I’m soooooooo ready to retire. This is not in conflict with the thread about if you have enough $ to retire. This is more about the mental need to retire.
Tomorrow is Monday. I now live for Friday. It has gotten to that point. My job is not horrible . But I am just not interested anymore. It has become tedious.
It’s probably not going to happen for a few years. So I continue to live for Friday.
Good luck to you as you hang in there. I passed it being tedious into completely being done. No regrets. I thank God every day that I am retired. I loved my profession but I have no desire any longer to practice it in any form. I am letting my professional license go inactive this next year.
There is an interesting point about this time of life. I have many friends that have retired, perhaps most of them. I am 62, in a profession that does not tend to early retire. So I have 4 more years until it is even feasible. With each year, I feel more and more the outlier, still working away, as they plan their volunteer work, travel and hobbies. No resentment, I more feel a widening gulf, and the fact that I’d love to join them. However, I never felt that I deserved or needed early retirement. The lifestyle disconnect is what surprises me.
As I know a number of people from both France and Thailand, I am increasingly aware that at my age I would not be working in either of those countries, especially at a physically demanding job.
Retired this year. Best book I found was Retirement Rx.
I wish you luck and time does go by. It got easier toward the end for me.
I’m an “in - betweener”. I was laid off in 2015 after 28 years with my career company, along with 15% of my coworkers. I was taken aback and didn’t work for 5 months, aimless and a bit lost, tired and deflated. My only solice was 8 months severance pay. During the months following my layoff, I became extremely bored and lonely as most of my friends still work to some degree, I’m 57 and most of my friends are a couple years younger, none in their 60’s.
I didn’t feel like immersing myself into volunteering or starting a complete “new life” because I felt I needed to still contribute financially, even if it is a fraction of DH’s. He works do hard and long hours, that I just didn’t feel I deserved to retire yet while he has 9 years left. I like the independence working gave me in many ways. So, I applied for contract PT work. My recruiter found me a temp job, 3 days a week, working for a company that was right up my alley in expertise. I couldn’t believe it. Close to home, decent pay. I was there 8 months this year, completed the work, and am on a 3 month hiatus. They want me back for a few months at the beginning of 2017.
I find that there are things I absolutely love about not working. No Sunday blues like you mentioned. It’s a thrill every night to know you don’t have to go to work in the morning! However, it’s been a month on my hiatus now, and I’m starting to get bored again. I really think I’m happier working PT. I enjoy my free time more and don’t feel guilty about it. I can tell DH is happier too, having the little padded money come in.
I think I would feel more content to completely retire in my early 60’s for some reason. I think I’ll read that Retirement RX book. What I discovered during those 5 months is how little else I do or cultivated outside of working, and one needs to have a plan for that.
So, can you work PT?
1 year out from retirement. SO SO ready. I have a good job but after 34 years, its time. Actively doing the homework for the transition.
I was laid off in March 2015 after almost 30 years with the same company. It was not a shock as the company had announced at the end of 2014 that all accounting and finance functions were moving to a lower cost area of the country. I was extremely fortunate to find a senior accounting position with a small company and had no time off between jobs since they wanted me right away. The work at me new company is not hard and the people are really fun. I love that we only work a half day every Friday too. I was able to bring on another friend of mine that had also been laid off from the same company as me and she is working part time for us. I know that I can do this job in fewer hours and hope to approach my boss in the next couple years about working part time. I am 56 and my H is three years older and he would like to retire, but consult once he turns 65 and have me retire at 62. Our investments seem to be doing well enough that this should work out for us.
Interesting retirement comments. I retired last February and my wife in June. Since we’re still new to this, it is taking some time to get used to the new found freedom. We’re trying to do a lot of work on our house so that we can downsize and we took a two month cross country trip this fall. While I hated my job, I do miss not seeing so many faces particularly young ones. When we go out during the day, all we see are old people. Even traveling, it’s the same issue. I also find it is too easy to keep postponing things. Several people I know who haven’t retired told me they’re still working because it keeps them organized.
