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Actually I think that retirement for workaholics can be stressful. I'm a former healthcare executive and I saw several people that died once they retired. A few of them laying on a beach in some great city. For some really type A personalities that do tons of deals and always have things going on...it can be more stress for them doing nothing sitting on a beach than working tons of hours chasing their next deal.
I'm actually pondering early retirement after working many 16+ hour days for the past many years. In my work life I owned a few companies and did many million $ deals and constantly busy.... At first I thought I'd miss that but I can tell you as I scale back and work less and take on less clients I REALLY enjoy working less and easing more into retirement. I sold one of my companies a few months ago and feel so much better not having to go into the office each day.
I don't dare tell my friends that I'm thinking about early retirement. I just tell them I'm taking a sabbatical for the next year and traveling around the world. I often wonder if I'll get bored but I doubt it. I don't think I could fully retire and not do anything but life sure is much better not working 16 hours a day and constant stress over big deals. I get to spend much more time with my family and actually watch more TV and finally finish all the books that I never had time to while working.
But I do think for many people it's more stress of "being retired". I know several that died as it was just too much stress being retired...... I think that no matter what everyone has to have a purpose in life. For many people that purpose is working. Once you retire, you have to just make retirement and doing new and fun things your passion. Personally I think exploring new cities and traveling around the world will keep you excited and passionate about life.
the worst thing for me was my wife and I both retiring and looking forward to enjoying it, then losing half of our income in the stock market crash and both of us having to go back to work.
That sucks, but the stock market is recovering. At least you get to retire from a hellish job before age 70, as it looks like we will be doing.
As a recent retiree, I haven't placed many values on the experience so far. There are MANY things that I LIKE about retirement so far. I find it kinda hard right now to identify much of anything that I would call "the worst".
One issue does seem to be that many of my friends and associates are still working, so I can't very well meet up with them during the week, and still must make some arrangements for Saturday & Sunday.
That's the only slight negative I can think of right now ... wouldn't call it a "worst", but it does seem to be the only thing I can think of.
Sorry BigBlue53 ... hopefully you'll join us soon.
the worst thing for me was my wife and I both retiring and looking forward to enjoying it, then losing half of our income in the stock market crash and both of us having to go back to work.
I don't think a lot of people realize that the taxpayers who do not have pensions take a hit to their self created "pension" on day one of a recession and can not recover if they had invested in banks etc. These are the same taxpayers (you) that then get stuck with paying into the goverment plans to keep all the other taxpayers pensions from suffering a loss since they were never told that the pensions might not be able to be paid with the funds collected.
Nono-sense most of my 410K has pretty much recovered.The only hit we took was from the bailout of the UAW in the tarp ;loans.The big banks have paid back the loans with interest and now they even expect AIG money to be recovered. The hosuig rescue will in fact lose the most money according to testioney by treasury thurday to congress.This administration tresury testified that Bush's TARP plan has worked out much better than anyone expected.
2+ years after early retirement, the top ten worst 'best things' about retirement include:
1). Not quite as motivated to get things done that still need to be done
2). Golf game doesn't seem to be improving as much or quickly as I would like.
3). Body doesn't 'spring-back' as well or quickly as it once did
4). Lose track of what day or time it is (no longer wear a watch)
5). Days pass without much sense of 'accomplishment.'
6). Travel arrangements get delayed by other non-events
7). 'Puttering' has become a time-consuming event.
8). When we visit the kids/grandkids, they still have to spend the days working.
9). I'm actually doing less ministry now, than when I was working full time.
10). I can't think of anything else that is even remotely bad/worse about being retired.
Actually I think that retirement for workaholics can be stressful. I'm a former healthcare executive and I saw several people that died once they retired. A few of them laying on a beach in some great city. For some really type A personalities that do tons of deals and always have things going on...it can be more stress for them doing nothing sitting on a beach than working tons of hours chasing their next deal.
But I do think for many people it's more stress of "being retired". I know several that died as it was just too much stress being retired...... I think that no matter what everyone has to have a purpose in life. For many people that purpose is working. Once you retire, you have to just make retirement and doing new and fun things your passion. Personally I think exploring new cities and traveling around the world will keep you excited and passionate about life.
I do worry about this...I work a lot...have to...always had someone who needed me/my income - first, it was my parents - I mean, who has to start supporting their parents in their teens? - anyway, that has put me far, far behind (but I loved them and they were great in other ways) - at least, life goes on; then we were sandwiched (parents/kids) and now, we're just kind of getting out "on our own" and we need a few years to "catch up" to where we should be - the word "retirement" scares me when I'm really honest with myself - I just don't want to be sitting in front of a TV all day - but we'll see -I find myself a little listless on weekends and am trying to change that - talking to others on here and hearing their positive opinions have helped me - I did not have good retirement role models (my FIL is the only one left now and he is lonely and that's the last thing I want to be). Even though my "deals" are small, it's exciting when ones closes and you realize you've been part of something positive!
The only bad part for me is worrying about the future financially. Right now I live with the BF and we split the rent but he pays all utilities. No way I could afford to pay any more should something happen to him even if I got a roommate who paid half. His money, and he has tons of it, will all go to his kids who've never worked even if we were to marry he doesn't believe in taking care of a spouse after he's gone. It leaves one in a precariously unsettled position.
Last edited by Sgoldie; 03-06-2011 at 08:34 PM..
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I agree with you....
