Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

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BusterScruggs
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Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by BusterScruggs »

If this is redundant to the coastfire thread, I understand. But I didnt want to hijack that thread.

We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.

Has anyone actually worked primarily for benefits in their 50's and been happy about it? If so, can you share the lessons and specifics if you are comfortable?

I feel I am bridging the gap between valued executive to 80+ year old wheelchair volunteer at the hospital and Im not going to be happy. And I mean no disrespect to hospital volunteers, they are great, I am just not there yet.
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vanbogle59
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by vanbogle59 »

BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am If this is redundant to the coastfire thread, I understand. But I didnt want to hijack that thread.

We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.

Has anyone actually worked primarily for benefits in their 50's and been happy about it? If so, can you share the lessons and specifics if you are comfortable?

I feel I am bridging the gap between valued executive to 80+ year old wheelchair volunteer at the hospital and Im not going to be happy. And I mean no disrespect to hospital volunteers, they are great, I am just not there yet.
I tried twice. Thought I would be a great HS math teacher.
I ended up hating it (the school system, not the kids or the actual work).
Ended up back in megacorp very quickly.

I'm still happy I tried.
Best of luck.
:sharebeer
MarkRoulo
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by MarkRoulo »

BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am If this is redundant to the coastfire thread, I understand. But I didnt want to hijack that thread.

We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.

Has anyone actually worked primarily for benefits in their 50's and been happy about it? If so, can you share the lessons and specifics if you are comfortable?

I feel I am bridging the gap between valued executive to 80+ year old wheelchair volunteer at the hospital and Im not going to be happy. And I mean no disrespect to hospital volunteers, they are great, I am just not there yet.
The "traditional" way to downsize a job seems to go part time.

I've been part time for the past two years (starting about six months before Covid) and it has been great.

I think this is probably easier to do as an individual contributor, but I know that my employer also does this for
executives (in fact, the plan is mostly intended for executives). There IS a phase-out ... you aren't expected to
be part-time for years and years, but it is a way to either ease into retirement or ease into something else.

Note that this isn't "primarily for benefits." My salary for 20 hours a week is pretty good.
niagara_guy
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by niagara_guy »

I convinced my company to let me go part time (it took a long time to get them to agree), went part time for a period before I retired. In hind site I should have done it way sooner.
humblecoder
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by humblecoder »

BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.
I am not familiar with this other thread, but I would be curious as to why it is impossible to "happily downside".

My company has a large number of blue collar type jobs which involve physically taxing work. However, the one constant thing that I hear from people in these roles is that they enjoy the fact that once they punch-out, that's it. They are done. There is something that is very appealing about this, since most of my job stress comes from the fact that the job has a lot of responsibility and requires me to be "always on".

Don't get me wrong. I am compensated well in return by my employer, and I do enjoy the challenge of my current job right now. However, I'm sure there will come a point where I will want/need to slow down. I can see how having a job where I can just put in my 40 hours would be a welcome change. Yes, there may be new stresses, so I fully admit this might be "grass is always greener" thinking.
FI4LIFE
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by FI4LIFE »

My wife downsized to three days a week (from full time) for different reasons than yours. We're lucky she has a great employer who allowed this. While it's lowered her stress level we are still tied to our location and her work schedule so no great sense of freedom gained from the downsizing. Since my job has more flexibility, there are times I'd love to leave town for a few weeks as a family but that is not possible due to her work commitments. She still has all of the benefits of a full time employee which is great so still a good deal and I'm not complaining.

You are currently in the position I will likely find myself in when I reach 50 in 8 years and this exact topic is something I think about frequently. To me, something seasonal sounds ideal with the goal being to earn enough to pay for health benefits that you purchase privately. Once I pull that cord I don't want to feel owned by my employer ever again.
Yarlonkol12
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Yarlonkol12 »

So far, in 20 years of employment at 8 different companies, I've never seen a relationship between the level of compensation and the level of stress or expectations of the role
My posts are for entertainment purposes only.
sailaway
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by sailaway »

vanbogle59 wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:36 am
BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am If this is redundant to the coastfire thread, I understand. But I didnt want to hijack that thread.

We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.

Has anyone actually worked primarily for benefits in their 50's and been happy about it? If so, can you share the lessons and specifics if you are comfortable?

