At what net worth did you start to cut down on your clinical schedule?

[NumberWhizMD]

Cut back to 4.5 days once I paid off my student loans. No regrets, and I look forward to the next cut-back, which will likely happen when house is paid off. Then again, I have a working spouse who just got a raise, so I could change my mind sooner depending on how I feel.

Time is too important to me, and we can still achieve our current financial goals. I'd rather have a little less later in life (still have high retirement/savings/goals) if it means I get to enjoy the present a little more.

[Hatton]

When my investment returns surpassed my clinical income. Knowing that I make more money watching a ticker symbol than listening to a ticker.

Classic

[The White Coat Investor]

I wasn't FI yet when I went from full time to 3/4 time, but I'm a bit a unique case since I had other income and cutting back on clinical time probably increased it.

[BruinBones]

I only started cutting back on work when I realized I had enough FI to RE and just needed to ride out the last 18 months of my contract.

[wfpbFI]

I never cut back. I reach approximately 30x about 4 or 5 years ago when I first started discovering FI and FIRE. I kept working without cutting back. I sold my practice this morning (9/1). I won't have a good handle on the taxes owed for another few weeks yet, but should be at least 80x in the portfolio. Part of that is from adding to the portfolio, and part is from a better grasp of unnecessary spending.

Sometimes, for a few fleeting moments, I've wondered if cutting back would have helped me enjoy "work" more, but at this point (about 7 hours in so far 😀) I feel relieved and happy. Ask me in a year, I may feel different...

[Tim]

When my investment returns surpassed my clinical income. Knowing that I make more money watching a ticker symbol than listening to a ticker.

This a great strategy (as long as the market continues to go up). Sometimes it works long term and sometimes it does not.

[FIREshrink]

Hmm, I went into psychiatry with a negative net worth, does that count?

[childay]

Hmm, I went into psychiatry with a negative net worth, does that count?

LOL same. Plus now I'm working at the VA

[bobedwards]

At lean FI I went down to 0.6 FTE and though it slowed down our saving rate, I should be able to hit a more comfortable goal within the next 3 years. It was a good trade-off because work is much more enjoyable and I feel I could keep working much longer.

[beagler]

Aside from NW, need buy-in from spouse and plan for productive use of time. Both well-covered on other threads.

[ticker]

My friends would say I cut back the day I finished fellowship, net worth ~$0. My (first and current) job requires about 70% of the hours that most of my residency classmates with the same job title work. I was already pretty burned out and miserable from training and just dreaded working anything like that schedule any more.

Still, I feel we want for nothing and I'm happy with our savings rate. And, I've yet to have a day off when I wished I were at work.

I'm planning to reevaluate and consider cutting back even more after year #10.

[CM]

I cut back when I realized I was going to burn out again. The decision revolved around quality of life rather than dollars.

[G]

Interesting thread. I never had a plan. It just happened organically. As my accounts got bigger, I was also getting weaker (more lazy?) and smarter (more intolerant? ).

[FIREshrink]

LOL same. Plus now I'm working at the VA

Doubling down!

I didn't work Mondays starting my fourth year of residency and have maintained one day off my entire career. I do work some weekends and light night call and my days are packed so that's only a fair trade, but four days a week for an entire career definitely adds longevity.

[8arclay]

Thinking about it, Ive been working about 50-55 hrs/week since fellowship. Even now it seems easy most of the time, compared to the grueling hours of training. Ive only had a twinkle of burnout at times thus the consideration to cut back a touch. Id rather be early than late with that