Comments on: Dust Settles

By: Paul Freeman

Paul Freeman — Wed, 03 May 2006 13:50:37 +0000

I am so jealous of you. Obviously, with 3 little kids and a larger than normal mortgage (cos our house aint big enough for the 5 of us) this is something I just cannot do, but it is always in my thoughts.
Good luck!

By: Clare

Clare — Wed, 03 May 2006 08:49:46 +0000

“Weekends will be “time off” just as they are now.”
Yes, I find that works really well. Particularly when the mid-week busyness is composed of stuff you actually want to do!

By: Mr.D.

Mr.D. — Tue, 02 May 2006 12:17:48 +0000

Mrs.D. is in exactly the same situation as you, Hg – and is also working her notice after 15 years with the current employer.
She’s jumped ship for a similar career with a different employer, but for less hours and has not stopped grinning since resigning.
Good luck (and keep on blogging!)

By: Hg

Hg — Tue, 02 May 2006 08:31:29 +0000

Thanks all the support, everyone. Friends, family and colleagues have been unanimously positive about this move, which has been a tremendous boost.
Almost a week after I made my decision, I’ve had a couple of moments of anxiety about how the next few weeks & months will work out, but still no hint of doubt that I’ve done the right thing.
Pete & Clare, your thoughts are very apposite. I’ll be keeping myself busy, but without creating an unachievable burden (after all, that’s one of the factors that contributed towards my decision to leave).
I’m good at setting goals and working towards achieving them, but at the same time I know I need to factor in time for relaxation. At the moment I’m thinking of a weekly timetable, with one major goal per day (clear out garden shed, go to Tate Modern, etc.) and a mixture of recurring items (e.g. housework, swimming, reading & job research).
I’m still aiming to get up at 7am and be in bed by 11pm. Weekends will be “time off” just as they are now. The odd weekday when nothing happens will be a happy accident; not an opportunity to beat myself up, but a reminder that not everything can be timetabled and scheduled.
We’ll see how it goes, but I think it’s going to suit me. My major fear is that actually I’ll like this pseudo-retirement lifestyle so much that I won’t take the career review aspect as seriously as I should!

By: robin

robin — Mon, 01 May 2006 13:01:23 +0000

That all sounds very positive and appeals to my hippy compartment. Best of luck. You’ve worried enough.
The journey to me is very problematic but is worth the effort, as long as you are prepared to accept what you may find.
Enjoy the peace and the absence of pursuers, predators and downpressers.