Taking a 6 month sabbatical from work

[scho63]

It has been 17 years since I've had a real vacation and I'm burnt out. Since I left Silicon Valley in late 2001-early 2002 I have been on this never ending yo-yo of extreme highs and lows. At nearly 54 years old, I've faced a lot of self reflection of what I want out of the remaining part of my life, whatever that may be.

After working for 14 companies in that time and almost six with my current employer, I've decided to resign from a $100,000+ job and move to Scottsdale AZ to take a 6 month sabbatical from any and all work. My only job for the next half of year is to lose 75-100 pounds, get a great tan, and improve my golf game so I can have a 8 or 9 handicap again.

I'm leaving around the 16th or so of this month and spending a week or so driving out visiting friends along the way I know from my childhood.

While it was really scary to walk away from a great job to go to a place with no job, no home and just one or two friends there, I am really excited to be entering a new chapter in my life.

It is a short ride we are on so you better enjoy it along the way!

[Squalor2]

wait, did you post in rainmans relocation thread....?

[TrebMaxx]

I left a well paying but high stress job when I was close to 50. Thought about being semi-retired, taking on small jobs in my field here and there. After about a year and a half I started going a bit stir crazy and decided to get a job albeit a low stress job. Found a good government job that doesn't pay like my previous job did but is very low stress and in my skill set. I will be 54 in a few months and will be able to retire with a pension at 60 if I choose to. I have found that money isn't everything and I am much happier now. Good luck to you Scho, sounds like you have a great plan.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

I'm exactly where you're at Scho. Will be 54 in September and haven't had any real time off in 30 years. Having 15,000 head of live animals and 12 half brain dead employees doesn't allow any time to relax. It's 7 days a week. Both my knees are shot ,a herniated disc and now need glasses to open a damn beer. My goal is to retire at 55 and I have a new bass boat in my near future. Good luck on your next chapter in life.

[displacedinMN]

good for you. I hope you find what you want. Many would like to do that.

This is why teaching and summers off helps. I get 2-3 months off to relax and refresh. When people complain that teachers get time off-it is to relax. And it is unpaid. But I have been at it 24 years.

[Buehler445]

You've got balls of steel man, I'd never think I was in a good enough position to do that. I guess too much bad (and expensive) shit has happened, that no matter how much money I had, I'd worry it wasn't enough.

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

I'm exactly where you're at Scho. Will be 54 in September and haven't had any real time off in 30 years. Having 15,000 head of live animals and 12 half brain dead employees doesn't allow any time to relax. It's 7 days a week. Both my knees are shot ,a herniated disc and now need glasses to open a damn beer. My goal is to retire at 55 and I have a new bass boat in my near future. Good luck on your next chapter in life.

Yours are only half brain dead? You win!

[PunkinDrublic]

Originally Posted by Hog Farmer

I'm exactly where you're at Scho. Will be 54 in September and haven't had any real time off in 30 years. Having 15,000 head of live animals and 12 half brain dead employees doesn't allow any time to relax. It's 7 days a week. Both my knees are shot ,a herniated disc and now need glasses to open a damn beer. My goal is to retire at 55 and I have a new bass boat in my near future. Good luck on your next chapter in life.

Do you have days where you feel like you will be the last boar semen extractor of your kind and when you die your craft will die with you because with technology and the gotta have it now demand for boar semen nobody is trained in the old ways anymore?

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by scho63

It has been 17 years since I've had a real vacation and I'm burnt out. Since I left Silicon Valley in late 2001-early 2002 I have been on this never ending yo-yo of extreme highs and lows. At nearly 54 years old, I've faced a lot of self reflection of what I want out of the remaining part of my life, whatever that may be.

After working for 14 companies in that time and almost six with my current employer, I've decided to resign from a $100,000+ job and move to Scottsdale AZ to take a 6 month sabbatical from any and all work. My only job for the next half of year is to lose 75-100 pounds, get a great tan, and improve my golf game so I can have a 8 or 9 handicap again.

I'm leaving around the 16th or so of this month and spending a week or so driving out visiting friends along the way I know from my childhood.

While it was really scary to walk away from a great job to go to a place with no job, no home and just one or two friends there, I am really excited to be entering a new chapter in my life.

It is a short ride we are on so you better enjoy it along the way!

Get close with lewdog I think he's in to pumping people up.

[Bowser]

Good for you, scho. Go live life a little while you can still enjoy it.

[TLO]

How are you planning to lose the weight, if I might ask?

[Couch-Potato]

you're my new hero.

[Demonpenz]

I hear about people doing this in my field lots of time. 95 percent of the time the are kicking themselves for losing PTO and the pay when coming back and they wish they would have just stayed until retirement. Now they may never retire. I am sure it will work out for you.

[scho63]

Originally Posted by Big Smokey

How are you planning to lose the weight, if I might ask?

Thank you everyone for the kind words. Interesting to see others have done this.

I am no where close to enough money for retirement but at this point I really don't give a shit. I need to get back the passion and drive I lost. That's the number one priority.

When I see all the people I love like my Mom and Dad dying at 57 and 60, young friends and several recent CP members in my age bracket, it really puts things in perspective.

I have a 24 gym I will be joining and expect to be there no less than 6 days a week if no everyday. Elliptical works great for me along with free weights and a few machines.

I expect to lay in the sun and sleep everyday at a public pool I have already identified and then hit the gym in the evenings for 3-4 hours. That will be my job.......

[Demonpenz]

I would get in the habit doing a food journal. Make that shit a habit first. You would be surprised how many calories you take in a day. From there once you get a long look at what you are actually eating it makes you think about that candy bar knowing you would have to run 2 miles to get that off.

[Dallas Chief]

Originally Posted by scho63

Thank you everyone for the kind words. Interesting to see others have done this.

I am no where close to enough money for retirement but at this point I really don't give a shit. I need to get back the passion and drive I lost. That's the number one priority.

When I see all the people I love like my Mom and Dad dying at 57 and 60, young friends and several recent CP members in my age bracket, it really puts things in perspective.

I have a 24 gym I will be joining and expect to be there no less than 6 days a week if no everyday. Elliptical works great for me along with free weights and a few machines.

I expect to lay in the sun and sleep everyday at a public pool I have already identified and then hit the gym in the evenings for 3-4 hours. That will be my job.......

Best of luck man. I'm about 10 years behind you and hope I can call it quits for good by the time I'm 55. Been working since I was 15 at one thing or another. Can't remember a time I didn't have a job. Thanks for sharing and for the inspiration to take leap!

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Demonpenz

I would get in the habit doing a food journal. Make that shit a habit first. You would be surprised how many calories you take in a day. From there once you get a long look at what you are actually eating it makes you think about that candy bar knowing you would have to run 2 miles to get that off.

This isn't bad advice