Toughing out the 9-5...

[galliver]

Another thing I realized after posting (and I think this didn't come through in my post).

One silly one-line truism that has crept into my life philosophy (from Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project") is "Happiness doesn't always feel happy." I kind of feel like there are two kinds...one derived from pleasure (momentary/temporary) and one derived from satisfaction. Getting satisfaction isn't always pleasant, but knowing you did, or are doing, something important does tend to give you long-term happiness.

Graduate school is not a pleasant job. I have days when I am horribly bored, or confused and frustrated, or anxious, or start getting depressed. But I believe my field and my work are important, and the days when things work give me the satisfaction to get through the other days. And while I can't say I would never take a job just for the paycheck (we all need to eat!), I think I can say that I would try to get out of it as soon as possible if I didn't enjoy the day-to-day OR believe in its greater mission.

[Trudie]

Dude!  Thanks for the reply.  I do get that kick out of knowing that every day I come in I'm closer to freedom... it's just that I go almost obsessive with it and sometimes can't even pay attention to work.  I keep my Mint and Personal Capital open in a tab, half financial-planning, half-fantasizing.

I can so relate to this.  I feel that each day when I go to the office I tackle my work faster so that I can piddle fart around with my own stuff (I work in finance.)  I loathe it at times but like you I have tabs open to my TIAA-CREF accounts and read finance articles.  It makes me feel like I'm plotting my own prison break and keeps me sane.

[oldtoyota]

In all honesty I've met perhaps 0 mustachians in DC.

We are here in DC. Search this forum for the DC Potluck. There's also a Google Groups of DC people.

[bikerdood]

After all the replies...

An update on the toughing out of the 9-5...

Frustration is catalyst for change.  Around the time when I first posted this thread I began shotgun spraying applications all over LinkedIn.  I've had some bites and I'm interviewing for a much more exciting sounding gig.  I would also be getting a healthy salary increase.  Hopefully everything works out :] .

Some of the main themes I've culled from the replies to my original post:

1) put the TOUGH in tough it out

I've only been in the cube world 3 years.  That's not a terribly long time.  The eagerness to GTFO will ensure that I keep my savings rate high and really pump up my frugality muscles.  In the meantime when things suck the most, 1) ensure I still show up at the office and 2) shelve the credit card to prevent anxiety amazon spending.


2) do things that mitigate the daily suckness - probably the biggest one being keeping up w exercise

I actually have had this pretty good for about a year until just recently.  I race bikes in the DC area and there's a training ride at 12:00 about 2 mi from my office.  I used to get that ride in 8-9 times biweekly.  Recently, long story short, there's been a lot of rearranging of projects, etc and I suddenly get a daily meeting at 12:45.  - ___ -  Even so, I try to ensure I get that ride in at the end of the day.  I wholeheartedly agree this is FUNDAMENTAL to toughing out the 9-5.  If it weren't for exercise I'd be much much much unhappier not to mention way out of shape.  I can't help but feel every time I go into my cube I'm sitting down for a flight...


3) Don't romanticize the messengering gig.

Having ridden in and around DC regularly commuting in all weather for 7 years, I think I have a decent sense of what 'a day in the life' is actually like.  That plus I have a handful of friends who actually work in the industry.  As best I can tell, they all seem like pretty happy/satisfied people.  If I have to work, busting my ass physically in any type of weather beats sitting inside for me.  That may not be typical but it's true for me.  I've never enjoyed the physical cushiness of my job.  It feels like an investigation of decrepitude.  All this being said... maybe a middle road solution is to tough out the 9-5 until I can instead messenger as much or as little as I want... kind of like MMM's foray into carpentry.


4)** Retirement too far away for how much you can tolerate your job?  Then 1) pack on some more frugality muscle (e.g. look at expenses and cut out another chunk of fat... whatever one month ago 'I couldn't possibly not do w/o' all of a sudden I'm putting on the chopping block) and 2) try to pull in more cash.  But 1) is king. 

Good luck to all & thanks for taking the time to read this thread.




