[toolz]

step 1. retire early (which to me just means becoming financially independent)

step 2. get physically active, probably lots of backpacking and camping to serve two purposes:

  1. better my body/mental/emotional health and 

  2. slow down and get bored enough to rejuvenate creative inspiration

step 3. hopefully discover a way to help people that I'm passionate about and utilize all my free time and resources pursuing that passion

[kojeovo]

You're gonna work on 2 only after 1?

[toolz]

for some parts of it, yes. I keep my body and emotional health in check and even do well for the most part, but I don't worry about my mental health all that much - I optimize for output with only modest regard for my mental health right now.

[kojeovo]

Backpacking and camping is quite time consuming, but hopefully you have 30 mins per day to spend being active! Makes a huge difference from anecdotal experience. My mental performance suffers if I'm not taking care of my physical. Even a 30 min walk is helpful.

[davidkuennen]

Becoming physically active and pursuing a healthy lifestyle actually increased my output.

[toolz]

I've not had that be the case for me unfortunately. Interestingly the highest output times I've had were during periods of very low testosterone production. I still maintain an athletic weight and stay active with various social activities that get me exercise, but somehow when I workout religiously with a strict diet, I don't seem to do well at focusing on work.

[kojeovo]

Strict diets suck. I think there needs to be some joy in eating. I tend to just follow something like an 80/20 rule. I eat whatever I want, but relatively healthy most of the time.

[powerhour]

Given enough contiguous blocks of time I could see that. Unfortunately my only option is to save and retire ASAP.

[kojeovo]

What do you mean - you don't have 30 mins per day to go walk / jog? Does it not worry you that you may never able to actually retire and have bad physical health on top?

[powerhour]

30 minutes isn't much contiguous time and would probably be a net-negative in my goals, even when considering health benefits. It does worry me that I may retire in bad health but I'm saving as fast as I can to avoid that. I'm also speed-running to ensure I will have the time I need to help my parents as they get older. In any case, I am confident I will be able to retire (I nearly have the funds).

To be clear, I'm definitely burnt out. At this point I don't see any way out besides ER. There just aren't jobs out there that use my skills without demanding 30-70 hour weeks.