work attitude after FIRE: how do you approach it?

[ladelfina]

This post was inspired by what Audrey said in the Yahoo! article thread:

doing something for hire is a very foreign concept in my life today.

I hear you loud and clear, Audrey. I had the 'opportunity' to do a little freelance job for a local biz that has gotten overwhelmed with work. I thought it would be fun, and in fact, doing the work was extremely fun... but..

1.) I send them stuff and they never bother to reply saying they've gotten it; my husband, who works nearby, has been chasing them down..
2.) The specs change from day to day; I work a whole thing out and then they say "oh, we love it, but it has to have all these elements!" (whipping out a page they could easily have given me at the outset, but didn't..)
3.) They seem like they want to d**k with it before even showing it to their client..

Just the usual b.s. that made me realize how it isn't the work that's soul-killing..* work can be creative and fulfilling; it's the bozo bosses and clients that make it a drag.

I just want to dump it back in their laps at this point.. How can I say to them "I just don't need this" without seeming haughty (everyone else around here is, in theory, scrambling for a buck..)? They seem like nice kids but they also seem to think they are doing me a favor and not vice versa.. They don't know anything about the types of clients I used to have or the kind of money I used to get.. nor are they aware of how lame their business approach is and how much of their own time they are wasting. I'm not particularly offended that they don't value my time, but they don't seem to even value their own! I haven't said word one yet, but I wish I could think of a helpful way to get this across to them without being obnoxious.

There's the extra complication of this being a very small town, and the fact that my husband has some minor business interests in common with these folks (completely separate from the project above)..

Am suffering from a "bad" attitude? Or is this a "good" attitude?

I'm curious how you others have fared when taking on projects that you don't really "need" to..

[audreyh1]

Originally Posted by ladelfina

Just the usual b.s. that made me realize how it isn't the work that's soul-killing..* work can be creative and fulfilling; it's the bozo bosses and clients that make it a drag.

Bingo! (including the specific adjective "soul-killing")

They seem like nice kids but they also seem to think they are doing me a favor and not vice versa..

That's why volunteering seems to be a far better alternative than work for hire. You are appreciated for your contribution as a volunteer. There is no question about who is providing the favor. And any group learns quickly that unappreciated volunteers tend to disappear...

Am suffering from a "bad" attitude? Or is this a "good" attitude?

It seems like this is just a good dose of reality for you. I don't know if you need to educate them about their need of an attitude adjustment. Seems like this is the kind of thing that thick (and young) heads don't "get" very easily, so it might be a big waste of time and turn out badly. That's just me - I tend to think it's not my responsibility to pass on these types of life lessons.

Audrey

[Martha]

Originally Posted by ladelfina

They seem like nice kids but they also seem to think they are doing me a favor and not vice versa.. They don't know anything about the types of clients I used to have or the kind of money I used to get.. nor are they aware of how lame their business approach is and how much of their own time they are wasting. I'm not particularly offended that they don't value my time, but they don't seem to even value their own! I haven't said word one yet, but I wish I could think of a helpful way to get this across to them without being obnoxious.

It sounds like you are much senior in age and experience to these guys. So you may very well be able to present yourself as a mentor and gently suggest a different approach as being more cost effective and which will result in a better product.

[yakers]

I think when I actually retire I wil not want to work even part time but I am vvery likely to volunteer maybe a lot of that.

I became retirement eligible a few months ago. I like my job a lot under my last boss. I would not have considered retiring. New boss, looks OK. But a few years back I had a real jerk, I would have left if I could but family & compensation & retirement made me put up with him.

Now being retirement eligible, having the house paid off, no debt and a nice dollop of funds in IRAs & other places and I have "jerk proofed" my work life. I don't feel desperate to leave, my attitude toward work has improved and my effectiveness (if not my efficiency) have improved. I am happy, I sing happy songs to myself and maybe a few are somewhat audible around the office. People wonder who the happy guy is.

I don't know about retirement but Financial Independence is "priceless".

[youbet]

Originally Posted by ladelfina

Am suffering from a "bad" attitude? Or is this a "good" attitude?

More than having an "attitude," you seem to be obcessing over how the "nice kids," as you call them, are doing things in relationship to how you would have done them in your day.* I know the feeling.* But it's time to let go.* If you'r not enjoying the project, pick a close-in, mutually convenient time to resign and go do the things with your life and time you wish to do.* Doing what you want to do is your responsibility, not theirs.

[template]

Originally Posted by ladelfina

...
I had the 'opportunity' to do a little freelance job for a local biz that has gotten overwhelmed with work. ... I'm not particularly offended that they don't value my time, but they don't seem to even value their own! ...

Hope you are charging for your work by the hour. If not, your time is without value to them.

[Spanky]

my attitude toward work has improved and my effectiveness (if not my efficiency) have improved.

My attitude has also changed after FI - I no longer care about climbing the ladder or get into a leadership position.

[SamHouston]

Originally Posted by Spanky

My attitude has also changed after FI - I no longer care about climbing the ladder or get into a leadership position.

That's the biggest change in attitude that I've seen in myself over the last three or four years. Having gone from having a staff of just over 20 people to a position in which the only person's work quality I have to worry about is my own has been wonderful. I seriously considered early retirement two years ago, but I feel like I've been given the opportunity to pad the nest a bit more without having to go through many of the stresses that were killing me in years past. I'm lucky that I have a boss who seems to appreciate my experience and the fact that I can pretty much supervise myself with minimal input from him...as a result, we're both pleased with the situation, and it looks like I'll work another 2 1/2 years and quit at 60.