Question mainly for the older men, just wondering at what point in your life you worked the most.
For background, I’m nearly 40. I have a 14 year old and I’m newly married with a large new house. I finished a master’s degree at age 30 and started a 6 figure job. I’ve been on my own since 18. Through my 20s, I often worked 2 jobs, a job with a bunch of OT, or a full-time job and full-time school.
I thought by this point, I’d be able to slow down but still working overtime as I can get it. I’m never in danger of starving and max my retirement but just never feel comfortable financially.
Just looking for confirmation that hopefully I was off by a decade and at 50 I can slow down. Tyia
17 comments
I exercised the most in my 40s. I got into triathlons and it kept me motivated to keep going. The balance between work, family, and sport was not terribly difficult. I did communicate with my wife often when training for an IronMan to make sure I was carrying my load of responsibilities, since training was equivalent to a part time job.
When I was in the Army.
9 god damn years of a ton of needless busy work.
Well, it sure wasn’t today.
Worked my ass off from 16 to 32 so I could get married, buy a house and start a family. Started saving in high school for the house.
Every romantic relationship fell through. I just ended up using the money to buy a ranch and moved my friends and family onto it.
Currently debt free and the ranch is paid off. I’m hoping I can retire by 55 so another 19 years.
Im now 30, and i work about 200-250 Houres a month. I hope this is it. I don’t want to work more. I got my own things to do.
In my late 30 and early 40.
Then a stroke hit me and since that time I’m on disability
In my 20’s by far. I worked two jobs and had a side hustle through undergrad. Got my first corporate job, worked my way up at 50+ hours per week, then went and earned my masters at night. I switched to a more laid back company and made VP by 30. In my late 30’s now.
My job? In my mid 20’s. It wasn’t by choice, but every time I had a new product launch I had to be on-site at the manufacturing facility so there was a lot of travel and a lot of long days, and several long nights babysitting production and working with the QA department. I was hourly at the time and single, but it was only cool for about 6 months and after that I began to hate it.
I’m 40 now my current company lets me manage my time much more effectively.
First year-1.5 years I was a single parent. Working 12s and driving 5 hrs a day on top of that
Early 20s, and 30s and (so far) 40s. 30s was peak though, starting farming and doing everything.
Deleted my long ass post – I’m very similar to you, the change happened at 42 when I got divorced and didn’t have to be responsible for anyone else, and then again at 50ish when I remarried and stopped working so hard at work. Mid 50s now and eyeballing semi-retirement as soon as I can convince my wife.
In my early forties, I think my father was the same. My mother once said she had to get married to be a single mother. In hind sight it’s a cringe statement, but dad was always working.
It really comes down to providing for your family. You can provide financially or by being there, But not both all the time.
22 up to 55 . Since Covid reassessed my approach to work as a teacher. Will do my job, but no longer go that extra mile. No guilt, mortgage paid, kids nearly finished university. Not exactly quite quitting, more gliding along on my knowledge and experience.
In my 40s.By my 50s I was paying for that and had to slow down and by my 60s I had to stop.
Probably a few years back when I was a full-time coastguard officer and part-time firefighter. That was my early to mid 30s.
I wasn’t doing it for the money, though; my shifts at the coastguard gave me loads of free time and I had always wanted to be a firefighter.
I don’t get the urge to work shit loads. I just do what’s fun.
I worked the most during summers in college, where I’d regularly pull ten or twelce hour shifts at my retail job.
Honestly I’m living in those times. I go to school part time, I work two part time jobs and I’m also participating in a mentorship program that I like.