I feel I am bridging the gap between valued executive to 80+ year old wheelchair volunteer at the hospital and Im not going to be happy. And I mean no disrespect to hospital volunteers, they are great, I am just not there yet.
I tried twice. Thought I would be a great HS math teacher.
I ended up hating it (the school system, not the kids or the actual work).
Ended up back in megacorp very quickly.

I'm still happy I tried.
Best of luck.
:sharebeer
I do know someone who happily downsized to teaching engineering at a high school. He didn't have the same red tape as a lot of other teachers because his courses were considered electives. Also, I think it is pretty rare for the troublemakers to choose engineering as an elective.

DH is working on downsizing within his current role. It seems like now is the time to try something like that because most companies are so focused on retention. In DH's case, they seem to have forgotten the request once they realized he isn't leaving tomorrow, but he can't reasonably slow down until February or March, so he hasn't been pushing it. Be aware that depending on company policies, part time may not qualify for health insurance; you may be working to pay the insurance premiums.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by LittleMaggieMae »

I always thought that the "downsizing" to a different job from a high stress/high income one would fall into one of these categories:

1.) An opportunity to try something completely different while accepting that it might not work out as planned and moving on to the next "new adventure" thing on the list. It's not an "either/or" thing. It's more fluid.

2.) An opportunity to move into doing MORE of some side thing that the person has been doing and enjoying all along and get paid to do it.

In metaphoric language:

I never think of "downsizing my job" as finally being able to kiss the frog that turns into my Handsome Prince and we get married and live in a castle and live happily ever after.

I think of "downsizing my job" as preparing for an exciting adventure that may or may not work out well... but hopefully there will be some fun times and new experiences along the way and maybe in the end it will be be a success.

I suspect that when I do "downsize my job" that it will be ok and I will be pretty happy (and not pining for the daily commute and the daily grind of my old "day job".)
delamer
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by delamer »

humblecoder wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:22 am
BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.
I am not familiar with this other thread, but I would be curious as to why it is impossible to "happily downside".

My company has a large number of blue collar type jobs which involve physically taxing work. However, the one constant thing that I hear from people in these roles is that they enjoy the fact that once they punch-out, that's it. They are done. There is something that is very appealing about this, since most of my job stress comes from the fact that the job has a lot of responsibility and requires me to be "always on".

Don't get me wrong. I am compensated well in return by my employer, and I do enjoy the challenge of my current job right now. However, I'm sure there will come a point where I will want/need to slow down. I can see how having a job where I can just put in my 40 hours would be a welcome change. Yes, there may be new stresses, so I fully admit this might be "grass is always greener" thinking.
Would your company hire you do to one of those blue-collar jobs?

If so, could your body take the stress?

A friend’s husband took a job at a FedEx processing site in his late 50’s after losing his professional job. Even at just 24 hours/week, he didn’t last long. And no benefits, of course.
One thing that humbles me deeply is to see that human genius has its limits while human stupidity does not. - Alexandre Dumas, fils
FoolMeOnce
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by FoolMeOnce »

I reduced my hours slightly and will never go back to full time. Considering reducing further soon. But I'm FI (well, at least enough for one out of the two of us to retire).
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by flyingaway »

BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am If this is redundant to the coastfire thread, I understand. But I didnt want to hijack that thread.

We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.

Has anyone actually worked primarily for benefits in their 50's and been happy about it? If so, can you share the lessons and specifics if you are comfortable?

I feel I am bridging the gap between valued executive to 80+ year old wheelchair volunteer at the hospital and Im not going to be happy. And I mean no disrespect to hospital volunteers, they are great, I am just not there yet.
I went from a 100k+ job to zero. Zero stress in job, some worry about money. I do not believe that a waiter at a restaurant has no stress in his job, at least he has to smile to earn a tip.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by ApeAttack »

Many college faculty do something like this. They officially retire and leave behind their tenure and various boring responsibilities (especially committee work), then get hired as a part-time lecturer where they can teach as much or as little as they desire. The pay is greatly reduced, but so is the stress.

My tentative plan is to this around 60 years old when my pension kicks in. We'll see how kind the markets will be over the next 20 years though.
May all your index funds gain +0.5% today.
humblecoder
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by humblecoder »

delamer wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:51 am
humblecoder wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:22 am I am not familiar with this other thread, but I would be curious as to why it is impossible to "happily downside".

