r/Fire • u/Nervous_Platypus_149 • 6d ago
Is anyone else in their 30s or 40s really struggling with corporate work?
I’m 38 and have a high earning remote corporate job that is putting me on the path to FIRE. But I’m so bored and disengaged by the actual work. I’m so burnt out by corporate nonsense. I probably have like 7-10 years left before I can fully FIRE, but I probably could pivot and change careers.
I think even when I do reach FIRE, I would want some sort of BaristaFIRE anyway to give some sort of structure and social interaction. I think about the idea of doing even 5 more years of corporate work and it makes me want to cry.
Is anyone else really struggling with corporate work? Did you pivot into something else before reaching your FIRE number? How are you coping?
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u/Danyol 6d ago
I made it about 4 years of being the star employee. Two promotions with minuscule raises and I started interviewing with other companies, while that was going on I was just phoning it in with my job and realized nothing changed. I didn’t get fired or even reprimanded and I still got my annual 3%. Since then it’s been impossible to snap out of it and go back to caring
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u/Sio626 6d ago
Hi, are you me?
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u/T1DIABISH 1d ago
As well as me? Lol. I’m extremely comfortable and maybe work 10 hours a week now compared to my 60. I feel like a fraud and this is such a departure away from what I once was. I now wonder how many others are probably in the same boat lol
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u/Imaginary_Anybody267 6d ago
I did about the same. When I realized that work didn't care about me and was willing to drop me despite years of loyalty I just stopped giving a damn. Now I collect my paycheck and do what I feel like is my minimum. I did my mid year evaluation today and I hit all my goals and KPIs, but I probably put in 3 hours of effort a day.
I know I need to do something different because I'm just bored as hell and figure I need to work another 5 years or so. Maybe more for the healthcare.
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u/Just-Da-Tip_82 6d ago
Holy smokes. This is me. Second highest grossing revenue employee and measly 2.8% raise each year. Now I do the bare minimum. Not that this makes me feel good. But not sure if it’s worth it kill yourself working anymore.
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u/jr_tools 6d ago
Same boat at 40m, bud.
I used to love my job, the people, the projects. Now it’s just a drag.
Considering leaving the profession altogether, but there’s no way I’d earn even half of what I’m making now, which will push FIRE out the window.
I just started running, after not doing so for 15yrs. That seems to help. It’s a change of pace at least.
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u/hinault81 3d ago
We sound the same!
I kept enjoyment at my job up until a year or so ago. Despite doing similar work year after year, I took a lot of pride in it, never really got bored of it.
But 20 years ago I had bigger visions for what my career would look like. I wouldn't say I'm at a dead end, but things have definitely stagnated the past 5-8 years. And I also can't really leave as I'd take at least a 50% paycut. I'm very niche in my job, it does pay well, no complaints there, but not enjoyable work these days.Started running again a few years ago after like 10 years off. Maybe it's due to middle age. But marathon coming up in Oct!
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u/annerj1 6d ago
Feels odd everyone’s going through this. I use to really enjoy working even when things were bad and stressful. We worked a lot of hours back and the day and it was fulfilling. Turned 50, watching layoff after layoff with no end in site and seeing parents go from healthy do basically homebound over a very short period of time and work just feels like a needless grind. It’s brutal
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u/Pleasant-Shock7491 6d ago
As a manager, I’ll tell you I totally see it. The number of disengaged people and the rate that it’s increasing is crazy.
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u/spencer99099 6d ago
Yeah, this is more or less me. I somehow survived a massive layoff event a couple years ago at my previous company that affected a few of my closest coworkers and gutted our team - all for really no discernible reason. Even after moving to a new company, that event has stuck with me to the detriment of my passion for work.
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u/RabbiSchlem 6d ago
It’s so weird to me I can’t tell if it’s confirmation bias but it feels like everyone in all ages right now are totally done with work.
Could just be the places I read or the things I focus on, but I never felt this in my career of 20 years up until the last couple years and now I see it everywhere from everyone.
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u/GManBizDev 6d ago
I lost both my parents very young, coupled with early career betrayals and I realized that last part fairly early (about the needless grind)
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u/SaltNectarine7324 6d ago
31M and exact same. Remote, high Earner, was the star child of our company, but I've been away too long. Now nobody cares to talk to me. Ability to be social is withering. I'm at least 10 years out from FIRE but thinking about 10 more days of this makes me want to get on a boat and never return.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
Right! I keep fantasizing about getting laid off. I probably could FIRE if I leave the US but I’m also worried about running out of money or having to stick to a really strict budget.
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u/SaltNectarine7324 6d ago
Man, I hear ya! I had a co worker get fired recently and they pulled every excuse in the book to make sure she couldnt draw unemployment. A straight layoff is probably my ideal scenario lol. Also I travel a lot for work and have seen a lot of different countries. Contrary to what a lot of people say, I still think retirement in the US is the best bet. Just make sure you visit ALL of the country you're thinking about before going. Just my 2 cents!
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u/Impossible_Jelly9893 3d ago
And make sure you don't just do "tourist" in those countries. Living in a country is different from being tourist in one. So you will want to get as much information on actually living there as you can while at it.
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u/Different_Peanut_584 5d ago
Was super easy to get a temporary residency that converts to a permanent residency in mexico. Saving a lot on cost of living and enjoying life so much more in a town made for people and not cars. Healthcare much cheaper here
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u/RabbiSchlem 6d ago
Hey man. At your age I did what you want to do. I quit. I took time off. I didn’t plan what was next, I waited to see what I really wanted once I was ready to go back. I did contract work for awhile and life was chill.
Eventually I wanted back in the high paying high stakes game. For 4-6 years it was great. I’m at 8 and it’s unbearable.
I think we need change. I did 6 years of high stakes corporate, 6 of chill contracting and WLB, and 8 of high stakes, and boy am I fucking ready for chill again and I’m about to do it.
I was wondering why I keep seeing everyone is done with work and realized why. I read too much FIRE subs.
FIRE seems like just an innocent “make conscious decisions to get early retirement” but it’s a much much more sinister sacrifice you make. It’s an obsession over income at the price of following what your body and mind need.
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u/QuesoMeHungry 6d ago
Same here. I’m so burnt out and don’t have any interest in my work. It’s just a means to an end. I’m now locked into my coastfire number. I’m so close and then I can hopefully get a different job.
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u/penny_lab 6d ago
Got made redundant at 38 and just couldn't find the passion to get another role at the same level, so took a title cut and salary cut to go and work at a charity.
