Ask HN: Quitting with no side income but a lot of savings?

[catch22222]

I’ve been working as a developer for the past 5 years or so and starting to get really burnt out. I particularly dislike my current job and have been contemplating leaving for a while. I started trying to work on a portfolio while learning new stuff so I could try freelancing instead of another full time job, but I really just don’t feel like programming outside of work anymore.

I want to just quit when my stocks vest in a few months and take a real break - traveling, learning a new (non-programming) language, seeing family and friends, getting back into my hobbies, and reflecting on what I really want to do in life. I’ll be turning 27 soon, have enough savings to last a few years, no debts, and no family/dependents. It seems like this might be the last time I can take a risk like this before I have any real responsibilities to worry about. After a nice long summer vacation my plan is to work on my skills/portfolio for a year or two and try to get enough freelancing work so that I don’t need to get another job. I figure I can always start interviewing again if my funds start running low, but I’m also not above driving for Uber or something if I need more money/time to get something going. Maybe I’ll decide I don’t even want to be a developer anymore and do something else entirely.

The few people I’ve told about this plan have been supportive and think its reasonable. I’m mostly really excited about it too, but sometimes I can’t help but think I’m about to make the dumbest decision ever. Not really sure what I’m looking to get out of posting this other than helping to clarify my thoughts writing about it. If anyone has gone through something similar I’d love to hear about what you did and how it worked out for you.

[lastofus]

If you are worried about not being able to find a dev job after, I took 2 separate year long breaks during my 20s, and I don't feel like it has really hurt my career or employability. When applying, if anyone asks why there's a gap, I just reply: "because I wanted to take time off, and was fortunate enough to be able to".

If anyone questions why you would want to take time off to live your life, perhaps it's not a place you want to work anyways :)

[rajeshmr]

I recently quit my job at 29, with a little savings which could let me stay afloat for a few months. So far, i haven't thought about taking up another "job".

I do not know the future, but what i was certain is that i didn't want to see myself in the future doing what i was doing "now". So change was inevitable for me.

If you feel, you need a break - you just need a break. Noone, but you can know when the time is right. Instead of wasting your precious time, just go with what you want to do. Take massive determined action. Let go, and find what you want from life.

In your position, you can take this decision easily. Set a timeline and commit to it, else you are bound to move around without any direction. Give yourself 6 months, and do some soul searching. When you set a timeframe, you create a constraint and your mind becomes active to find all means to move you into a position you want to be in.

If you do not have dependents, all the more better. Find real friends, talk to real people ( not online, meet in person ).

Make connections, feel alive, do something you have been dreaming of but put it off, exercise and feel better.

Good luck to you, and let us know how it turns out for you :-)

EDIT : i have done this twice, first was a short break ~ 3 months.

[catch22222]

Congrats on quitting! Its very reassuring to hear this kind of advice. People let fear of the unknown hold them back way to much, taking a calculated risk can be good for you. Maybe not necessarily for your career but for your development as a human. Glad to hear you've done it before too and the world didn't end :)

[rajeshmr]

Exactly! :) You ought to become valuable in the present economic climate! And you become valuable by becoming a better human.

Follow your heart :)

[alltakendamned]

Right, I could probably tell you about this for the whole evening, but here's the summary.

I've done it (twice), it's worth it, do it.

A few things you need to know though:

- Time goes fast, keep track of your money and start working again _before_ you run out. Best is actually to define a budget for this.

- After 4-6 months of resting and travelling, it will have become the new normal, you'll be well rested and ready for something new.

- Once you hit that point, make sure you have clearly defined goals as to what you want to achieve with the available time you have. Without those, time will pass and you'll probably have little to show for it (except a good time)

Enjoy !

[namechecksout]

I would suggest you really enjoy your break for a month, maybe two, and then start doing some freelancer job, only on the projects you enjoy. I believe it's important not to follow out of the routine completely and to keep oneself disciplined, especially when it comes to work. Obviously, do what makes you happy, but take into account that at some point you are going to want to/have to come back to work.

[catch22222]

Good advice, I think that's more or less my plan. Even during my break from programming I was planning on keeping a routine and getting better at my hobbies.

[mod]

When I think about these types of decisions, I make a list of the possible outcomes.

Then I look at the very worst possible outcome and judge how bad it is.

It's never "dead." It's rarely "unemployable." It's often "basically the same, with less cash in the bank."

Making this list makes the decision easy.

[catch22222]

Thanks for this, some of the best advice I've heard so far. Makes it really hard to rationalize not quitting. Maybe I will have to get another job, maybe it will be lower paying and I'll have less savings in the bank, but at least I will have tried to live life on my own terms.

[madamelic]

How do you have that username? Are you an actual HN mod or was it just dumb luck?

Sorry for the off-topic (but I did really love your answer. :))

[bsvalley]

From experience, here's a few things you need to know:

- the job market is horrible in 2017, too many people are applying and the competition is crazy. Especially if you've been unemployed for a little while it'll be a red flag.

- make sure to include annual expenses in your budget when you look at your savings as your only source of income. Taxes, registrations, potential health issues, unexpected bills, etc.

- taking a break is amazing, being unemployed after your break is very stressful and can sometimes be humiliating. No one will take you seriously, unless you've spent your time trying to build a company or things like that.

- make sure your professional network is very strong because you'll need referrals to get back on a W2. It's that bad right now...

[catch22222]

Maybe I'm not paying enough attention but seems programmers are very much in demand. I also live in a big tech hub and have very employable skills on my resume, so not too worried that I won't be able to find another job in a reasonable amount of time should I choose to. I suppose everything could collapse during my break and there truly won't be jobs when I'm looking again, but thats a risk I'm willing to take.

[thoughtpalette]

I've experienced quite the opposite. Quit my last job due to internal conflicts w/o a backup and rode saving's for a month. Was confident the entire time.

This is obviously super personal in regards to tech/location.

It's not all doom and gloom.

[zazpowered]

I've done this before to work on my own projects. It turned out fine for me but obviously you won't be making money during this time so you may be set back on things like buying a house.

[catch22222]

Glad to hear it worked out for you. Not interested in buying a house any time soon, but I probably will be someday in which case I wouldn't be able to take a break like this and why I want to do it now.

[downrightmike]

Try taking one of those breaks, where you don't quit, but can take 3-6 months off. I can't find the word right now.

[catch22222]

You mean take unpaid leave and then return? I definitely don't want to keep this job, and pretty sure I wouldn't get it if I asked anyway.

[arithma]

Sabbatical?