I've got about one year left before I make some kind of announcement in late 2014. Hopefully it'll be "I'm retiring, never to work again. Bye!"
Or at the very least, if I'm not quite financially there yet, it'll be "I'm taking a sabbatical and going back to Colorado for a couple years. Bye!"
Either way, I've got about one year left. I've reduced my level stress a little by refusing to have just any project or deadline pushed on me. I push back more than I ever have, and have no problems suggesting they dole out the work to other teammates, as my plate is full.
I've also started telling people I can't attend their meetings anymore unless they discuss my deliverables first, and then I need to leave so I can actually go back to my desk and do the work (rather than just talking about it).
I also blocked off two days a week in Outlook with my own all-day meeting reservations, to make it harder for people to just schedule something frivolous. I told them I need two days a week of heads-down time so I can actually get work done. Surprisingly, nobody's pushed back on that one.
I thought at first the next-to-last year (this past year) would be the hardest to get through, but I think I was wrong. I think this last 12 months is going to be hard, because time seems to crawl by so slowly.
I wish I could push a button and have the next 12 months just fly by. For me, it's no longer about the journey. I could care less about the journey now. I just want the reward (money/retirement/freedom) so I can get on with Life 2.0
Or at the very least, if I'm not quite financially there yet, it'll be "I'm taking a sabbatical and going back to Colorado for a couple years. Bye!"
Either way, I've got about one year left. I've reduced my level stress a little by refusing to have just any project or deadline pushed on me. I push back more than I ever have, and have no problems suggesting they dole out the work to other teammates, as my plate is full.
I've also started telling people I can't attend their meetings anymore unless they discuss my deliverables first, and then I need to leave so I can actually go back to my desk and do the work (rather than just talking about it).
I also blocked off two days a week in Outlook with my own all-day meeting reservations, to make it harder for people to just schedule something frivolous. I told them I need two days a week of heads-down time so I can actually get work done. Surprisingly, nobody's pushed back on that one.
I thought at first the next-to-last year (this past year) would be the hardest to get through, but I think I was wrong. I think this last 12 months is going to be hard, because time seems to crawl by so slowly.
I wish I could push a button and have the next 12 months just fly by. For me, it's no longer about the journey. I could care less about the journey now. I just want the reward (money/retirement/freedom) so I can get on with Life 2.0