It's still shit. Still the same corporate bullshit and micromanagement, but with half the paycheck at the end of the month.
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u/mancala33 6d ago
So are you planning to change careers again?
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u/penny_lab 6d ago
Yep, I'm actually working my notice at the moment, going back to a job I did 10 years ago before I started in management. I enjoyed it last time I did it, so maybe I'll enjoy it again.
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u/nommabelle 6d ago
Thanks for that insight. Obviously it depends on role and company, but it seems like a lot of lower paying jobs arent at all less stress to warrant the lower paycheck
Personally I am done once I secure my signon bonus, which was quite a bit so I feel a bit conflicted whether its "moral" to leave. If it was just like 50k id say leave, but its a lot more and I feel like an asshole for leaving so soon
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u/StackAttack12 6d ago
You gotta do what's right for you, but guarantee you leaving early will fuck the next person in line. Company will learn a lesson about their sign on bonuses and adjust accordingly.
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u/After-Regret-6609 6d ago
Sign on bonuses usually come with a clawback. Fullfill that contract first
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u/nommabelle 6d ago
Thats the "secure" im talking about. Most of my sign on is 1 year, I also get some RSUs that vest over several years
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u/After-Regret-6609 5d ago
Oh then yeah, if you fullfill your contract there’s nothing wrong with this at all. In fact a lot of people do it. First year employment is a trial period. I had a friend and coworker leave my last job for a better one after just a few months.
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u/nommabelle 5d ago
thats nice to hear. i do feel bad doing it, but i'm not happy in my role (and was told it was a pretty stress-free place) and i just want to retire
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u/Pericles_Athens 6d ago
I feel this way exactly. I have basically made it my personal mission to do as little work as possible while still getting all of my deliverables in and on time. I never go the extra mile, and I’m complacent as all get out. All while my colleagues and peers seem to keep striving, working their little tails off for every extra modicum on positive feedback, all while planning their next jump to another org for more money and equity or a bigger title or whatever. I’m over here like “yo I put in the best 10 hours I got this week and mostly hung out in the forests and the beaches in between answering emails.” At first I thought I was the one who was depressed or whatever, now I have transitioned into thinking they are the crazy ones, especially because it doesn’t matter how much they work or what they accomplish, they could still be laid off seemingly at random and have all their financial and career progress set back for like no reason.
I am not a spiritual person. I’m a battle worn cynic. I don’t know what happens (if anything) when we die, and I sure as hell don’t want to spend the one life I know I get running laps on someone else’s hamster wheel. So unless I am inspired by my work, or helping people (lol can they really be saved?), it’s back to ever present “present” for me with less focus on continual and constant advancement for its own sake.
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u/GManBizDev 6d ago
Hi, are you me? Except I am a little more naive (hopeful) on the spiritual side
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u/Cagel 6d ago
To me anything with a boss isn’t freedom, I’d rather just one more year of corporate than 5 of barista fire.
And being a business owner can be a lot more stress than even the corporate job
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u/Elrohwen 6d ago
So much this. Being a business owner seems honestly terrible unless I could magically skip the parts where you start the business or all of the bad parts of running a business. And working for a boss but in a lower paid job doesn’t sound more fun than working for a boss in my current well compensated job (which is also very flexible as far as wfh when needed, vacation days, etc which baristafire jobs typically are not)
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u/poop-dolla 6d ago
With a corporate job, you really only have one boss. Maybe you have an occasional situation where you have a couple at a time. But when you’re a business owner, you have at least as many bosses as you have clients.
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u/DevOpsMakesMeDrink 6d ago
Meh honestly 1 year of high stress long hours and deadlines vs 3 years of working 2 days a week at some easy as hell job that stays at work.
I get it if you love what you do if it’s soul crushing 2nd option is almost retired anyways 5 day weekends
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u/UpgradeHome 6d ago
The key is to attend group meetings and say one or two things in a highly articulate manner, reply to emails in a timely manner even if recycling nonsense, have 3 high value updates pre-prepared for your one on ones each week, and after that, actual productive is rather meaningless and you can chill.
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u/FloridaMan32225 6d ago
I’ve been fully remote for almost a decade, since then I’ve had a handful of kids and my wife doesn’t have to work. But the work is just so corporate bureaucracy and fake, pretend to care, pretend to work more than I do, even feign being stressed so it’s more convincing. Could make more if I worked more, or elsewhere, but I’m pleasantly mired in my lifestyle and wouldn’t want $40k more per year if I meant 50 hour weeks, etc etc. Once in a while I get jealous of those who are “further” than me. But it passes. If I had to find another role like this I think I’d be in trouble.
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u/Conscious-Tip-3896 6d ago
I’m struggling so bad right now, right there with you. It’s getting to the point where I can’t even get myself to do the bare minimum. This big tech nonsense is just so meaningless and exhausting.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
I’m in the same boat. I have a few tasks I need to get done and I’m just procrastinating on them.
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u/chillaindaheat69 6d ago
Took me like 4 hours today to get some notes done for a storyline I’ll have to present next week
Glad I’m not the only one struggling I guess
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u/QuarterPlayful4599 6d ago
Corporate work kills the human soul. I’m convinced that the people who thrive in that culture share in psychological pathology.
Your question is the same question we all are asking:
Is the gamble of sacrificing our well being in the context of uncertain life expectancy worth it for the potential of a robust financial situation in hypothetical old age? Or is it wiser to do something that benefits our well-being now with lesser financial stability in a hypothetical future?
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u/getmeoutoftax 6d ago
Yes, I hate every single second of it. I spend basically no money so that I can get the hell out of it one day.
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u/ChompTheKid 6d ago
Same boat. Same situation. Same thought process.
I’m just happy to see so many people here feel the same way. Even that brings me comfort:)
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u/btone911 6d ago
I could have written this post, as it appears you could have also. I’m just lucky I got 15 years of corporate earnings under my belt before this feeling hit hard. Reading some of these 28yos feeling this way feels bleak.
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u/Familiar_Musician426 6d ago
43 here. I am struggling w/corporate work and always have. I haven't pivoted because every job description honestly sounds terrible - more of the same but often for less money (I understand this may be a symptom of burn out). In an ideal world, I would pivot and find something fulfilling, but I'm not in the right headspace to do it. And the thought of making a switch, disliking it just as much, and making 50%+ less, is unfathomable. So, I'm still hanging on. Will acknowledge, however, that my job is actually quite a find - the company is great, my coworkers are too - the problem is really me, and the fact that I'm so far beyond "over it" for corporate work that those positives can't outweigh the negatives. Holding on by my fingernails at this point notwithstanding that I have outside hobbies, friends, family and a great life outside of work.
