I'm curious what others have done with the burnout that can come with ERE--from working a full time job, to being a handyman, seamstress, laundromat, landscaper, cleaner, cook, plumber, etc. While you take a look at your neighbors and everything is outsourced.
There's not much idle time. The obvious, of course, is short term pain (sacrifice now) for long term gain (ERE).
ERE Burnout
It's a different way of spending time. For example, I changed my oil last night. It took me 30 minutes in my garage. It would have taken me around the same time to have it done at a shop. When I first changed my oil, it probably took me an hour and a half or so. These days, though, it's a lot faster. And I save a bit of money and also know that the job was done well.
There are still several things we outsource; it depends on how much our time, energy, and money are worth. For example, we installed our water softener ourselves, which involved cutting pipe. However, we have a very slight leak from it and recently discovered another slight leak elsewhere in our piping system, so we're probably going to call in a plumber to knock both out in an hour or two this summer. We could try and do it ourselves, but the convenience there is worth the pay for me.
In contrast, I don't mind learning about and working on my car, so I'm willing to tackle almost anything that goes wrong with it, and I'm slowly learning to do things with my wife's car (I changed the oil there for the first time this spring). But I'd rather spend three hours working under a car than three hours trying to fix a pipe leak any day of the week, so it's really a personal decision process.
There are still several things we outsource; it depends on how much our time, energy, and money are worth. For example, we installed our water softener ourselves, which involved cutting pipe. However, we have a very slight leak from it and recently discovered another slight leak elsewhere in our piping system, so we're probably going to call in a plumber to knock both out in an hour or two this summer. We could try and do it ourselves, but the convenience there is worth the pay for me.
In contrast, I don't mind learning about and working on my car, so I'm willing to tackle almost anything that goes wrong with it, and I'm slowly learning to do things with my wife's car (I changed the oil there for the first time this spring). But I'd rather spend three hours working under a car than three hours trying to fix a pipe leak any day of the week, so it's really a personal decision process.
...working a full time job, to being a handyman, seamstress, laundromat, landscaper, cleaner, cook, plumber, etc. While you take a look at your neighbors and everything is outsourced.
Might change fix that? Move? Downsize? Minimize?
Having fewer things to fix, sew, launder, landscape, clean, and plumb might make the rest enjoyable - or at least bearable. If nothing else, you'll have different neighbors to look at as a comparison.
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aussierogue
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@Karim
I think a key is to try and find joy in doing those things for yourself. Maybe not all of them but for example handyman, cook, gardener are for me pleasurable things to do. Better than watching TV or playing games.
Finding some joy in the mundane is a form of meditiation and improving all those skills can come in really handy. You never know one day when you get so good at being a handyman, cook or gardener you may make some money from it.
so try and take a psychological leap away from the idea of problematic chores to an activity that involves some joy.
I always remember my mother complaining about cooking as we grow up - complain complain complain about feeding the family - now she sees how my family all get involved in cooking and have fun doing it (even relaxing) im sure she wishes she had a different view of things looking back.
cheers
aussie
I think a key is to try and find joy in doing those things for yourself. Maybe not all of them but for example handyman, cook, gardener are for me pleasurable things to do. Better than watching TV or playing games.
Finding some joy in the mundane is a form of meditiation and improving all those skills can come in really handy. You never know one day when you get so good at being a handyman, cook or gardener you may make some money from it.
so try and take a psychological leap away from the idea of problematic chores to an activity that involves some joy.
I always remember my mother complaining about cooking as we grow up - complain complain complain about feeding the family - now she sees how my family all get involved in cooking and have fun doing it (even relaxing) im sure she wishes she had a different view of things looking back.
cheers
aussie
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secretwealth
- Posts: 1948
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@karim You are not alone. Consumption is inherently easier to do than production. It's easier to eat a hamburger than to make one.
I see two solutions:
1. Find your comfort level. Some people enjoy the labor of being a handyman, seamstress, plumber, etc. Others don't. Some people enjoy some of these, some all. Find what works for you and try not to make sacrifices and/or take on jobs that you won't get pleasure out of doing. I think most ERErs make headway towards financial independence by making really huge lifestyle choices such as living in a cheap neighborhood or forsaking a car. Fixing your own clothes and doing your own carpentry, IMO, won't get you to FI that much faster, and if you don't enjoy these things, just don't do them.