My company has a large number of blue collar type jobs which involve physically taxing work. However, the one constant thing that I hear from people in these roles is that they enjoy the fact that once they punch-out, that's it. They are done. There is something that is very appealing about this, since most of my job stress comes from the fact that the job has a lot of responsibility and requires me to be "always on".

Don't get me wrong. I am compensated well in return by my employer, and I do enjoy the challenge of my current job right now. However, I'm sure there will come a point where I will want/need to slow down. I can see how having a job where I can just put in my 40 hours would be a welcome change. Yes, there may be new stresses, so I fully admit this might be "grass is always greener" thinking.
Would your company hire you do to one of those blue-collar jobs?

If so, could your body take the stress?

A friend’s husband took a job at a FedEx processing site in his late 50’s after losing his professional job. Even at just 24 hours/week, he didn’t last long. And no benefits, of course.
Would they hire me to do that job? Yes. Because of the high turnover, they are always looking for people to work in these roles. As long as you can dependably show up and aren't a total delinquent, you're hired!

Could my body take the stress? Doubtful :happy
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beyou
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by beyou »

Yarlonkol12 wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:30 am So far, in 20 years of employment at 8 different companies, I've never seen a relationship between the level of compensation and the level of stress or expectations of the role
This is it. Everyone feels their own level of stress even in similar jobs.

My advice, estimate cost of medical insurance and work at max income to specifically fund that cost, then retire from full time to retired in one step.

Also note the quality of your existing medical insurance is a factor. If you have excellent care at current job, does not mean a downsized job will also have same. Could be better or worse.
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JoeRetire
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by JoeRetire »

BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily.
It's obviously not impossible. Clearly it depends on what makes you happy. And apparently, some couldn't be happy taking a job that they felt was "beneath them".

I know several folks who went from full employment to something they enjoyed a lot more once the financial need for the income went away. That includes my wife. I also consulted part time for a year and thoroughly enjoyed it, although we didn't need any benefits.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by investnoob »

I went from being a manager to being a staffer. It did not involve a pay decrease. Just moved departments.
I felt like the support wasn't there, for middle managers, at my old organization. So I looked elsewhere.
I am much happier.

Maybe that is something you could do. Move from executive to some of sort of staff role or project role that involves less corporate responsibility, but involves same or more individual responsibility.
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changingtimes
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by changingtimes »

niagara_guy wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:15 am I convinced my company to let me go part time (it took a long time to get them to agree), went part time for a period before I retired. In hind site I should have done it way sooner.
I am just beginning the process of doing this now. Will leave altogether if we can't come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, but I'll take a cut in hours and pay if I can stay on the Megacorp health insurance. And can work remotely the vast majority of the time.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Casper »

changingtimes wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:15 pm
niagara_guy wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:15 am I convinced my company to let me go part time (it took a long time to get them to agree), went part time for a period before I retired. In hind site I should have done it way sooner.
I am just beginning the process of doing this now. Will leave altogether if we can't come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, but I'll take a cut in hours and pay if I can stay on the Megacorp health insurance. And can work remotely the vast majority of the time.
I'm in this process as well, and very much looking forward to working 3-4 days per week (with commensurate decrease in responsibilities). 80% or 60% of my salary and bonus is still a good amount of money, and we've reached a point where I'm able to trade money for time. My wife went part-time several years ago and loves it.
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changingtimes
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by changingtimes »

Casper wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 2:08 pm
changingtimes wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 12:15 pm
niagara_guy wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:15 am I convinced my company to let me go part time (it took a long time to get them to agree), went part time for a period before I retired. In hind site I should have done it way sooner.
I am just beginning the process of doing this now. Will leave altogether if we can't come to a mutually beneficial arrangement, but I'll take a cut in hours and pay if I can stay on the Megacorp health insurance. And can work remotely the vast majority of the time.
I'm in this process as well, and very much looking forward to working 3-4 days per week (with commensurate decrease in responsibilities). 80% or 60% of my salary and bonus is still a good amount of money, and we've reached a point where I'm able to trade money for time. My wife went part-time several years ago and loves it.
Just beginning the process and already knowing that the biggest projects that have me the most perpetually on edge will be someone else's problem before hopefully too long has me breathing huge sighs of relief. A lot of the low level work is stuff I won't really mind continuing to do, but I cannot wait to not be sweating the big stuff anymore.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by calmaniac »

I gave my boss notice last May that I was planning to go to 20 hours/week in the New Year. They seem happy to accommodate, although I will not be surprised if my deadline gets pushed past New Years day because it takes some time to hire my replacement/extender. I am in the fortunate/unfortunate position of being critical to the company.