**[this isn't an insight from the thread but something I've felt over the past few weeks]

[Numbers Man]

bikerdood - You get it. You're way ahead of the game.

[jordanread]

[...]
3. Become a consultant once you've got enough of a portfolio (you might already) - you can work as much as you want/need to.  You can work from a rock gym if you want to, or from the park, or whatever.
[...]

I didn't even know that was a thing...and now I'm glad I do. That looks like a lot of fun!!

OP, you could do the treadmill desks, or take it a touch further:

[bikerdood]

So.  Here we are not too long after my first post.

I feel very fortunate to have landed a (AWESOME fitting) 103k job (95 base, 8k bonus! - up from 74k).

Moreover I've found a reasonably priced apartment (to rent) .2 miles away from the new job. 

My mom - who is providing daycare for mine and my wife's baby - is 1 mile away.

The metro is also less than a mile away.

Also within the 1 mile radius are several grocery stores, etc.



This is the result of persistence fueled by support and determination having come in contact with the right opportunity. 

Thanks for all the support!  Feeling extra motivated now to grow that stache now in record time.

[happy]

Excellent thread Bikerdood. Amazing what happens when we stop doing complainypants and start looking for and acting on opportunities that take us closer to the goal. Your new job is a great fit for a high savings rate.  Even if it turns out to be a bit sucky from time to time, it will help accelerate your goal to get out.

[bikerdood]

Thanks happy! :)))))

[Grid]

I feel very fortunate to have landed a (AWESOME fitting) 103k job (95 base, 8k bonus! - up from 74k).

Holy cow.  Congrats! 

[Daisy]

So.  Here we are not too long after my first post.

I feel very fortunate to have landed a (AWESOME fitting) 103k job (95 base, 8k bonus! - up from 74k).

Moreover I've found a reasonably priced apartment (to rent) .2 miles away from the new job. 

My mom - who is providing daycare for mine and my wife's baby - is 1 mile away.

The metro is also less than a mile away.

Also within the 1 mile radius are several grocery stores, etc.



This is the result of persistence fueled by support and determination having come in contact with the right opportunity. 

Thanks for all the support!  Feeling extra motivated now to grow that stache now in record time.

Amazing! With that tiny commute, who really cares what happens from 9-5? You will be in and out of there easily and be able to enjoy your life a lot more.

I used to live about 2 miles from work but moved to be close to the beach and now have a 28 mile one-way commute...argh...I do miss those days of being so close to work. Oh well, life goes on and my current home is actually a much better place for my soon-to-be FIRE life.

[lifejoy]

Hey, great thread! Definitely some good inspiration here. I've been working the equivalent of a bike messenger job (for me, that means jewellery store) and while I love it, the money is much less than I have been used to making.

This is the kick in the butt I need to get those applications out! So, thanks :)

Congrats on the new job, that is just fantastic! Here's a question: have you considered coursera or EdX etc (free online courses) to tap into the part of you that loves the humanities?

[sly]

If being sedentary is the biggest complaint, work out before you go to the office.  It makes the daily turd-sandwich of office life go down much, much easier.  You'll be loose, relaxed, and optimistic.    The downside of this is that you will need to wake up earlier, and this may cut into your Leno time.  Deal. ;)

At least for me personally I found this was a critical adjustment to make, in order to help adapt to the grind. 

Walking stations can help but they're never going to be a replacement for high intensity exercise.

I can't be bothered to dig out the source, but I read that exercising before/after your sedentary 9-5 doesn't "offset" the health damage of sitting on your butt all day. Intuitively, I would think that being generally active throughout the day is the healthier way to live your life.

If the OP works for a large corporation it should be easy to speak to some sort of health and safety person and ask for a standing desk.

[bikerdood]

Hey all,
Thanks for all the congrats!  I can't describe the magnitude of elation I feel at sorting this stuff out.

Sly- you're right and I'm acutely aware of that.  The new gig has standing desks and a pull up bar in the office (score!). 

Libraryjoy- thanks!  I'm glad this serves as inspiration for you!  I was considering going back to school (paid) but upon better consideration, the goal of being free to study on my own at any time, messanger if/when I want... That is just too awesome.  So your suggestion is very helpful.