2. Change your goal. You can shoot for semi-ERE, which should cut down your savings requirement considerably. This requires a balance between income, expenses, savings rate, and so on, and it's much less sustainable than full ERE, but it's an option. If you're growing impatient, deciding to transition from full-time work to part-time work subsidized by savings can make the goal closer and save some grief.
ERE is not easy for everyone. Don't feel bad if you're having troubles. You're not the only one.
I see two solutions:
1. Find your comfort level. Some people enjoy the labor of being a handyman, seamstress, plumber, etc. Others don't. Some people enjoy some of these, some all. Find what works for you and try not to make sacrifices and/or take on jobs that you won't get pleasure out of doing. I think most ERErs make headway towards financial independence by making really huge lifestyle choices such as living in a cheap neighborhood or forsaking a car. Fixing your own clothes and doing your own carpentry, IMO, won't get you to FI that much faster, and if you don't enjoy these things, just don't do them.
2. Change your goal. You can shoot for semi-ERE, which should cut down your savings requirement considerably. This requires a balance between income, expenses, savings rate, and so on, and it's much less sustainable than full ERE, but it's an option. If you're growing impatient, deciding to transition from full-time work to part-time work subsidized by savings can make the goal closer and save some grief.
ERE is not easy for everyone. Don't feel bad if you're having troubles. You're not the only one.
@Karim: me too, I had this burnout feeling too.
Now I must say, sorry but I don`t see that much difficulties with outsourcing.
Like waiting for the plumber? Use that time to make the dishes or look to do the gardenwork.
Here are some questions that might help you to decide to do it yourself or to outsource.
1) Do I have to do it again soon? (like cooking)
2) Is it worth learning? (why should I learn to repair a car as I´m not planing to have one in Retirement?)
3) Is a professional realy faster? (like mowing the lawn) No? do it yourself.
4) What would I do with the time I save? Do I save time?
5) Are there insurance issues to look for?
6) Does it make financial sense?
So to me, I would never outsource things I enjoy or I need to do daily. But why the hell should I learn to repair our oil-heating as it maybe breaks down once in 20 years.
Now I must say, sorry but I don`t see that much difficulties with outsourcing.
Like waiting for the plumber? Use that time to make the dishes or look to do the gardenwork.
Here are some questions that might help you to decide to do it yourself or to outsource.
1) Do I have to do it again soon? (like cooking)
2) Is it worth learning? (why should I learn to repair a car as I´m not planing to have one in Retirement?)
3) Is a professional realy faster? (like mowing the lawn) No? do it yourself.
4) What would I do with the time I save? Do I save time?
5) Are there insurance issues to look for?
6) Does it make financial sense?
So to me, I would never outsource things I enjoy or I need to do daily. But why the hell should I learn to repair our oil-heating as it maybe breaks down once in 20 years.
For me it was just adjusted expectations. After a while I never think about not having a dishwasher (in fact I sold mine - it was just in the way). No central AC means no expensive repair bills (and they do happen!). No dryer means less expense and clothes last longer. The mulberry tree in the back used to mean a mess, now it means free food and jam to last me for a full year. Bulding my own furniture doesn't mean extra work (though it was!), but the satisfaction of having solid wood furniture around the house I can brag about.
Like others said, you need to look at the positives from your efforts, not how far you still have to go. One way for me was a spreadsheet that tracked my mortgage payments, and included such calculations as how much interest I saved with my extra principal payments. This gave me the push to keep it up, and finally paid off the house in only 10 years.
Like others said, you need to look at the positives from your efforts, not how far you still have to go. One way for me was a spreadsheet that tracked my mortgage payments, and included such calculations as how much interest I saved with my extra principal payments. This gave me the push to keep it up, and finally paid off the house in only 10 years.
Keep the impact of the change in mind. My big change with regard to transportation, for example, is not that I recently changed the timing belt on my car, but the fact that I drive a $1200 car. Not many folks drive cars cheap enough to replace with a month's full time work.
Similarly, the fact that we installed our garage door opener on our own isn't our big house change; it's the fact that we bought a home with a smaller mortgage and are working to pay it off early. Again, most people typically buy homes around 3 or more times their annual incomes, which dramatically reduces their financial flexibility.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Focus on the big stuff. For example, instead of clipping coupons 30 days a month while eating out 20 times a month, get rid of the coupons and buy what you like, when you like, as long as it's at the grocery store (meaning cut the eating out to a few times a month).