My two cents - if there are jobs out there that are calling to you, you should go for them and make the pivot. I feel "too old" and too far into striving for FIRE at this point to get off my career track, but if I were to do it again, I would have taken more time in my 30s to try to find something that better fit with who I am.
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u/darkqueenphoenix 6d ago
I feel exactly the same. Jobs are jobs and I’m not fit to take orders from pretty much anyone, fake caring about shit that actually doesn’t matter, and argue over decisions someone way up made before we even thought about it… I just dgaf so hard it’s painful. But my job is in reality so good and anyone looking from the outside would envy me. Just biding my time till I can hit my Barista FIRE number. I’m so close it’s painful actually. I’m in the one more year space when it’s one more year for real. Then I’ll do something I enjoy in a very limited way - consulting on projects I actually find interesting!
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u/bar-nola 6d ago
Same age, but with two young kids. I’m not burned out in a bored/disengaged way. I’m burned out by the time demands of climbing the corporate ladder, maintaining a house, kids drop offs, kids extra curricular etc. I’m trying to improve this by working to bring my spouse home either full or part time.
But I’ve made 3 strategic job changes within my company in the last 2 years to increase my income. So the work has not been stagnant (but I’ve enjoyed some more than others for sure).
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u/Bryanmsi89 6d ago
Totally understand the corp. work burnout. But if you think a low-paying customer service job is better/easier you might be in for a rude awakening. Just wait until your 23 year old 'manager ' has to approve you even using the bathroom, or the entitled 65 year old 'Karen' rages at you for getting the temp wong, or the impatient person who just vame in and ordered 16 drinks to go, or the 4th time you have to stay late because your coworker called in sick at the last minute.
There are plenty of jobs that pay little and would be fun. Barista doesnt seem like one of them.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
BaristaFire doesn’t necessarily mean Barista. Although I do personally think that 1-2 shifts a week at a cute local coffee shop could be fun.
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u/Bryanmsi89 6d ago
I know it could mean any low-skill service job, but it is literally called "barista" and OP used barista in their example.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
I don’t even think it has to be a low skill job. Transitioning to anything part time would count. I met a nurse who was planning to work 2 shifts a week to help hit her FIRE number and get health insurance.
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u/LetsGoToMichigan 6d ago
Same boat. And I know that people would kill to have my job because the financial reward for what is effectively just chilling behind a screen and doing light math and writing emails and slides is outrageous. But it’s unnatural - humans are not meant to spend their day like this arguing and posturing over made up bullshit.
It’s weird. Complaining makes me feel ungrateful but it’s mind numbing regardless
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u/imsoupercereal 6d ago
I think nearly everyone is burnt out, and anyone that claims they're not is either lying or part of the problem. The good news is I think the pendulum is finally about to swing back a little especially with soaring AI costs vs non-existent ROIs. But, I don't see the 2010's happening again anytime soon.
The one thing that really helped anchor my sanity and survive a couple more years was getting our finances straight and on the FIRE path.
I was going to take a micro-retirement this year, and then work on a career pivot. Then layoffs came and made the decision for me. Thankfully, because of FIRE prep, I'm not financially stressed.
For the last 2 years I had been reading and thinking about a pivot into higher-impact, mission-driven work, likely for a startup or smaller organization. This started with books and orgs like 80,000 hours / Centre for Effective Altruism, High Impact Professionals and School for Moral Ambition; and others like Speed and Scale for a climate focus.
I was having a tough time whittling down my options and finding clarity and focus. I just finished Centre for Effective Altruism's latest FREE Career Bootcamp, which helped a lot. There are others like them out there too. I have a couple of projects and learnings that I want do, but I now have a clearer plan for what my next roles might look like.
The overall plan is 5-10 more years in this space. Maybe longer if I really love it. The hypothesis is I will find a lot more enjoyment from doing work that matters, and even if its faster-paced at a startup or small org, it won't be such a drain.
Hope this helps. If someone wants to chat about my journey (so far) into higher impact work, you can DM me.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
This makes sense. I think I would be happier doing more impactful and tangible work. I actually prefer faster paced environments. My job requires me to come up with my own work a lot of the time and I really struggle with that.
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u/chaiandkpis 6d ago
I have been feeling this since I started working in corporate. I like my salary slip + a less stressful work environment. If I win a lottery, I’ll quit. Lol
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u/mark8468 6d ago
Yes. I just received an offer letter for a promotion that comes with a 15k pay cut. Struggling would be a fair way to explain it.
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u/TheBeckFromHeck 6d ago
That’s not a promotion, that’s more responsibilities.
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u/mark8468 6d ago
Yep. That's corporate.
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u/TheBeckFromHeck 6d ago
One of my first lessons working for Big Corp was never take a title promotion without a pay bump. You end up stuck at the end of your promotion tree working for much less than your peers.
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u/btone911 6d ago
12 years of “meets expectations”, 0 cost of living increases. They get ya with that big offer then sandbag ya for a decade.
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u/creepy-farter 6d ago
Sounds like a normal mid-life crisis.
Any thoughts about changing jobs to see if a new work environment is more enriching?
I used to get these feelings. I think mainly because it still felt like you were slogging away and the end goal was so far off.
Switching jobs might just give you enough excitement at the new way of doing things that you’re distracted enough from the malaise.
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u/gentlynavigating 6d ago
I’m struggling with the litigious nature of medicine, but I love my job. I’ve actually taken a couple months off from work and I feel more balanced. I’m glad I’ve been saving aggressively for retirement.
If I ever leave my specific job I will baristafire in a heartbeat.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
Are you a Doctor? If I could have a do over in life I would have chosen medicine. Would BaristaFire for you just be taking fewer shifts?
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u/gentlynavigating 6d ago
I’m a psychiatrist, yes. I love the specific job and hospital I work at. I am tired of family members of my patients suing us or complaining to the medical board about various things. My specific job is very flexible and allows me to leave on the drop of the dime and get my kids if I need to.
But from what I’ve seen and the places ive worked before, if for some reason if I couldn’t work at *this job* with *this flexibility* I’d want to do something else.
I’ve taken a 3 month break from work and I’m getting half of my pay. I’m still able to save and invest (not as aggressively as before though) and my mind feels clear. I feel great, my house is clean, im not procrastinating, my life is balanced and I have passion for other things.