[Lutra]

A few tidbits from me if you're still reading this thread:

1.) Yeah, jobs are tough, but you're paid to do that work because you're qualified to do so.  Not everyone can do what you do.  The job won't be easy, but tough jobs demand good pay and you're making good money now, right out of school too.  That's a blessing in these times.

2.) Think of the good things at your job...what do you enjoy every day?  Think of the positives rather than the negatives all the time.  This will improve your attitude at work.

3.) A lot of people don't realize how good they have it.  I've told myself this many many times.  I know about tough days at work.  I've wanted to quit many many times, yet I haven't.  You tough it out, talk to people, get the anger and negative feelings out, and suddenly everything doesn't look so bad.


Give it a try. :)  Don't give up because a few years in it doesn't look as good as you thought exiting school.  I think every college graduate goes through this!


EDIT: just saw a post or two up you got a new job and new pad.  Good for you!  My advice is good to remember once the new job and place start wearing down too!

[BigBigote]

I too am only about 3 years into my career and struggling to think of the long road ahead. The days I'm happiest at my work (a huge corporation with ~80k employees) is when I take advantage of the wonderful employee programs they do have. For example, every hour I volunteer for a non-profit, they will donate $10 USD to that non-profit. Also, in my previous location they had free personal trainers and a gym. There's free snacks in the break room, etc. Those little things actually perk me up a lot.

I'm amazed at how many people I work with that have been with the company 10+ years that have no idea about these programs.  It makes me so happy when I take advantage because it makes me feel like I'm beating the system... not only will you pay me to be here, but you'll give me this perk too?! It definitely eases the pain... but of course not enough to slow me down on my quest for FIRE :)

[sly]

I too am only about 3 years into my career and struggling to think of the long road ahead. The days I'm happiest at my work (a huge corporation with ~80k employees) is when I take advantage of the wonderful employee programs they do have. For example, every hour I volunteer for a non-profit, they will donate $10 USD to that non-profit. Also, in my previous location they had free personal trainers and a gym. There's free snacks in the break room, etc. Those little things actually perk me up a lot.

I'm amazed at how many people I work with that have been with the company 10+ years that have no idea about these programs.  It makes me so happy when I take advantage because it makes me feel like I'm beating the system... not only will you pay me to be here, but you'll give me this perk too?! It definitely eases the pain... but of course not enough to slow me down on my quest for FIRE :)

it's tough. These days I literally take it one day at a time. Everyday I have to remind myself WHY I'm doing it, and on pay day I quietly celebrate every pay check like it's the last. When I am closer to FI I plan to try to transition to part time or to a more "fun" job, but in this economy there aren't many suitable opportunities, I just have to keep grinding, one day at a time.

PS: at my firm volunteer days are always week ends :-/

[bikerdood]

BigBigote - good call on the perks!  Those can definitely make any situation a little more endurable.  Most importantly, good call on being positive!  That helps a lot.  If your baseline is that kind of optimism it takes more to get you down and out.  Getting to FIRE will be all the easier :) .

Sly - I hear you man.  Nice work and keep it going.  I thought of my paychecks in the same way.  It felt like years would pass between them.  Everyone who has replied on this forum is pro - take pages out of their books.  One day at a time, one paycheck at a time.  TBH there were days where it stressed me out more to think of how much I had left to go before retiring.  Sometimes - as long as one doesn't consequentially inflate their spending - it can be helpful to not think about FIRE for a few days and just punch-in/punch-out until things get better. 

And they can get better and they do.  Make some time and send out 1-10 resumes to different jobs everyday.  It's a numbers game.  Hopefully something good comes of that.  Having a better 9-5 can make a world of a difference.  Good luck man.  It's all within reach.  Just gotta hustle.

[Noodle]

I think this story is a great example, not just of toughing it out, but not settling either. I hear stories on this forum of people who seem to have decided their two choices are a current miserable job or FI, and it's good to have a reminder that if it's going to be awhile to your exit, you might as well look around for the most optimal way of putting in the time.

Congratulations on the job!