Similarly, the fact that we installed our garage door opener on our own isn't our big house change; it's the fact that we bought a home with a smaller mortgage and are working to pay it off early. Again, most people typically buy homes around 3 or more times their annual incomes, which dramatically reduces their financial flexibility.
Don't sweat the small stuff. Focus on the big stuff. For example, instead of clipping coupons 30 days a month while eating out 20 times a month, get rid of the coupons and buy what you like, when you like, as long as it's at the grocery store (meaning cut the eating out to a few times a month).
I've definitely felt burnout from being in the office 40 hrs/wk but generally enjoy doing things for myself.
As far as burnout of DIY, just rent -that eliminates everything but cooking and cleaning for yourself.
Don't want to mechanic a bike/car? Then walk. Don't want to clean? Don't make a mess... You can simplify almost anything out of your life. Don't like to cook? Find an alternative. Perhaps cooking your entire month's food in on a Saturday and freezing it. Or find an institution with healthy food and buy a 1 meal per day plan.
As far as burnout of DIY, just rent -that eliminates everything but cooking and cleaning for yourself.
Don't want to mechanic a bike/car? Then walk. Don't want to clean? Don't make a mess... You can simplify almost anything out of your life. Don't like to cook? Find an alternative. Perhaps cooking your entire month's food in on a Saturday and freezing it. Or find an institution with healthy food and buy a 1 meal per day plan.
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RealPerson
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:33 pm
It sounds to me that you prefer to spend time at work vs. cooking, cleaning, repairing stuff, etc. Nothing wrong with that. That does tend to lend itself more to a traditional lifestyle, although that ultimately depends on how much money you have, how much spend and what your ROI is.
Depending on the job does make you more vulnerable to losing it, since your skill set will be more limited. The more self-reliant you are the more robust you are.
To me, this boils down to what you value most. Following the lead of your values and preferences is the best prevention of burnout.
Depending on the job does make you more vulnerable to losing it, since your skill set will be more limited. The more self-reliant you are the more robust you are.
To me, this boils down to what you value most. Following the lead of your values and preferences is the best prevention of burnout.
I agree that switching from outsourcing to DIY involves a learning curve. It takes more effort to learn how to do something, then do it for the first time, than it does to do something you already know how to do well. So if you flip a light switch from practically-100% outsourcing to practically-100% DIY, the adjustment period could be overwhelming.
However, once you get over the "hump" it does get easier, and there can be a snowball effect as your skills and facilities improve. There are many transferable micro-skills. For example, how to deal with damaged screw threads, or handle hot liquids safely. Those show up all over the place.
And +1 to the simplest possible solution:
Don't want to mechanic a bike/car? Then walk. Don't want to clean? Don't make a mess... You can simplify almost anything out of your life. Don't like to cook? Find an alternative. Perhaps cooking your entire month's food in on a Saturday and freezing it. Or find an institution with healthy food and buy a 1 meal per day plan.
If you can't deal with the upkeep of something, just do without it. Solves a lot of problems.
However, once you get over the "hump" it does get easier, and there can be a snowball effect as your skills and facilities improve. There are many transferable micro-skills. For example, how to deal with damaged screw threads, or handle hot liquids safely. Those show up all over the place.
And +1 to the simplest possible solution:
Don't want to mechanic a bike/car? Then walk. Don't want to clean? Don't make a mess... You can simplify almost anything out of your life. Don't like to cook? Find an alternative. Perhaps cooking your entire month's food in on a Saturday and freezing it. Or find an institution with healthy food and buy a 1 meal per day plan.
If you can't deal with the upkeep of something, just do without it. Solves a lot of problems.
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jacob
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What's hard is not one or the other but doing something you're not habitually used to.
Having been out of consumerism for so long, it's pretty hard for me, mentally and emotionally, to go out and buy something (or someone). First I'd feel like an idiot for spending 5x money on something I could do myself. And then I'd be impatient for having to wait and checking whether the quality was up to the same standards I could do myself.
As has been mentioned already, if you feel overwhelmed you can go slow or you can go without.
Having been out of consumerism for so long, it's pretty hard for me, mentally and emotionally, to go out and buy something (or someone). First I'd feel like an idiot for spending 5x money on something I could do myself. And then I'd be impatient for having to wait and checking whether the quality was up to the same standards I could do myself.
As has been mentioned already, if you feel overwhelmed you can go slow or you can go without.