I have joined the retirement club as of Nov 1st. Like many Californians we sold our overpriced beach house and moved north to Oregon. But we visited Oregon many times over the last 7 years as son was a college student there. The cost of living is less here, mainly due to housing costs. It’s still too early for boredom to set in and my husband is still working (telecommuting to his Silicn Valley job). Because of the move and son getting married I have been really busy but am trying to structure my days so that I have a routine every day. Son # 2 stayed in OR after graduation & married a local girl. We are anticipating grandkids @ some point. Son #1 will most likely follow us within a few years. Family is our 1st priority and yet we all know kids can move around as they advance in their career so our choice to move was not just to follow our kids but to find the best location for us too.
But, I can already see that leaving a long time career that I loved is irreplaceable. The satisfaction that I got from interacting with longtime patients is not something that can be replicated in retirement. And yet, I know in my heart it was time to retire from a very physically demanding job. I will be looking into volunteering in my profession in the near future.
For me the biggest uncertainty about retirement is finances for the long term. What has really helped is reading the website www. bogleheads.org every day for several years. I learned about that website here and it has lead me to so much great info about finances, investing, and retirement. From that site I learned about Jane Bryant Quinn’s book " How to Make Your Money Last". Have learned much and feel so much more confident about our finances for the future.
I think it does help the adjustment if you have friends that retired before you. It’s been interesting to me to see how everyone handles retirement differently. I just keep reminding myself that change is inevitable in life. And change is hard at first but you just have to give it time.
I’m a volunteer coordinator in a fairly affluent community and I have more and more volunteers who have taken early retirement. Recently I find myself becoming envious of them, but what really kicked it over the edge is when my long-distance best friend told me that she had finally convinced her DH to let her retire in five years. I’m probably looking at 11 more years, at least, and it’s feeling like forever…
H retired in 2012 after 44 years and then did an encore contract for 6 months making his time with employer 45 years. I’ve been working part time since 2012 and putting in fewer hours since H has retired full time. We spend a lot of time together and enjoy it. We are available and help my aging folks (87 & 92). I also do some public health advocacy. We have TONS of deferred maintenance that we are doing in our home as well. We also travel and don’t feel we need to rush home because things are piling up. All in all, it’s working nicely for us.
I don’t plan on retiring any time soon, maybe because I’m self-employed. As long as we’re making money, I’d rather continue working, just maybe at a more relaxed pace. I could see doing a 4 days in the office schedule with 1 day working from home.
I’m 64 and want to hang on a few more years. I really like my job- and the income. H retired 10 years ago and does everything with the house, cars, food shopping, cooking, etc., so I can’t complain. There are days I wish I didn’t have to go to work- but I do. I enjoy the socialization and some of my business trips. I figure I’ll hang on as long as I keep liking it. I’m fortunate to work for a terrific company in a fun industry.
There is nothing like going back to school to make one appreciate being in the office. 
On the days I don’t have a class I feel so empowered and enthusiastic.
I retired in June 2011, and I have never regretted it. I now have the time to do things I really want to do. I have often wondered how I got anything done when I was working full time.
I can’t think of one thing I don’t like about being retired! And I really loved my work.
I’m 59 and not interested in retirement right now. H and I have good jobs and it just makes sense to keep working and saving money fir awhile. We plan to relocate when we do retire, but not ready to do that yet. As an empty nester I have time to work , run, walk, practice yoga, read, socialize with friends.
We don’t plan to relocate form our high cost area of Southern California, but will have our house paid off prior to retirement.
55 and if everything goes as planned, I’ll be out in 2 years. I’ve been working formally since age 16 and prior to that Saturdays working in the family business. I’m tired and so ready for the next phase.
I’m 68 and am semi-retired. I work from home on an hourly basis doing something I absolutely love. I am thoroughly enjoying this time of my life. I’m active with my dogs, the gym, and lots of friends, and I love to entertain and renovate/improve my downsized house. I’m having a ball. If this life goes on for another 30 years, I’ll be happy.
Veryhappy, are a lot of your friends retired or semi retired, too? I think that would make a difference for me.