Would you work 60+ hour weeks for two years if it meant immediate retire?
Last weekend in Idaho, I got curious about how bad folks want early retirement. Would you sacrifice your lifestyle (and possibly your health) for a period of time to guarantee early retirement?
The question, which I asked on Twitter as well as the Rockstar Forums, was simple:
Would you work 60+ hour weeks for two years if it meant immediate retirement?
On Twitter, some folks basically (and literally) said hell yes. In the greater scheme of life, two years isn't that long.
Oh hell yes
— Ty Roberts (@GetRichQuickish) August 5, 2017
Be crazy not to.
— Dividend Investor! (@DividInvestor) August 5, 2017
Yes. Two years not that long when we will live to 100. Bankers do those hours for decades.
— Steve (@Steveonomics) August 5, 2017
If it sounds to good to be true, it is. But, yes. I've worked a lot more than two, and for too many years, 60+ hours.
— Physician on FIRE (@PhysicianOnFIRE) August 5, 2017
Hell yes. +50% effort for 2 years seems worth it for -100% effort for the rest of your life.
— Married with Money (@marriedwmoney) August 5, 2017
Did it. It worked.
— Gentleman of Leisure (@FI_Living) August 5, 2017
Others weren't so on-board:
Would strongly consider it. I used to work that just to stay afloat. If I could physically and still parent well. https://t.co/LvbRVnEYtw
— Revanche (@RevAGSL) August 5, 2017
No. Because my boys will be 2 years older and I'll miss that time. If I was single or no kids in the picture probably would do it.
— Ted Lekas (@TedLeka1) August 5, 2017
I would if I knew my health would remain good. No point making yourself too ill to enjoy the retirement.
— Savour the pounds (@savourthepounds) August 5, 2017
If no kids, easy yes. With kids easy no.
— Money Savvy Daddy (@moneysavvydaddy) August 5, 2017
And others still said they already do this, minus the retirement part!
If you count up all the hours including out of office hours (ie emails), work weeks flirt close to the 60 hour marker
— Church (@mymattressmoney) August 5, 2017
Yes! Doing it now ?
— Matt McPoland (@MMcPoland) August 5, 2017
I work 60+ hrs/wk in retirement doing what I love most. The goal is a full life; none wasted when I reach the finish line.
— Keith Schroeder (@KeithASchroeder) August 5, 2017
Sign me up. Owned a bar/restaurant for three years. Worked absolute minimum 60 hrs a week then.
— SaveSplurgeDenyDebt (@SaveSplurgeDD) August 5, 2017
Over on the Rockstar forums, folks were pretty open to the idea. Overall, I was surprised at how many people already work these hours!
Amy from LifeZemplified.com
My immediate answer - If it meant a financially secure retirement you betcha!
Then I started wondering when the two years started? - Straight out of school or wherever you are at currently in life?
Straight out of school or early in career? Yes
Right now? Probably not
Brad from MaximizeYourMoney.com
Absolutely. I worked at least that many hours running my own business for 18 years.
Brian from DebtDiscipline.com
Yup. Short term sacrifice for the long term goal. Count me in.
Doc Dads, Dollars, Debts is already there
Being a doc I work 60 plus hours many weeks....many many weeks....
Then, I switched things up a bit and revised the question. A lot of folks work 60 / hour weeks, but they also get vacations and holidays. What if those perks were off the table?
Revised question: Work 60+ / week EVERY week. No vacation. No Christmas holiday. You literally work 52 weeks a year.
The Financial Journeyman said he's still game:
I would still say yes even if it included no holidays off or vacations.
Amy from LifeZemplified.com was still onboard:
No change for me. When I had my restaurant business (about 10 years ago) for just over two years, I worked 90-100 hours per week every week.
Financial Muse already puts in these hours:
I already do. Part of working in the finance industry.
Would you work 60+ hour weeks for two years if it meant immediate retirement? How about 80+ weeks? Or, if you already work an insane number of hours, what would be your maximum threshold? Would you work 12 hours a day, 365 days a year for two years to retire?