Sunday nights are amazing

[trumpeting_angel]

Great thread! I am 8 months in, and dreaded Sundays, as 10pm til 2am twice a month was implementation of production system changes Sunday evening. Now I rejoice in Sunday, like all the days of the week. Pure bliss! For those not FIRE'd, the stress savings alone from not having to w**k and face the blues of Monday is incredible, and can add years to your life. [emoji16]

Years to my life - yes. I had been berating myself for not getting finished with the 401(k) conversions to the IRA during the first week or two. Then it rained on the weekend, when I would normally mow the lawn! When to do it?

I’m slowly moving in the direction of taking my time, neglecting self-imposed deadlines, and appreciating the time I have to do “nothing” between chores and activities.

A slower pace is how we evolved to live. Nothing in our physical/emotional selves was designed for traffic jams, six-lane highways, cable news, or 50-hour (+) work weeks. Taking care of the kids on evenings and weekends (all while making dinner, cleaning up, weekend chores, and working after the kids are in bed). We just aren’t wired that way.

And that’s why we are starting to add years to our lives, just by leaving the rat race. Fortunately for me, I cut my weeks to 3 days, then 2.5, before I left. Still doing consulting and I’m torn between hating the pressure and deadlines, to feeling calmed by the income and continued connection with my old work life.

Someone was talking about a couple who also wanted to retire to Vermont, but the DH was reluctant to retire, although he was in his late sixties. When asked why, his DW said, “If we move up here, he won’t be a judge. He’ll just be another old man.” Letting go of prestige can be hard, too. But we pay for that prestige, and those jobs certainly shorten our lives.

 

[allegra3201]

Yup

I just want to say that out loud as I know this forum is a safe place to do it. I have a couple of friends who today expressed high anxiety about their week work ahead. Man, I'm 31 months in and my adoration for Sunday nights and Monday mornings continues to grow. I'm so so grateful and thankful that I created a situation where this is possible at a young age ( I turned 53 yesterday).

28 months in and I look forward to Sunday evenings as the next morning I know ill be up watching Maria and Stuart and how the market is reacting to all those world events over the weekend.

 

[scrabbler1]

My Sunday night freedom began in 2001 when I switched from working full-time to part-time which included working mostly from home. I still had to go to the office one day a week but that day was Tuesday, making Monday night my "new" Sunday night to a small degree. It was only one day a week, so that Monday night felt a little like a Thursday night because Tuesday felt a little like Friday being my it was my "last" real working day of the week.


This good working arrangement lasted only 27 months because the company suddenly ended all open-ended telecommuting deals in late 2003. I could still work part-time but I had to fulfill all my hours at the office. This brought back the horrors of commuting I thought I had gotten rid of, even 3 days a week.


It took a few months before I settled on a weekly schedule I adhered to for much of the next 43 months. That schedule was Tues-Wed-Fri which kept my Mondays off and my Sunday nights free. After I settled on that schedule, I still worked a few Mondays if I needed to free up one a Tuesday once in a while, making Sunday night lousy that week. The last time I worked on a Monday was in late 2005.


In 2007, as I was ramping up my ER plans, I reduced my weekly hours worked again, from 20 to 12. This cut one day off my 3 awful weekly trips to the office. I never had to work on a Monday.


Since I retired in late 2008, I have very rarely had something important to do on a Monday morning which brought back any of the bad memories of Sunday nights.

 

[SpinDoctorTX]

Sunday evening and Monday are my favorite times of the week now, knowing how anxious I used to be at those times before retiring.

Indeed- it's great being totally relaxed on Sunday night!

Ditto. Years of long haul in the short, cheap seats out to the Rim fixing messes and making a few of my own. It had it’s time, but glad it’s over now.

Cancelled Mediterranean trip slated for this fall. Just hanging out here, enjoying the best season of the year. Haven’t been on a plane since I Fired 5 almost 5 years ago.

Yes, the cheap seats. At least my travel (with the last place anyhow) was domestic. We try to drive to as many places that are within a couple of days. The Mediterranean does sound inviting though...

Everyday is Saturday!

Heh, this reminded me of an boss I once had. He went to Alaska on vacation a couple times a year to fish, where he had no cell service way out in the middle of nowhere. Had pix of him landing "big ones" on his office wall.

At his retirement party I asked him if he was still going to fish in Alaska when retired... and he confessed to me he only went to Alaska the first year. All the dozens of other times he was "in Alaska" he was vacationing at the beach, out west, Florida, you name it. But he was able to unplug from work 100% with nobody the wiser. Genius.

Wow what a novel approach- smart guy!

Three years in after FIREing at 57. Finally planning a solo trip (unfortunately never married) to Japan in late October for Halloween. Heard it was kind of fun and crazy so what the heck take off and staying for a couple of weeks thru November too. I've never taken a trip like this before but I've watched a ton of YouTube videos on Japan. I found myself trying to schedule the flights on the weekend when I realized what the heck, take off on a relaxing Tuesday morning with Uber to the airport and come back on a Tuesday morning in November. Hope I'll have a great time. Don't know a blasted soul there but I'll enjoy the crazy costumes, see some sights, wonder the back alleys is that beautiful city and take a few naps too in Tokyo.

That sounds marvelous, and you'll meet folks along the way. When I was single travelling for business I always tacked on at least a couple of days in interesting cities so I could at least get the flavor of a place. If you're a people watcher (as am I) you'll get an eyeful- no doubt. It can be freeing not having to keep up a conversation or compromise on what to do or not do. Over 2 weeks should me amazing- be careful though. Safety first.

 

[AaronGoodman]

Sunday nights

I hadn't noticed. Life is awesome. I'm not wasting another minute being anxious about Mondays.

 

[truenorth418]

I used to dread Sundays when I used to work. Now I look forward to Sunday night and I welcome Monday. I hate weekends now. Everyday life is so much more convenient and relaxing when everyone else is at work during the week.

 

[scaubie]

I used to dread Sundays when I used to work. Now I look forward to Sunday night and I welcome Monday. I hate weekends now. Everyday life is so much more convenient and relaxing when everyone else is at work during the week.

And avoid Costco at all cost from Friday noon, til Monday morning.

 

[Perryinva]

Everyone that retired in our ERP offer got a day of the week clock. We thought it was kitchy, but in reality I use it all the time, even though I wear and use my Apple watch and iPhone. The clock sort of lets me know where I am in the week. Weekends & holidays are a PITA now, because of traffic, crowds and places that are closed. I didn’t know it was Labor Day weekend until I realized the commercials were referring to this weekend. And I’ve only been retired 3 months.

 

[Dtail]

We are thinking of buying a day of the week clock. It is great. We always know when it is the weekend, as we eat out 3-4 days a week, but usually not on Fri/Sat.

 

[scaubie]

We are thinking of buying a day of the week clock. It is great. We always know when it is the weekend, as we eat out 3-4 days a week, but usually not on Fri/Sat.

Great idea!