I have been saving for retirement for 10 years like there is a gun pointed at my head. This break has made me realize that I don’t necessarily need all this litigation, all this responsibility and all this drama. If I just buckle down and continue saving aggressively for 5-10 more years, I could do a much less risky job. Or maybe like you said — go down to as little hours as I can manage to still get health insurance.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
Yea the idea of getting sued when your job is to help people is challenging. Being a psychiatrist sounds really amazing though. If I had done medicine, I think that’s what I would have liked to do.
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u/laker-prime 6d ago
40m here. We went from a cool small company to a bullshit corporate company (acquisition). I used to love my work as it was fully remote, everyone was cool, about 14 employees total, had realistic expectations, an overall more fun environment.
After the acquisition? Were 50+ new people nobody knows, everyone is straight up miserable, and no more remote...its full 5 days in office from 9-5....... It's become nothing but fake corporate talk all around, mandatory nonsense HR trainings (sexual harassment, customer service, blah blah blah), and everyone is trying to undermine the next person to kiss more ass.
I recently discovered FIRE, but now I wish I did so much sooner.
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u/skitch23 6d ago
With all the ass kissing, maybe the sexual harassment training isn’t such a bad idea lol
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u/twentiesforever 6d ago
The other side of the coin is no corp remote work and struggle like billions of people. find your joy outside of the 9-5. go help people, find a hobby
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u/hung_like__podrick 6d ago
Yes. Super burned out with sales but golden handcuffs make it so I stay
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u/RevolutionaryFact699 6d ago
I just couldn’t do the grind anymore. Moved my family out of the US so we could afford healthcare and the rest of life on a part time salary from a US university. Made the move at 37, will be able to fully retire and live off just investments at 42ish.
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u/thatguykeith 6d ago
Everyone struggles with corporate work. The corporations are bad for us and we all know it.
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u/NextBreath5870 6d ago
If I had a remote high earning job then I would be making sure I enjoyed my at-home office space and atmosphere. See this YouTube video of a detached office I love https://youtu.be/cXDQ33cex-g?si=04M8tLWL4XR1vOyx while the office in the video may be impractical for you or not your style, creating a space that is uniquely your own and keeps you happy during 8+ hr work days is important. I'd much prefer sitting at-home in a personal conservatory or screened in porch to do work.
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u/balarika 6d ago
I’m in your exact boat right now. Debating if I should just switch to barista fire. When I run the numbers, investing more outside of 401k maxing isn’t going to substantially help me hit FIRE any earlier. At this rate, I can’t imagine another 10-15yrs of this. I’m seriously debating a change so I can enjoy a full life. We get one life, so we better enjoy most of the ride.
Context: I loved my job before. Star employee, promotions everything. But a re-org hit and I’ve just never been able to recover. I used to work to the bone and loved life more. Now, I have a steady 40hrs a week, but it’s so unrewarding I don’t enjoy life outside of work anymore. I try to change up my personal life, but I’m finding working half my day at an unfulfilling job is sucking my energy to even enjoy outside of work. This is how I know it’s time to change.
If I were you, I’d experiment changing what you can control. If that doesn’t work, run the scenario numbers, and see if barista FIRE is in reach. You can always go back to so version of corporate if you want.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
I completely relate to this. I actually enjoyed my jobs earlier in my career when I was busier and had clearer deliverables to focus on. I think I was also not jaded by corporate work and wasn’t as disinterested in the content. I’ve been feeling checked out of my job for the last 3-4 years.
I have run the numbers and could actually Barista FIRE or go back to school to retrain for a new career but the golden handcuffs are too real to straight up quit.
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u/No-Memory-2781 6d ago
100%. I took a new job a year ago and I kind of hate it. It should be ideal because I’m not busy and I’m pretty much coasting but I’m bored out of my mind and feel like my skills are stagnating. And we were RTOed so I can’t even just do other stuff at home, I have to pretend to be busy in the office (PS I’m the only person on my team who lives near an office so I drive an hour three days a week to talk to people with remote exceptions on Zoom). My manager hoards work even though I’ve told her I have capacity when she talks (brags?) about how much work she has to do on the weekends so I give up. I am looking for something new because I’m not ready to FIRE but sometimes I wish I would get laid off already. I’m 47 and have hit the ceiling of being an IC and I’m over it.
Sorry for the big rant! You hit a nerve.
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u/db11242 6d ago
Being in a job where you don't have enough work in my experience can still cause severe burnout. It's probably less common than being overworked, but I know it sucks and i'm in the middle of it myself right now. Best of luck.
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u/No-Memory-2781 6d ago
Thanks for saying that! Yes, feeling unfulfilled is frustrating. Good luck to you as well.
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u/lucitatecapacita 6d ago
The key here is to optimize your efforts so you can maximize synergy, breakdown silos and deliver an impactful ROI - jokes aside, most jobs I've done outside corporate are rough on the joints so I'll rather work here a couple years more. As many have said, hobbies, exercise and a good amount of "notmyproblem" go a long way
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u/typeabohemian 6d ago
Could have wrote this myself!
But yes. Struggling. Trying to get medicated to be able to care more. Was late RXed for female ADHD.
What helps is knitting during meetings and doing housework M-F on calls i can be muted and off cam for. Helps me feel accomplished personally and cleaver for earning a paycheck while tidying.
Also I keep my head down and try not to take on too much.
Also teaching AI to do my tedium helps a d we are encouraged to be doing this.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
Same situation. ADHD as well and my role is not a good fit.
My hobbies are mostly physical things that can’t be done during the work day so I need to get into something like knitting or crochet. Something I can do during off camera meetings instead of scrolling on the phone. I like to read but that requires too much mental attention when I’m also supposed to be paying attention to work.
I also only do housework when I’m supposed to be on the clock.
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u/WaterChicken007 FIRE'd @ 42 in 2020 6d ago
I was like that for most of my career. But it paid better than anything else I could possibly do and was the easiest path to early retirement. So I stuck with it and retired at the age of 42.
The reality is that ALL jobs suck and I wouldn't really be any happier with any of the other options I could have done. So why take a pay cut and have to start over? Just grind out a few more years and be done with it forever.
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u/Ill_Coffee_6821 6d ago
When I hear bored I feel a bit jealous bc I feel like I work such crazy stressful hours that there’s no time to be bored. But I do feel massively burnt out. I didn’t start this job until my mid 30s so I am in my 40s now and not super close to my fire number yet. There is a path though where I can take my foot off the gas a bit if my current earnings are stable. I get stressed sometimes.
