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Wow!  I don’t have to go to work again- ever!  This day can be anything I want!

An amazing feeling- but also a worrying one.

I don’t want to waste it.  What should I do?  I’d better decide fast- I’m wasting time RIGHT NOW. 

The question gnaws at me.  Before I know it, I’ve wasted hours with unnecessary guilt and frustration.

I should go write, right?  Duh!  That novel won’t finish itself.  But there are a hundred other things I’m responsible for.  When do I fit that stuff in?  When do I take time to just loaf around, because gosh darn it I’ve earned it?  A balance must be sought.

Soon after leaving my job, I realized…

You’ll slip into Permanent Weekend Mode if you’re not careful.

Make a leisurely breakfast, throw on Seinfeld with my coffee, relax on the couch…  Shit, it’s 11:30!  Wasn’t I supposed to be doing stuff?

No alarm blares you out of bed.  There’s no dress-suit to put on or bus to catch.  Everything around you screams “weekend,” so you fall into your weekend routine- which, let’s face it, is probably not your most productive behavior.  This is fine for the first few days or weeks.  If you’re burned out, you can use the break.  After that, though…

You must work to define your new “normal.”

This is a work in progress.  I’m not racing to make Monday through Friday all the same again, but some structure and discipline are essential for doing more than goofing off.  I have “work” goals (my writing projects), “hobby” goals (non-writing stuff I like to do), and the maintenance activities that keep me and my household hale and happy.  What should I do when?  Whether I’m truly carpe-ing the diem is up to me to decide- but I won’t know what works best until I try different things.

I’m especially excited about experimenting with my sleep schedule.  I’d like to set a consistent wake up and bedtime (I’m bad about going to bed at a consistent time each night).

If you don’t already have a reliable to-do tracking system, you need one.

Or things won’t get done.  Even a self-motivated person forgets when a certain appointment is or what he needed from the store.

I’ve used calendars and day planners in the past to good effect.  I’m trying out OneNote now, which is what I used at work to keep track of what tasks were due when.  The Mac version isn’t quite as polished as the Windows version, but I’m thrilled there’s a Mac version at all.  Plus, it’s a free download from the App Store!

Assign tasks to specific days.  Throw “Paint the bedroom” on a to-do list, and it’ll never budge.  “Paint the bedroom 6/14” – now you’re making a commitment you’re more likely to follow through with.

Goals keep you moving forward.

Be your own dream boss: someone who defines challenging tasks, gives leeway on how and when those tasks are completed, and re-prioritizes as needed without freaking out or throwing blame around.

I still have the one-chapter-a-week editing goal, but now I find that something even more granular is needed so I don’t spend my non-writing hours worrying I’m not progressing fast enough.  A daily goal like “finish rewriting this scene” helps.  Of course, longer-term goals are great too.  I want to be done with editing my novel by July/August so I can spend August drafting a new story.

You still won’t have time until you make time!

Languages, drawing, crochet, piano… how is it I freed up 40 hours per week and still can’t fit these in?

In my case, I just haven’t yet made the same commitment to them as with writing.  I’m trying small goals with these, one hobby at a time.  Once I get German and Spanish back into my life on a daily basis, I’ll try the same with drawing.

Bad days still happen.

Leaving full-time work behind may alleviate a great deal of anxiety, but it’s never one’s sole source of problems.  Unfortunate situations occur everywhere.  Health issues still crop up and take out a perfectly good day.  I really, really must learn not to beat myself up over things outside my control.

Budgeting, saving, and cost-cutting are more important than ever.

Whoops!  Guess which household is no longer earning a solid guaranteed income?  From here on out, we may be earning anywhere from hundreds to thousands per month, which makes budgeting and taxes so much more fun!

Fortunately, my spouse and I had excellent saving and investing habits for years before we made plans to exit the rat race.  In the past year or so, we’ve been hammering away at expenses.  After all, the less we spend, the less we need to make.  We’re constantly looking for expenses we can cut out entirely, and ways to save on essentials.  For more info on the full “financial badassity” spectrum, I recommend the Mr. Money Mustache blog.

Also, good records of income and expenses will help when it comes time to file income taxes.  In the US, you must file them quarterly once your income exceeds a certain threshold.  As a writer, this is not something I have to worry about for a while- I joke that if I ever make enough to cover the monthly Internet bill, I’ll be thrilled- but I’ll have my receipts in order if/when the time comes.

Work hard, but don’t forget your new flexibility.

Make time to visit the museum in the middle of the day, when no one’s around.  Go for walks in the neighborhood, and let yourself walk half as fast as everyone else, who all had to be somewhere five minutes ago.  Pet your cat for twenty minutes, guilt-free.  Take frequent breaks during your designated work times.  My spouse and I chat about our works in progress, and trade helpful suggestions.

Leaving full-time work is a risk, but these are the moments that make it most worthwhile!

Have any advice?  Anything else you’re curious about?  Drop me a line and let me know!