We have been FI for the past 5+ years, so this current job was for the intellectual interest of a very cool project that could have a big impact, not for the pay (which BTW is good). I have a military retirement, so health care benefits are not a consideration. Going to half time, as I want more time to enjoy life and to have more time to spend with my fully retired wife.
"Pretired", working 20 h/wk. AA 75/25: 30% TSM, 19% value (VFVA/AVUV), 18% Int'l LC, 8% emerging, 25% GFund/VBTLX. Military pension ≈60% of expenses. Pension+SS@age 70 ≈100% of expenses.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Designairohio »

Yarlonkol12 wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:30 am So far, in 20 years of employment at 8 different companies, I've never seen a relationship between the level of compensation and the level of stress or expectations of the role
Stress is in your head
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by KlangFool »

BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am
We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.
BusterScruggs,

I think you are looking at this wrong. The answer is highly dependent your specific job and capability.

A) It is more likely to go from a 100K+ job to $60 per hour to $100 per hour job. In my case, when I was unemployed, the only kind of contract work that I can get is from $65 per hour to $100 hour. I can apply to work that charged less but I had no offer.

B) Ditto, you could get a 100+K job with less stress if you are a subject matter expert (SME) at a specific area. You are paid for what you know aka experience. It has nothing to do with how much time you spend on your job.

The answer is "it depends". If you want a specific answer, you should provide details on your specific job and capability.

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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by KlangFool »

OP,

A more interesting question would be why can't you downsize your current job? If you do not need your job, just do your job. Stop taking on more responsibility. Start reducing your responsibility. Just say no!

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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by finite_difference »

niagara_guy wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:15 am I convinced my company to let me go part time (it took a long time to get them to agree), went part time for a period before I retired. In hind site I should have done it way sooner.
Should have gone part time sooner, or should have retired sooner?
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by punkinhead »

When I announced my retirement the company offered to keep me on part time. After decades as a salaried employee I just couldn't make sense of it - being salaried to me has always meant putting in the hours to get the job done on time. Part time struck me as all the stress at half the pay so I declined.

With my first winter as a retiree approaching I considered getting a low stress job to avoid cabin fever but realized that a big part of my work stress was self imposed. If I got a minimum wage retail job I'd just lay in bed at night dreaming up more efficient ways to stock the shelves. I've resigned myself to the fact that for me the only low stress job is no job at all.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Jeepergeo »

I'm in the final days of it and not perfectly happy at all.
I gave up responsibility to staff all jobs, and now I can't find staff to work on my jobs or have them pulled off for others "emergency" work (poor planning means company emergency). Lots of other little details too, like bonuses have yet to materialize on the historical schedule and the last one was a joke.

My company has no plan in place for transitioning to retirement as the company is just 27 years old and has had few retirees. They offer flexibility to work less if one can make it work ( that is hard with staff and clients), but the drop in bonus (it feels punitive...I expected some drop, but not close to 100%) is a significant deterrent to trying. If I had to do it over again, it would be to just give 2-4 weeks notice the same day the last bonus comes in and then just walk.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Jeepergeo »

I'm in the final days of it and not perfectly happy at all.
I gave up responsibility to staff all jobs, and now I can't find staff to work on my jobs or have them pulled off for others "emergency" work (poor planning means company emergency). Lots of other little details too, like bonuses have yet to materialize on the historical schedule and the last one was a joke.

My company has no plan in place for transitioning to retirement as the company is just 27 years old and has had few retirees. They offer flexibility to work less if one can make it work ( that is hard with staff and clients), but the drop in bonus (it feels punitive...I expected some drop, but not close to 100%) is a significant deterrent to trying. If I had to do it over again, it would be to just give 2-4 weeks notice the same day the last bonus comes in and then just walk.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by MDfan »

I'm a Fed and just started a part-time arrangement at age 60. Two 10-hour days a week. Three days a week to play golf or do whatever the hell I want. I'm going to try and do it for two years before I get out completely.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by rockAction »

Once I reached FI, I went from FT to semi-retired, working 15 hrs a week at a local gym. Couldn't be happier. No stress, play pickleball 3-4 times a week, spend lots of time with family, and have met a ton of new friends at the gym.

