Part time to no time

[Martha]

When I first came to this forum, I was working full time plus managing our law firm. I was just entering my biggest earnings years with 2004 my best year ever. At the end of 2004 I resigned my presidency and went part time, working about half time in 2005. Clients had a hard time getting used to it. I would tell them to call me even if I was out, but they hated to impose on me when I was gone. But then they chided me for being unavailable. But the work got done and the clients adjusted for the most part. That first year I earned about 1/3 of what I earned the year before.


I enjoyed every moment off from work. The new leisure time was addictive. It made it harder and harder to come into work and to have that constant tie to the workplace. I found myself becoming less patient with aspects of work I did not like. A reduction in the amount of money we had readily available made me realize that I didn't have to spend big bucks to be comfortable. I cut my work back more and more and started talking about phasing out totally.

As of January 1 2007 I will no longer be an owner of my firm. For a few months I will be available for my successor to call me and talk to me about issues. But no more billable hours. So I guess I can call it retired.

 

[grumpy]

Martha,

Wow. Congrats! Now you will have even more time to give us all the benefit of your knowledge and experience.

Grumpy

 

[scrinch]

So you've taken about 2 years to wean yourself away from a very consuming job. Your approach seems quite reasonable if you actually like your job (but not as much as the alternative ). I hope I can follow in your footsteps.

 

[linkerbink]

So now I get to ask YOU what you are going to do all day!?

 

[crazy connie]

So now I get to ask YOU what you are going to do all day!?

Perhaps whatever she want and only whenever she wants...

ENJOY!!!!

 

[Martha]

So now I get to ask YOU what you are going to do all day!?

I thought you might ask.

In January I am going to crawl under a blanket and read and sleep. Plus I hope to at least drag myself out to the gym three or four days a week. If I get some motivation I am going to finish making the bedroom curtains, work on regrouting the bathroom floor, and start a stained glass window.

Sometime in February we are going to leave on a month or two RV trip. Going to Mexico.

Then we shall see.

 

[brewer12345]

Congrats, Martha. I'm sure you will enjoy being fully out to pasture.

 

[justin]

Sometime in February we are going to leave on a month or two RV trip. Going to Mexico.

Dang! I'm jealous! Are you going to be "Of Counsel" on the firm's letterhead?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I enjoyed every moment off from work. The new leisure time was addictive. It made it harder and harder to come into work and to have that constant tie to the workplace. I found myself becoming less patient with aspects of work I did not like. A reduction in the amount of money we had readily available made me realize that I didn't have to spend big bucks to be comfortable. I cut my work back more and more and started talking about phasing out totally.

Always thought of part-time being the best of both worlds, but maybe I should at least be on the look-out for just the opposite: leisure being so addictive that part-time work just gets annoying. I can already see that travel time is just as difficult to arrange if you work 2 days a week as it is at 6 days a week.

I heard of one opportunity that requires 7-10 consecutive days per month, planned well in advance. If the content of the work is OK, maybe that would be a good solution for part time.

 

[Martha]

Dang! I'm jealous! Are you going to be "Of Counsel" on the firm's letterhead?

Yup. There is something appealing about that title.

 

[Martha]

Always thought of part-time being the best of both worlds, but maybe I should at least be on the look-out for just the opposite: leisure being so addictive that part-time work just gets annoying. I can already see that travel time is just as difficult to arrange if you work 2 days a week as it is at 6 days a week.

I heard of one opportunity that requires 7-10 consecutive days per month, planned well in advance. If the content of the work is OK, maybe that would be a good solution for part time.

That was the unexpected problem that I had. I managed quite a bit of flexibility, with four day weeks, many off days, nearly no full days, plus two 4 to 6 week trips last year. But there always was that umbilical cord attached to clients and I needed to be in phone/email range most always.

 

[peggy]

Congratulations! How freeing for you! Enjoy the reading and the trip, and remember to post pictures. (If, of course, that's not too much work.)

I'm just a paralegal, but I can definitely understand the freedom of no billable hours! It's one reason I switched from a law firm to a corporate position.

 

[Andre1969]

The new leisure time was addictive. It made it harder and harder to come into work and to have that constant tie to the workplace. I found myself becoming less patient with aspects of work I did not like.

I've noticed this about myself, too. I've started taking more time off here and there, and while it does help me to relax, recharge, and find other things to do outside of work, I've noticed that it also makes the time I have to come into work that much more aggravating. And it seems like the less I need my job, the less patient I become with some aspects of it. For instance, years ago when I was on CCCS and working my butt off with two jobs trying to get the bills paid down, I was willing to put up with a lot of crap. Now that I could afford to kick off and relax for a few years before seeking employment, not so willing!

 

[Cut-Throat]

Yup. There is something appealing about that title.

So is moving eventually on your adgenda?

 

[greg]

AAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Congratulations, Martha.

 

[Outtahere]

Congratulations Martha! Mexico sounds like a nice trip to start off the offical retirement phase of your life.

 

[REWahoo]

Mexico sounds like a nice trip to start off the offical retirement phase of your life.

Si.

Any trouble getting the dogs back & forth across the border? I have no idea about what the requirements might be for pooch passports.

 

[greg]

Si.

Any trouble getting the dogs back & forth across the border? I have no idea about what the requirements might be for pooch passports.

We just plan to stuff them in our back pockets and smile while saying "No comprende, senor."

Actually all they need is a current rabies certificate. But we will douse them in flea gunk on the way back home--maybe after passing thru Texas.

 

[REWahoo]

...we will douse them in flea gunk on the way back home--maybe after passing thru Texas.

I recommend waiting until you flee Oklahoma.

 

[Caroline]

Sincere congratulations on a well-earned retirement, Martha.

Please reassure us that you won't become a stranger! Some will miss your excellent legal contributions if you do, I suppose. But I think I speak for many when I say that I have long appreciated and would truly miss your reasoned and compassionate contributions in other areas as well!

 

[Jane_Doe]

Wow, Martha! Congratulations! I am sure it was difficult to finally pull the plug, but what a sigh of relief now that it's done, huh? I think you shold eat some bon-bons while you are under the covers! I always liked that saying ....... "I'm sitting around eating bon-bons!"

Start the countdown ............ 30, 29, 28, 27, 25, 24, 23, 22 ............ 3, 2, 1

Blast-off!


All the best to you & Greg!

Jane (who isn't sure what bon-bons are, but hopes they are CHOCOLATE!)

 

[Dawg52]

Congrats Martha! 4 more months for me but I can see the writing on the wall. Seeing that they have yet to hire a replacement for me, management will probably want me to work part-time in 2007. Chaps me too, I gave these idiots a 2 year notice.

I'm a little stressed right now. Were in the middle of our annual inventory.

 

[brewer12345]

Congrats Martha! 4 more months for me but I can see the writing on the wall. Seeing that they have yet to hire a replacement for me, management will probably want me to work part-time in 2007. Chaps me too, I gave these idiots a 2 year notice.

I'm a little stressed right now. Were in the middle of our annual inventory.

Um, not your problem, right?

Practice with me:

"Failure to plan on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

 

[mb]

Congratulation Martha!

I recall that the question "When is Martha going to fully retire?" has come up several times in the year+ that I have been on this board.

Congratulation again!

MB

 

[REWahoo]

Seeing that they have yet to hire a replacement for me, management will probably want me to work part-time in 2007. Chaps me too, I gave these idiots a 2 year notice.

That appears to be SOP. I gave 5+ months notice and as my retirement date approached was asked to delay leaving 2 months. I ended up staying an extra 4 weeks (paid for 6), but I wasn't exactly thrilled by it.