Workplace Stress Kills

[Seattle]

Just published in the Washington Post today.

For all those people ready to FIRE but just keep putting it off (raising my own hand here), might want to read this. Pretty interesting:

Your job is literally ‘killing’ you - The Washington Post

This article spoke to me and gave me the nudge I needed to pull the trigger. Going to FIRE next week - 2 week notice to wrap things up and never step foot into a workplace again unless I am there to grab lunch with a friend... enough is enough.

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seattle Just published in the Washington Post today. For all those people ready to FIRE but just keep putting it off (raising my own hand here), might want to read this. Pretty interesting: Your job is literally ‘killing’ you - The Washington Post This article spoke to me and gave me the nudge I needed to pull the trigger. Going to FIRE next week - 2 week notice to wrap things up and never step foot into a workplace again unless I am there to grab lunch with a friend... enough is enough.

I am very close to pulling the trigger, too. My job is stressful and I just know it isn't making me live longer or happier. High paying, but high pain.

[daylatedollarshort]

There is a Nat Geo special on the same topic called Stress: Portrait of a Killer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYG0ZuTv5rs

[Walt34]

Six months after I retired and we moved to WV to escape DC's traffic we went to see my sister in VA. The first thing she said was "You two look more relaxed than I've seen you in years."

Any lingering doubts about whether the retirement and move was wise were removed.

[robnplunder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by daylatedollarshort There is a Nat Geo special on the same topic called Stress: Portrait of a Killer:

Watched it and I believe it. I had hard time recovering from stress related health issues a few years ago (brother dying with cancer, work stress, other family stress). I had stiff neck, dizzy spells, slower thinking process, ..., which all went away eventually. Only the work related stress remains now.

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robnplunder Watched it and I believe it. I had hard time recovering from stress related health issues a few years ago (brother dying with cancer, work stress, other family stress). I had stiff neck, dizzy spells, slower thinking process, ..., which all went away eventually. Only the work related stress remains now.

I bought a finger pulse monitor from Amazon for DH when he was still working. It had kind of scary results - like they said in the video it was pretty measurable and not some vague concept of being in an unpleasant situation. It made the no one more year decision for him pretty easy.

[growing_older]

I'm still working although I (marginally) might be FI. It makes me reassured to pad the savings with continuing paychecks, but I struggle with how to NOT be stressed by work, especially when I likely could do just fine without it. Logically a lot of my stress comes from the possibility of not doing well enough so that I might lose my job, but I guess I shouldn't actually be so concerned about that (and probably never should have been). But these are hard habits to break.

Any helpful suggestions from FI (almost?) ER who have traveled this path?

[Options]

Quote:

Originally Posted by growing_older I'm still working although I (marginally) might be FI. It makes me reassured to pad the savings with continuing paychecks, but I struggle with how to NOT be stressed by work, especially when I likely could do just fine without it. Logically a lot of my stress comes from the possibility of not doing well enough so that I might lose my job, but I guess I shouldn't actually be so concerned about that (and probably never should have been). But these are hard habits to break. Any helpful suggestions from FI (almost?) ER who have traveled this path?

What helped (saved?) me enormously was the extreme degree to which I disengaged during the last year. Failure to make my set retirement date was not an option, so my deal with myself was to totally withdraw. I literally considered myself to be a hologram--there, but not there (in that world, but not of it, as they say). While I never failed to continue to add value, I was completely not invested in whatever went on (and boy, did a lot go on).

What also helped was I made a deal with myself to vanish--psychologically, emotionally, and even physically--the moment any BS, bureaucracy, or politics would start. To this end, I would literally get up and walk out of meetings (saying I had just received an emergency text from a client or something).

Upon retirement, I was/am still amazed at (and quite proud of myself for) the outstanding job I did (IMHO) weathering that last year while managing to remain way below the radar.