You may want to check out the book Work Less, Live More by Bob Clyatt. Very insightful book for someone considering this type of move, including some good financial and investing advice.
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by workingovertime »

humblecoder wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 10:22 am
BusterScruggs wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:32 am We are in a position early and mid 50's to only need medical to get to medicare. But reading other threads, it seems it is impossible to go from a 100k+ job, to something making far less happily. In other words, I read a lot about going from 100k+ to $20/hour with stress at the bottom end too.
I am not familiar with this other thread, but I would be curious as to why it is impossible to "happily downside".

My company has a large number of blue collar type jobs which involve physically taxing work. However, the one constant thing that I hear from people in these roles is that they enjoy the fact that once they punch-out, that's it. They are done. There is something that is very appealing about this, since most of my job stress comes from the fact that the job has a lot of responsibility and requires me to be "always on".

Don't get me wrong. I am compensated well in return by my employer, and I do enjoy the challenge of my current job right now. However, I'm sure there will come a point where I will want/need to slow down. I can see how having a job where I can just put in my 40 hours would be a welcome change. Yes, there may be new stresses, so I fully admit this might be "grass is always greener" thinking.
I've been on both sides and I can 100% attest to the "grass is always greener" thought.
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ram
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by ram »

My wife did it a few years ago. (Before COVID started). Went from 100% to 80%
She treats patients admitted in a hospital ( Hospitalist physician. Trained as Internal Medicine MD)

She has been somewhat less stressed than her full time colleagues during the last 18 months. Has had extra off days between shifts.

During the COVID peaks the 80% MDs were easily working the hours of full time people and the FT people were working >125% of their required hours.

She may drop down to 60% in the future. I carry the health insurance for the family plan.
Ram
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by almostretired1965 »

I will find out. Next April I plan to ask my management to go to 2.5 or 3 days a week starting July 1. I won't frame it that way, but it is in fact an ultimatum. If they do not agree, I will retire on the same day.

It would be nice if they did as I will be walking away from a decent chunk of change in RSUs but at this point time is much more valuable than money.
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AerialWombat
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by AerialWombat »

deleted
Last edited by AerialWombat on Sat Feb 05, 2022 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This post is a work of fiction. Any similarity to real financial advice is purely coincidental.
rockAction
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by rockAction »

AerialWombat wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 9:21 pm I entered my part-time / semi-retirement phase in December 2019. Given the pandemic, one could argue it was poor timing. It definitely hasn't been as part-time as I had planned, with some weeks where it's 40+ hours. But then there are plenty of weeks where it's been zero hours. If I had to guess, I'd say I'm averaging 20 hours per week. My goal was 10.

I've decided to sell that particular business, and make my workweek legitimately zero -- for a few weeks. :mrgreen:

My full retirement period will likely last less than a month, as I'm already drawing up plans to start another tiny business. Doing so won't appease the Internet Retirement Police, but it will be very part-time, staying true to the ideology espoused in The 4-Hour Workweek. I just can't mentally convince myself to start withdrawing from my portfolio yet, here in my early 40s. So I'll do enough work to (barely) cover my lifestyle costs, and spend the rest of the time doing whatever it is I end up finding to do.
The nice thing about retirement is we can choose where to direct our ambition…it doesn’t have to be in business (unless you still need to make money). There’s a lot of life out there that we can throw ourselves into outside of business. In fact, being financially independent, we can even explore what life might look like if we start to let go of our ambition (hasn’t it driven us too long? Has it been our master? Should it continue to be?) My point is that we can use this as an opportunity to explore life in a very open and fresh way, without the limits, boundaries (and shackles?) that come with much of the first-half-of-life stuff, where we are primarily concerned with how we are going to “make it”. We don’t have to continue with that same pattern. The second-half-of-life can be about living life on your own terms, wholly your own, discovering other sides of yourself, and allowing yourself the freedom to be playful and curious in all things. We only live once, so why not shake things up a bit?

That’s what I’m doing anyway lol
40% VT | 20% Global SCV | 20% LTPZ | 10% I-Bonds | 10% Cash
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BrooklynInvest
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by BrooklynInvest »

flyingaway wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 11:03 am I do not believe that a waiter at a restaurant has no stress in his job, at least he has to smile to earn a tip.
This. Got laid off from an extremely unpleasant gig and hit my number as a result. I want to keep working for another year or 2. Wife and I are in strong agreement that I shouldn't be trading more stress for more money. If I clear expenses for a while and my nest egg compounds a smidge (hopefully!) in the meantime we're great.

