhaps an hour. If the meetings are in the morning (say, 6:30), you will be anxious about the commute.
While this might be okay for a week or two, it is not okay as a lifestyle. I lived this life for a while and found it to be an unacceptable and unsustainable way to exist.
2. I've also gotten back from vacations and immediately had pressure cranked up at work. It's the worst. You're all calm and mellow from the break and as soon as you're back in, someone or other is telling you to run at a 60mph pace and blah blah blah.
And I do have the sense that it's getting worse. No one is able to push back on the constant monitoring, supervision, surveillance because: Need job.
Have you heard about
slack, btw? It's a new-ish IM client that's spun as business-Instant-Messenger and improves communication and productivity. Archives everything, improves transparency.
In short, it increases the number of connections between you and the corporate Hive. Anyone in the company can search your own chat history with anyone else. Yes, I imagine some of the privacy knobs are adjustable, defined as per corporate policy, but still, the idea feels slimy and controlling.
I'm incredibly glad I'm getting out. And these sorts of work-styles is really why I won't go back. If I need to seek employment in the future, for whatever reason, it won't be software. And hopefully I can avoid being in an office, too.
I'll stop there before this gets out of control, as I'm already way off topic... :)
Edit: shorter, believe it or not.