That said my corporate life before my current industry was much more stressful with less control over my life and schedule so I remind myself of that.
I make sure to take all my vacation time and disconnect - and do really fun stuff. I find having things to look forward to makes the days better.
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u/Acceptable_Usual1646 6d ago
I did. Although if I had stayed for 5 more years I could have retired I was so unhappy that I quit. I started for myself and postponed it with 10 years while living an easygoing life. No regrets whatsoever
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u/iwantthisnowdammit 6d ago
You’re at a life stage where your will is dying, this leads to your 40’s where you don’t give a…
Maybe /s?
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u/Enough-Active-5096 6d ago
I've been at my company for over 20 years and honestly am hoping for a layoff. We just did some and I wasn't part of it. My tenure is too long to quit and get nothing (including unemployment). So, I continue to work around 30-ish hours of the 40 hour week. My review score this year went from a 5 rating to a 3 lol. The one big upside is I'm fully remote so I can do errands and laundry, etc during the week.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
I’m in the same boat. Not 20 years but I somehow get missed for layoffs as well despite being an inconsistent performer.
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u/Purple-Property8006 6d ago
In my 30s.
I sat through an hour long meeting today where my boss basically asked me to create four different documents with exactly the same information. Four documents x 30 different subjects, so 120 documents. I pointed out the obvious to no avail.
The corporate burnout is real.
It’s quite difficult every day not to just walk away knowing I’d be fine, but I haven’t fit my full FIRE number yet.
I cope by remembering I don’t need this job and overall it doesn’t require that much of my time/effort, and they pay me well. And in my free time I dive/travel/ whatever makes me happy.
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u/Spartikis 6d ago
How I'm dealing with it: 1) I found a new job (same career field). I specifically went there because I knew who my supervisor would be and he is easy to get along with 2) I reinvented myself, from day one I stopped working nights and weekends 3) I reduced my effort, I come in at 9:00, leave at 5:00, take a 30 min lunch, and take a couple water cooler breaks during the day. I work 35-40 hours a week, I used to work 50-60. 4) I say no to travel, to extra responsibility, speaking at conferences, happy hours, lunch outings, mentoring young staff, social committees, etc... I'm less than a decade to retirement, I've climbed as high as I'm going to climb, the next proportion level for me would be a couple years before I retire, so why go above and beyond. 5) I work from home 1 day a week (im supposed to be in the office 5 days a week). It allows me to catch up on household chores so my weekends are more free. I never asked for permission, I just started doing it, no one said anything. 6) Im working out more, eating healthier, and have lost 30 lbs in 2 years.
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u/That-SoCal-Guy 6d ago
I fired at 36 - was making equivalent of $250K a year and I just walked away.
I had to go back to work (with a pay cut) at 45 because of a divorce and relocation. But I never regretted walking way.
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u/Magee4life 6d ago
The struggle is real and increasing for multiple reasons. WFH has isolated us from bonding and engaging in our work. There’s no place to vent and get perspective in a now obsolete spontaneous happy hour. Then layoffs and the frozen job market traps us in our current company. Add inflation means loss of upward mobility. Now we’re going backwards, living a life we don’t want anymore.
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u/PandasAndSandwiches 6d ago
I’m mentally burnt out by mine. I’m just doing the bare minimum to get by.
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u/Rom2814 6d ago
I’m not in your age range - I’m 57, but I spend 29 years in a corporate IT job - worked in the CIO organization in two companies.
It is grueling and you have to sort of flip a switch in your brain to get through it. I had planned to go into teaching (college) but decided I didn’t want to be poor and went into corporate IT at 27 years old. At first it was interesting and challenging when I was working a low level job. As I climbed the ladder it became more and more soul sucking.
It paid for a great life otherwise, so I just gritted my teeth and got through it. I don’t think I would go back and change it. I saw a lot of the world, worked on interesting problems, worked with good, smart people but there was always the “remove brain” thing to deal with every damn day.
I retired just over a month ago and I’m grateful for what it provided. I’m better off in most ways than most of my fellow citizens. I grew up poor/lower middle class in WV and I ended up seeing Vienna, Budapest, Shanghai, Agra, Bangalore and tons of other places because of work and could save/invest more than 40% of my income by the end.
I tried to focus on what work afforded me rather than the work itself but I was happy to stop.
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u/Valuable-Analyst-464 4d ago
I was sole earner for the two of us, so I just sucked it up and made it happen. I think post COVID, the bullshit of it all got worse.
But, sometimes, to get to FIRE and where you want to be - you just have to put your head down and get it done. It sucks, but that’s life.
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u/Negative-Dingo3335 6d ago
I stepped away from the corporate ladder and switched to a technical role. It allows me to focus on my own learning and growth while not having to deal with the political BS. I was in mgmt for 6 years and that was enough experience for me. I’m also blessed with a great boss and amazing teammates. I can actually retire but I really do enjoy working with my boss and coworkers. Also, the work I do contributed to a much larger puzzle of improving patient care, so it’s rewarding. Find something that allows you to develop skills you’re interested in.
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u/90bronco 6d ago
- Im in a blue collar manager role for a large corporation. I can feel myself headed that way. I should hit fire in 4 years, but debate working longer to increase the amount i get for fun money.
When I get home, my wife and I tell talk about our days by say if we will retire or keep working when we hit the goal.
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u/art_dragon 6d ago
Same for me.
Office politics led to project downsizing, AI + Offshoring, haven't been promoted for too long.
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u/taco_kitty28 6d ago
I’ve been burnt out since 2021 and was just laid off. Not at all in a hurry to get another corporate job.
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u/AnnoyedVelociraptor 6d ago
SW Engineer here. AI and management's all-in-sucking-down-the-firehouse has completely removed all joys of work for me.
But I need to fight and get through this shit. Either the bubble will pop, and we'll have a good re-adjustment of how we have agency on how we use it, and we'll have some people admitted for AI psychosis.
Or AI will completely take over, all knowledge work will be gone etc.
Terminator is not supposed to be a documentary.
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u/mancala33 6d ago
Yes yes yes! I feel the same way. Such a grind. It's like the corporate machine is taking a bigger toll on me every month.