The challenge is that low paying doesn't necessarily mean low stress. At this point I could live easily on a low- to-mid level salary but sometimes you-know-what rolls downhill and you've got some grief compounded by the fact that you're punching under your weight. Not to mention hiring managers can be a bit hesitant to hire someone below their level for fear that they'll bolt for more money.

My current solution - doing some consulting. There's a bit of cash, the income "lumpiness" doesn't matter and I have more fluidity should a client become more grief than they're worth.

AND... if it works out and I enjoy it the idea of working even 10 hours a week for longer than my 1-2 year window has a lot of appeal, mentally and financially.
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JoeRetire
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by JoeRetire »

rockAction wrote: Wed Oct 27, 2021 8:10 pm Once I reached FI, I went from FT to semi-retired, working 15 hrs a week at a local gym. Couldn't be happier. No stress, play pickleball 3-4 times a week, spend lots of time with family, and have met a ton of new friends at the gym.
Sounds nice - particularly the pickleball part!
I'm jealous. :beer
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Nowizard
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Nowizard »

A somewhat different reason but chose to downsize before retiring. My work allowed a move to PT, and in the five years before retirement, I moved from a typical work week to working four days, then to three. The choice was based on having "enough" to do so, but mainly in order to adjust to having more time to actually try out possible changes during retirement as opposed to simply guessing. It was a good decision. The approach is consistent with the belief that "retirement" was not an option, just a changing of priorities.

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hvaclorax
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by hvaclorax »

OP,
I strongly recommend this approach. Preretirement I cut back to 25 hrs from 44 hrs weekly. Did this for 3 1/3 years. Was almost as busy, Family Physician, still about same pay. Kind of a transition to full retirement with no pay and no benefits. Never looked back. Was very happy to have this time for transition. Made plans for activities after retirement which were somewhat of a worry for me. I’m thinking that the first year or two after retired is a bit jarring and needs to be approached with forethought. The honeymoon don’t last forever. One eventually needs to work at having success that lasts hopefully for several decades.
Respectfully HVAC
Zeno
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Zeno »

hvaclorax wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 8:09 am OP,
I strongly recommend this approach. Preretirement I cut back to 25 hrs from 44 hrs weekly. Did this for 3 1/3 years. Was almost as busy, Family Physician, still about same pay. Kind of a transition to full retirement with no pay and no benefits. Never looked back. Was very happy to have this time for transition. Made plans for activities after retirement which were somewhat of a worry for me. I’m thinking that the first year or two after retired is a bit jarring and needs to be approached with forethought. The honeymoon don’t last forever. One eventually needs to work at having success that lasts hopefully for several decades.
Respectfully HVAC
+1

Seconded. At age 50 we were FI, at which time I walked away from a BigLaw HCOL partnership to decamp to a LCOL job in academia. It is invigorating being around smart folks who are four decades younger than I. And while I don’t regret my decades of law practice in the functional equivalent of Rome, as that delivered us to FI, I also certainly don’t regret having departed Rome to live on the other side of Hadrian’s Wall where life is simpler. At the end of the day I always was a Plebeian so I have returned home in a way.
Lazareth
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Lazareth »

School bus driver at $25/hour or so, 20 to 30 hours per week can be a good "downsize" role or "retirement gig" for a former six-figure earner who has saved up a dependable portfolio. Since age 59, now I'm age 67, I am up and out of my house at 6 am, I pick up and deliver "my kids" and I get back home around 9 am to enjoy my mid-day as I please, and then back to my bus around 2:00, pick up my kids at the school(s), deliver them home, and I'm home for dinner around 5 or so. Holidays, weekends, and summers off. Summer unemployment benefits too. Wife enjoys her $50K job and still works f/t.

I chuckle when I hear fellow school bus drivers bemoan the "stress" of the job. Yes we have responsibility for the kids' safety, but really? Ever had to produce every day, deliver sales pitches, cold-call, manage a team, meet project deadlines and sales goals, managed an office, manage cash flow, tax returns and audits??

If you like kids and have the confidence to require a modicum of good behavior on your bus, you'll have no problem. Just do your job.

