FIRE'd

The retrenchment timeline

Forget the long to-do list. In week one, the only thing that matters is prioritization. Some doors close within hours, others stay open for weeks, so work straight down the line.
Note that our situation and timeline might look different.

0 of 0 done ·
  1. 1Hour 0 · before IT cuts your access

    Get your data out

    Access usually dies the moment it's official — sometimes mid-meeting. Assume you have minutes, not days.

  2. 2Day 1–7 · before you hand it all back

    Use it, then return it clean

    Benefits stop on your last day. The laptop, pass and phone go back — make sure nothing of yours goes with them.

  3. 3First week · map the money

    Turn the panic into a dated line

    A vague "I have some savings" is what makes the gap feel bottomless. Put real dates on it and it gets manageable.

  4. 4Before you sign · and the weeks after

    Reflection & negotiation

    The package is the one number you can still move. Don't trade it away in the room, and give yourself room to breathe before the search.

  5. 5Week 2 onward · the long game

    Interview prep & reconnecting

    Most jobs come through people, not portals. This is where time spent compounds — start before the runway gets short.

Print it, don't memorise it. Tick a box a day. The line is doing the remembering so your head doesn't have to.