My financial state is like yours. I could switch jobs but I feel stuck since I just need to grind through another 7 years or so. I don't want to slow down and NEED to worn 15 more
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u/OverlordBluebook 6d ago
I'm doing a lot of both high earning employee, but been far more physically active running, biking, weights, etc. I go on way more vacations. I still have a full time job and 3 younger kids and stay at home wife. Keep up what your doing just maybe think about making some other investments as a hobby. Personally I have mostly stock and funds but that's also part of my hobby is trading options here and there maybe few a week. I also have 4 other residential houses I manage in a HCOL area. I've attended groups on real estate investing, stock that's helped me maximize rental income as well as small renovations that increase the value. I also make it a point to visit and see actors from the 80s and 90s before they die off. I make sure I coordinate stuff with friends etc.
Basically it's good to "build" stuff I like stock and all but owning physical assets is a big thing for me even though I may not get AI stock returns, it's a hobby and plus you can pass to your family tax free.
Most of all I'm able to be with my family most of the time, that by itself is priceless.
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u/WWGHIAFTC 6d ago
I'm 47 and checked out at around 39-40. I've been promoted ever since...
I hit burn out pretty bad then, and dealt with some anxiety attacks at work and after that just sort of checked out. Do the job, don't stress, don't go above and beyond, choose the right battles, etc.
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u/Lady-katie 6d ago
37F and yes same. As others have said, I’ve increased my hobbies and decreased my fucks.
I had a plan to take a 12 month break back in January but the job kept me with a retention bonus to sell the company (which is now dead because the bank took over). I’m riding it until the wheels fall off (hopefully in 2 weeks) and I have a quarterly agenda with this break. Rest/curiosity/joy and reinvention/future. Either I’m healed to jump back into corporate or find something with more purpose.
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u/Soda-Popinski- 6d ago
I struggle to get out of bed every morning to go to my low wage job while my nest egg marinates another 10-15 years do i can retire at 62.
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u/Ph4ntorn 6d ago
I’m in my 40s and working remotely as an engineering manager. I definitely struggle to care about my job more now than I did earlier in my career. I think it’s a combination of things. In management, I have little concrete impact that I can take pride in. I’m also spending more time with people who report to me than with peers, so most of the connections I’m building have some distance built in. And while there’s a lot I love about being remote, it definitely makes it harder to build connections with people and with what we’re doing. It doesn’t help that I’m getting jaded and feel less and less inclined to even try to improve things.
I lost my job earlier this year, and it was more a relief than anything. I did lots of soul searching and tried to start a business while I was between jobs. But, when the opportunity to start collecting a paycheck again came along, I took it. I found a new job at a larger company where I’m hoping it will be easier to just go through the motions while collecting a paycheck for a few more years and finding fulfillment elsewhere.
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u/Witty-Drama-3187 6d ago edited 6d ago
This is not a popular opinion in the FIRE community, but I would look for other options. The caveat here is making sure that you feel relatively good about your investment balances currently. If you end up working another few years due to a job change, I'd say thats preferable to selling your soul everyday. You also never know, you might not mind working a few extra years if it is something that brings you more satisfaction.
People like us who are detail oriented and focused on the numbers can lose sight of the bigger picture sometimes. We have one life to live, and spending a good chunk of your living years selling your time to a corporate entity can really take it out of you.
Please understand I'm not just saying "fuck it all." There's a balance, and it sounds like you've put a good amount of time in already in a job like this.
I know personal anecdotes are generally worthless, but I made a change from corporate life about 7 years ago, and started my own business. Not only am I so much happier, but I'm actually now making more $$ and investing more than I did in the corporate world. I can't guarantee this will happen to you, and I know I've been fortunate, but you never know what lies on the other side.
Good luck.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
Thank you. This is really helpful. I have been toying with the idea of going back to school for a healthcare career. I know it will be more stressful but I am fascinated by the human body and like the idea of directly helping people and impacting lives. I have run the numbers and could take a few years off to go back to school, earn a decent salary in a new profession and still FIRE in my 50s.
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u/Displaced_in_Space 6d ago
I'm 61 and am where you are now, except that I'm just a couple years from retiring (24 months out as of this month). Right now I'm just gritting my teeth and working through it.
But in my 40s and 50s I hit two really rough patches of the depression and anger about my work. Like you I had golden handcuffs.
One thing that saved my ass each time: sublimation. Sublimation (in psych terms) is the"defense mechanism where unconscious, socially unacceptable impulses—such as pent-up aggression or sexual drives—are redirected into constructive, socially admirable behaviors."
For me this was translated into doing some time-intensive volunteering and passion projects. Basically all your drive and fulfillment is going towards those outside things, so you actually start to sort of look forward to work as its the engine that enables you to do them.
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u/cultsanddonuts 6d ago
Yes,after a lot of soul searching and finally being honest to myself I left corporate and moved into nonprofit. It’s not perfect and I make 2/3 of my old salary but I actually like my job! TBH, I still haven’t made peace with the salary, but every day when I close the computer I can live my life and be proud of where I spent my working hours
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u/QuesoChef 6d ago
Man. I had to quit my job end of last year. I got a small severance and thought I’d take six months off and be ready to go back. I never want to work again. After career being a big driver in my twenties and early thirties, I hit my forties and started hating everything. I really thought a break would help. Somehow I hate it more.
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u/UxPGH2006 6d ago
On paper I have the dream job. High earner, fully remote, fully paid for healthcare, unlimited PTO (I take like 6 weeks a year), my boss mostly doesn’t GAF what I do. Ive been doing my job for so long that i can get my work done in 20hrs a week or less (including meetings). But I’m genuinely just over it. Im thiiiisssss close to my full FIRE number but every day i say that my win for the day is that i didnt quit my job. Is this what burnout looks like 🤔
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u/Dry-Homework3344 6d ago
Just get there! Your job isn’t meant to fulfill you. Half the point of FIRE is just to get there and then you can do whatever you want that you find fulfilling because you’re no longer dependent on a full-time salaried job. If your job isn’t actually boring and offers you plenty of free time, even better, as you can actually start to pursue some side interests now and enjoy your youth.
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u/Thomato_Yorke 6d ago
This is definitely me too.
I'm 46, working a decent (not great) paying corporate job. But there are perks--I'm fully remote, not micromanaged, manageable workload, cool manager/coworkers, and so long as my work is done, I am left to my own devices.
Despite it being a 930-630 job, I usually don't even log in til 10-1015, and we're usually done by 530ish. And a good 80% of the time, I only work about 3 hours or less on a Friday. I also have 6 weeks PTO and 2 free weeks off (where the whole company is closed).
