Are you time rich?

[goodandbadjapan]

Saw this article in The Guardian ( https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... of-leisure ) and wondered what value we all place on time. I am sure for many seeking early retirement time is very important, but how are we doing so far?

Theoretically I am quite time rich - I only work 4 days a week and I don't start teaching til 2 at the earliest. I usually have a couple of spare hours in the morning when I am not preparing or doing paperwork. But mentally I am awful at doing things I enjoy when I have to work later that day! I just can't shut off and go out and do stuff if I have to come back and work. It's a huge failing of mine. The other way in which I am time poor is that I can't take much more than two weeks off from work as students expect regular classes without a large break. That, in fact, is my single biggest reason for wanting to get to an early(ish) retirement. Time is important to me, though, and even though a five-day work week would likely see me hit retirement a bit earlier I have no desire to go back to the 5-day work-week.

How are others doing in their time-wealth?

[TJKansai]

Time rich, yes.

But getting enough time to make international travel worthwhile (more than 10 days) requires onegai requests or exemptions from bi-weekly meetings.

Looking forward to age 60 when my time will be my own.

[EmaxisSlim Cultist]

I do not think anyone with a young child is time rich. However, time with him is rewarding.

I think one of the secrets to happiness in Japan is to enjoy commuting time. Reading, studying, etc. Make it your time as much as you can.

[RetireJapan]

Saw this article in The Guardian ( https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... of-leisure ) and wondered what value we all place on time. I am sure for many seeking early retirement time is very important, but how are we doing so far?

Theoretically I am quite time rich - I only work 4 days a week and I don't start teaching til 2 at the earliest. I usually have a couple of spare hours in the morning when I am not preparing or doing paperwork. But mentally I am awful at doing things I enjoy when I have to work later that day! I just can't shut off and go out and do stuff if I have to come back and work. It's a huge failing of mine. The other way in which I am time poor is that I can't take much more than two weeks off from work as students expect regular classes without a large break. That, in fact, is my single biggest reason for wanting to get to an early(ish) retirement. Time is important to me, though, and even though a five-day work week would likely see me hit retirement a bit earlier I have no desire to go back to the 5-day work-week.

How are others doing in their time-wealth?

Thought the article was dreadful -a real mess of conflicting little stories. But it raises some important questions.

I am in a similar position: I should be time-rich, as I am currently teaching my university classes online and helping my wife with her school (only three hours a week of classes, with some oversight).

But much like GABJ, I can't switch off. I assume we will need to get rid of the school (sell or shut down) in order to truly have free time, but for the next three years we are going to try to make it run more by itself. If that works then maybe we can keep it and enjoy more time flexibility, and if it doesn't work we get three more years of saving/investing (and three fewer years of life, heh) plus maybe we can sell it.

My ideal lifestyle would be working on RetireJapan, and doing one-off writing or similar projects where I can work hard for a limited amount of time. I hate having regular commitments and having to be in a certain place at a certain time every week, but seem to be stuck with them for now

[goodandbadjapan]

I do not think anyone with a young child is time rich. However, time with him is rewarding.

I think one of the secrets to happiness in Japan is to enjoy commuting time. Reading, studying, etc. Make it your time as much as you can.

Couldn't agree more about the commute. (Un)fortunately mine is just a walk downstairs! But I do try to go for a walk first thing in the morning as a morning walk really clears the head and lets you think. I love that time before thoughts of work enter my mind.

[captainspoke]

Time rich?

Well, I am retired...

[Tokyo]

I recently watched an NHK special on working mothers. After a full day at the office, the mother was heading home (via picking up her child from hoikuen) but the film crew were taken aback when she arrived at the station and did not get on the relatively uncrowded train waiting. They asked her why and she explained that this is her custom. The 5 minute wait for the next train was the only time she got to herself on weekdays.

A sad example of parenthood. But it was no better for us as a working couple. We had 2 kids but the good fortune to have flexible academic jobs with only 3 days of actual teaching, a good hoikuen, and those gloriously long non-teaching holidays. It was still super hard being busy with both work and family and we were constantly stressed and prone to getting sick. All the time. I do not miss those days at all.

[captainspoke]

Five minutes' peace.

[Beaglehound]

I am time rich, only teaching around 15 hours a week, largely from home, and a bit of writing work on occasion. Leaves plenty of time for walking and cycling, though I would like to be more productive in terms of using my time to improve my Japanese. Like the OP, most of my work is later in the day, and I find it hard to focus on other cognitive tasks prior to that.

[RetireJapan]

I recently watched an NHK special on working mothers. After a full day at the office, the mother was heading home (via picking up her child from hoikuen) but the film crew were taken aback when she arrived at the station and did not get on the relatively uncrowded train waiting. They asked her why and she explained that this is her custom. The 5 minute wait for the next train was the only time she got to herself on weekdays.

A sad example of parenthood. But it was no better for us as a working couple. We had 2 kids but the good fortune to have flexible academic jobs with only 3 days of actual teaching, a good hoikuen, and those gloriously long non-teaching holidays. It was still super hard being busy with both work and family and we were constantly stressed and prone to getting sick. All the time. I do not miss those days at all.

I had three stepkids and three jobs, and it was fun but tough. After the youngest moved out a few years ago, we had loads of money and loads of time suddenly

Now with grandkids we get the best of both worlds -hanging out with the kids when we want but not being ultimately responsible for them