For the first time in years, I experienced what true relaxation feels like.
During my notice period, I had a choice: encash my remaining annual leave at $250 per day or take the time off. Logically, the money seemed like the smarter option—after all, $250 a day adds up. But something in me hesitated. Due to the policy of my company that allows the accumulating of leave, I had 14 days left at the point of resignation. I decided to encash just 4 days and take the other 10 as actual leave.
And it was the best decision I could have made.
For those 10 days, I wasn’t just "on leave"—I was free. No work calls, no urgent decisions, no lingering stress. Unlike past vacations where I’d still check emails "just in case," this time, there was no obligation. The company no longer needed me, and I no longer needed to care. It was a strange, liberating feeling.
I filled my days exactly how I wanted:
- Waking up without an alarm, sending my sons to childcare at a leisurely pace.
- Hitting the gym in the quiet mid-morning, followed by an unhurried lunch.
- Afternoon naps, gaming sessions, and exploring my neighborhood like a tourist.
- Playing with my kids at the playground without mentally drafting replies to work messages.
- Long, uninterrupted dinners with my wife, talking about anything but work.
It felt like a mini-retirement—a preview of the life I’m working toward with FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early).
But it also made me question: Why wait until 62?
Traditional retirement assumes we’ll have the energy and health to enjoy freedom in our 60s. But what if we don’t? What if the best years for adventure, for playing with our kids, for lazy afternoons and spontaneous dates, are now?
This experience cemented my resolve to reach FIRE sooner. Because $250 a day couldn’t buy what those 10 days gave me: the irreplaceable luxury of time.
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