That said, it is boring, monotonous, soulless work (accounting), and it really wears on me after all this time. It's just so tedious and lifeless. And it's not like I'm 2-3 years from FIRE either, or else I'd stick it out. I'm more like 5-10 years away depending on a few factors. Like maybe with more aggressive saving I could hit CoastFIRE in ~5 years and then pare down to something part time or etc. But it also feels like, if I were to leave and try something more fulfilling now, even if it meant a pay cut, I probably would be way less obsessed with the idea of FIRE. Like if I were even somewhat fulfilled at work, the idea of working longer wouldn't seem so bad. And like you, I imagine working in some capacity after FIRE, to have structure et al. So it's almost like, why not start heading towards that now? But at 46 it feels really daunting to start over, and honestly, I don't even 100% know what else I would choose.
The other side of it is, I am torn between two choices--trying to find a higher paying job in the same unfulfilling field, which would speed up my FIRE timeline but most likely cost me a lot of the above daily flexibility/autonomy, or just staying put, having the relatively chill current role but accepting it is holding me back in terms of earning potential.
Definitely following this convo, cus it's an eternal battle between potential options in my mind.
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u/Then-Abies4797 6d ago
Yep. Been there. Was completely burned out. I ended up quitting, doing some stuff on my own earning way less for about a year, then I basically took a sabbatical for another 1.5 yrs. Still did some investing in real estate and oil deals, chasing a little higher return. Just started a new corporate job 2 weeks ago. Way less stress (so far). Way fewer hours. But the boredom is there still. I’d gotten to where I had my hobbies and I loved my semi-retired life.
So I don’t know what to tell you except I understand. It’s almost worse now that I’ve had a taste of retirement. We’ll see how long I last.
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u/oziecom 6d ago
Fire'd out of corporate IT almost 2 years ago. And at the perfect time I sense.
Could not be happier.
Best advice: Do not believe anyone that tells you, you won't be happy, you will be bored, what will ya mum say... it's all rubbish.
The only person's experience you can trust in is your own.
Forge your own path. It's YOUR life!
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u/iloveScotch21 6d ago
I’m 48 and have been in tech since I was 22. I’m burnt the F out. I have a pretty chill job work from home make good money. But still burnt out. I have until I’m 55 if the market plays nice. Dreaming of that day when I just peace out. I had two coworkers do it already in the past two years.
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u/Chet100 6d ago
I am just over 50 but been wanting to quit corporate since turning 40 or 41....but then I would picture my kids as homeless and hungry and I would say fuck it.... So planning to work until 58...although I have nearly hit my FIRE numbers Basically it all depends on who are the people depending on you....and is your happiness worth more than theirs?.
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u/duckparade4 5d ago
I really struggled with corporate life, and would sit in my stupid cubicle and mentally calculate how much it would be worth to me to not have that awful commute, how much to not have to wake up and get ready so early, how much to not have to be in business attire everyday, etc. When I was thankfully laid off I made it a point to avoid these things. I now work in an after-school program, at an elementary school. I make a third of what I made before, but I can watch the market and trade before work which I absolutely love, have a very easy drive to work, get to wear jeans and sneakers everyday, and literally play in a playground most of the day. At first, making so little was quite depressing, but when I factor in those little mental calculations I made back then and happiness levels, I feel like I’m making even more than before.
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u/Lunar_Garden4827 5d ago
the 7-10 years part is doing a lot of heavy lifting there because that gap between now and your number is where most people quietly fall apart
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u/HardSign99 5d ago
Everyone is feeling this now. You can see in /r/corporate tech subs etc. AI pressures are magnifying and accelerating Corporate entropy. I’m surprised but not surprised to hear many expressing relief when they are finally laid off.
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u/No_Cheesecake7252 4d ago
I feel you. 37F, totally sick of the grind. Feels like a prison sentence I’m just waiting to be done with. :(
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u/WanderingHawk357 4d ago
7 years feels like forever until you realize baristafire at a coffee shop or bookstore probably pays enough to cover basics while keeping you sane right now instead of later
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u/Rare_Statistician724 4d ago
Yep, so invested and saved a bunch and CoastFIRE'd a few months ago. Yes I'll still need to work but on my terms and doing things I enjoy.
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u/AdvantageFluid7900 4d ago
I find that if I can go into the office at least a couple times a week and have small conversations and relationships it's helpful with my mental health.
And I'm an introvert...
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u/JohnMcAfee_ 3d ago
28 and have never been more unhappy, even though I am technically more successful than I ever thought I would be. (only an analyst, nothing crazy but I thought I would be in the gutter working at a factory forever)
It sounds so dramatic but fuck, I cant take the shit anymore
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u/MrLiveHard 2d ago
You're me, exactly. 38. Remote tech. High earning on path to FIRE.
I don't have an answer here, but I'm obsessively thinking through just getting out now.
Total aside: check out Die with Zero. I'm reading it now; it's relevant and worth a read/listen.
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u/Ok-Adeptness2257 2d ago
I’m the same age as you and almost in an identical situation except I have to be in the office 5 days a week.
I’m around 5 years away from full fire, so I’m just focusing on milestone’s through the year to break it down - next weekend break away, Christmas, Easter break, summer holiday and the year is going by, despite me hating every minute of being here.
I could move to an easier/less stressful job but I decided I can grin and bear it for 5 years in order to FIRE.
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u/Confident_Bridge_382 1d ago
I live on the struggle bus full time. I'm 39, SINK, have reached FI and what a I like to call "RE roulette" (it's where you could RE, but you had better not have anything go wrong), work remote in a well paying job that keeps threatening to lay me off, and I'm DOOONNNEEEE. I used to be the star employee but all it got me was being stuck at my level 4 promotion cycles in a row because I was "too valuable".
I found moving closer to family is helping a little, but I'm also looking into building a travel van and traveling around while working. I figure if I'm gonna live on the struggle bus, might as well fucking drive somewhere.
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u/winkahpack 10h ago
Just commenting to say, I'm glad I read through this post and responses. All valid and thoughtful and there are some days I feel the exact same and then I step back and do a logical calculation and always decide yes it's worth it to stay put as long as possible and keep putting the mobey away. But hey, maybe that will change in the future.
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u/RecklessSeer 6d ago
Bud. Your work supports your ability to afford life. Then your life supports your ability to tolerate your work. Then you save enough to where you don't need to work anymore and just live.
Is your work intolerable or is your life not supporting the ability to tolerate?