I loved my executive search career. After 30 years of high achievement working with dynamic people in all sorts of organizations, I now relish the opportunity to enjoy my life, my family, my good health, in a different way. Daily yoga has me feeling my best in decades, and a summer 2022 trip through Croatia is in the plans subject to lockdown levels.
Last edited by Lazareth on Sun Dec 05, 2021 5:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
a/69, retired, married, enjoy p/t employment. Three-fund portfolio, after decades of chasing active-managed fund performance.
capran
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by capran »

Not exactly in your stage of life and for different reasons (I was only in my mid 30's) but "downsized" with a 45% paycut from doing emergency psychiatric assessments to work in the school system. In exchange for that reduction in wages I received all weekends and holidays (and most evenings) free from work, 2 weeks off at Christmas, 1 week for Spring and 2 1/2 months every summer to travel. In your situation, If you really are working for just health care, I'd be more inclined to figure out how much I might need for health care and work long enough to earn that amount, and then call it quits. Like others have said, even low wage jobs have their stresses, and the lower wage itself is a stress if you need the money. Especially consider if there's something else you want to do.
Zeno
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by Zeno »

Lazareth wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 2:57 pm School bus driver at $25/hour or so, 20 to 30 hours per week can be a good "downsize" role or "retirement gig" for a former six-figure earner who has saved up a dependable portfolio. Since age 59, now I'm age 67, I am up and out of my house at 6 am, I pick up and deliver "my kids" and I get back home around 9 am to enjoy my mid-day as I please, and then back to my bus around 2:00, pick up my kids at the school(s), deliver them home, and I'm home for dinner around 5 or so. Holidays, weekends, and summers off. Summer unemployment benefits too. Wife enjoys her $50K job and still works f/t.

I chuckle when I hear fellow school bus drivers bemoan the "stress" of the job. Yes we have responsibility for the kids' safety, but really? Ever had to produce every day, deliver sales pitches, cold-call, manage a team, meet project deadlines and sales goals, managed an office, manage cash flow, tax returns and audits??

If you like kids and have the confidence to require a modicum of good behavior on your bus, you'll have no problem. Just do your job.

I loved my executive search career. After 30 years of high achievement working with dynamic people in all sorts of organizations, I now relish the opportunity to enjoy my life, my family, my good health, in a different way. Daily yoga has me feeling my best in decades, and a summer 2022 trip through Croatia is in the plans subject to lockdown levels.
+1

Thank you for sharing your story. It is inspiring and may be the inspiration I need for the next step
delamer
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by delamer »

Lazareth wrote: Sun Dec 05, 2021 2:57 pm School bus driver at $25/hour or so, 20 to 30 hours per week can be a good "downsize" role or "retirement gig" for a former six-figure earner who has saved up a dependable portfolio. Since age 59, now I'm age 67, I am up and out of my house at 6 am, I pick up and deliver "my kids" and I get back home around 9 am to enjoy my mid-day as I please, and then back to my bus around 2:00, pick up my kids at the school(s), deliver them home, and I'm home for dinner around 5 or so. Holidays, weekends, and summers off. Summer unemployment benefits too. Wife enjoys her $50K job and still works f/t.

I chuckle when I hear fellow school bus drivers bemoan the "stress" of the job. Yes we have responsibility for the kids' safety, but really? Ever had to produce every day, deliver sales pitches, cold-call, manage a team, meet project deadlines and sales goals, managed an office, manage cash flow, tax returns and audits??

If you like kids and have the confidence to require a modicum of good behavior on your bus, you'll have no problem. Just do your job.

I loved my executive search career. After 30 years of high achievement working with dynamic people in all sorts of organizations, I now relish the opportunity to enjoy my life, my family, my good health, in a different way. Daily yoga has me feeling my best in decades, and a summer 2022 trip through Croatia is in the plans subject to lockdown levels.
In fairness to your bus driving colleagues, if you were dependent on the job to feed and house your family then you’d probably find it a lot more stressful too.

Being able to walk away from a job at any time makes it a lot easier to let stuff roll off your back.
One thing that humbles me deeply is to see that human genius has its limits while human stupidity does not. - Alexandre Dumas, fils
bltn
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Re: Anyone purposefully and happily downsize their job?

Post by bltn »

The last three years before I retired, I cut my hours to part time. I took one week off out of three off for the first two of those years and two weeks off out of three for the final year. Maybe that transition into retirement helped make adjusting to full retirement so easy for me.
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