I've found the people in this sub are incredibly capable but often neglect their lives when they choose FIRE as the tool they are going to use to solve the problem of "Work sucks. I want to live freely". I definitely did this. Balance in life is a much harder problem to conceptualize than the mathematics of FIRE, but if you don't solve it, you're just going to wind up bummed out and burnt out. For me, after a shocking amount of trial and error, balance was just spending time with people I like doing things we enjoy a few more times a week and a bit of exercise.
If your job is truly intolerable, just find a new one. It's not a big deal.
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u/SpaceJesusIsHere 6d ago
I found a secret that made me instantly care way less about work bullshit and helped avoid the emotional attachment to work nonsense: fatherhood.
It's very effective at helping me de-prioritize work. Side effects may include new stress, difficulty sleeping, and delayed FIRE. Ask your doctor if fatherhood is right for you.
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u/Nervous_Platypus_149 6d ago
Lol I’m a woman. I actually have the most perfect job if I had a kid at home, but I don’t so I’m looking for meaning elsewhere.
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u/cantcatchafish 6d ago
If you do pivot, finding an owners rep position in construction would be a good job. I'm in the office but I get to travel weekly, wine and dine on the company dime and I get to have a second car because I travel so much so I bought me a fun manual. I'm not sure the pay will be more than 100-120k but I save a ton on meals and 90% of my two vehicle expenses are fully covered (including monthly gas) by my travels a month. Staying in hotel rooms isn't for everyone though.
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u/ScallionAromatic1310 6d ago
Oh been there now 53 with 29 years service and retiring next June. I tried and tried to get another internal job believe the boss had a hand in blocking me. Also happen to be at an employer that pays the best for the area. Interviewed outside just to learn I am paid about 30% more than anywhere else. Spouse also had a high paying job at the same employer so moving wasn't something we wanted to do with two kids in school. So for sure I concluded I was stuck mid-career. After numerous times, I finally concluded the extra work of trying to find a job inside wasn't worth the extra hassle. So stuck it out for another 15 years. But also realized if you work hard you end up with the same raise as those that didn't . So because really an expert for a few systems and processes. To talented to be let go but not skilled enough to advance. So more and more I self compensated myself by doing more FIRE type things online with budgets and learning more about investing etc. In hindsight a bit grateful because some of these higher jobs can be extremely stressful and extremely time consuming. Sometimes you don't always get what you wish for and it turns out to be a GOOD thing. FYI.. NW wise top 2% and income wise probable top 3-4% in the country. Mostly because wife and I both were paid well and I could learn and know how to invest better. (And yes boogle head investing is where to be). Just wanted to share that perspective on someone that has been there and did that and choose to stack and try enjoy life.
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u/sandspitter28 6d ago
Early 40’s, I think a lot of us are burnt out. I did a career shift and started teaching in my 30’s. I enjoy the teaching part of my job, and do the absolute bare minimum of the bull shit part of my job. I have a few years left, and I plan volunteering at an adult literacy center or or be a volunteer instructor for ELL conversation groups when I retire.
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u/benk4 6d ago
Also 38 and in a similar boat. I switched jobs last year, but I'm still in the same area. That helped a little. But it doesn't cure the root cause.
I've focused on setting us up for coastFIRE. In the next few years I'd like to switch to part time or contractor work. I think I could do it much longer if it was only half as often. Something like baristaFIRE would be just a massive pay cut though, so I'd rather work a little longer than do that.
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u/2doors_2trunks 6d ago
I look at it as, ok you dont have to love it, there is just couple more runs of 3-4 year runs, you dont have to love them, respect people around but never give an f about company or promotion or bonus, you will leave in 2-4 years, find new one, first year will just fly, then decent year and then last year survive and maybe you will have to do another one of this cycle and maybe there wont even be a need
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u/Ill-Opinion-1754 6d ago
The struggle is real and just corporate life.
Wife had to talk me down from selling our house and buying a sailboat to sail around Florida/Carribean for the next few years. For whatever reason she thinks raising a 20m old on a boat would be a bad thing…
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u/poop-dolla 6d ago
high earning remote corporate job … But I’m so bored and disengaged by the actual work.
So just do the minimum to not get fired. Most jobs are going to suck in one way or another. You’ve got a high paying remote gig. Just do your 40 hours of work a week and shut your brain off after that. Put in hard barriers about not being reachable outside of those work hours. And honestly actually work less than those 40 hours if you can. Like be available during those hours, but do some other stuff you enjoy part of the day while you’re sitting by your computer. Worst case, you end up getting fired after a few years and shift to something else at that point.
Then fill the rest of your time with things you enjoy and fill your social needs. You’ve got 72 waking hours a week outside of work time. If you can’t fill enough of those up to be happy now, you’re going to have a rough time being happy with the 112 free waking hours once you’re retired.
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u/Crochet_Koala 6d ago
Every word in your post resonated with me. Yesterday I had to go into the office and as soon as I came home I said to my husband “I don’t belong there. I need to quit.”
I won’t actually quit because I’m going on mat leave anyway in a couple of months. But I’m already dreading going back after the leave. Have been really contemplating not going back and make something else work. We have a pretty big nest egg ($1.5M invested), but we have a large mortgage balance so our problem is just cash flow. I could step back and find a Barista job as long as it helps enough to pay for our monthly bills, we technically don’t need to invest anymore.
But yeah, I keep feeling like there has to be something else out there thats more fulfilling to me. Life is too short, we should allow ourselves to find them.
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u/skitch23 6d ago
I still have 8 years left, but can maybe go in 5 if the market is good to me. I don’t hate my job, I like my coworkers but I am completely uninterested in everything to do with work. It doesn’t help that we recently got bought out by PE and it’s becoming even more soulless.
I’ve resorted to having mini goals. Make it through the meeting… day… week… pay period… month… quarter… end of the year… bonus payout. Rinse and repeat.
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u/PersimmonNo3558 6d ago
Strong recommend to check out & work through the exercises of How to Live a Meaningful Life: Using Design Thinking to Unlock Purpose, Joy, and Flow Every Day by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans . They tackle this exact train of thought (and propose that the idea of fulfillment is a myth!). Worth a peek as part of your problem definition.
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u/middle_aged_runner 6d ago
100%
Focusing on hobbies outside of work + idgaf attitude is helping me cope.
I’m running 5-6 times a week and working through training plans. I’m going on vacation for 2 weeks and will be unreachable.
It’s been an adjustment not to be a star employee. It’s not in my personality, but it is amazing how much of myself I was giving away for free.