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The opportunities in my field declined and were taken over by RNs. Now the RN jobs are taken over by LPNs. I have even seen positions posted for high school graduates to do case management, counseling, education, program administration, and the other essential roles in healthcare all to save money.
I knew it was time to get out when administration chastised me for "talking too much" to clients as a counselor and educator.
I don't recall much of a 'decline' prior to retiring, but, perhaps that's because I re-invented myself by identifying problems and taking on the responsibility for solving them.
In some cases, I saw older workers sort of shrivel-up and withdraw from the mainstream, which quickly left them out of the business loop.
Most companies are logically more interested in developing and maintaining the knowledge and skill sets of younger employees who are likely to be there in the future, over older employees on their way to 'the pasture.'
I had a lot of work to do right up until my last day, actually still did a couple of conference calls and made some suggestions up to a month after retirement. However after I left my "slot" in government was eliminated as being unnecessary.
No surprises there, I've seen it happen a lot during my 34 year DoD career. In fact I was actually originally hired due to someone else's slot being eliminated and a new lower graded slot being set up in it's place.
Not at all. I handed everything over to my successor in the weeks before I left, and then I spent my last week filing the 4000 emails I had in my Inbox into the proper folders for retention. Finally had to time to do that.
I notice many people here say they are retired, but work maybe one day a week for extra money. So, they are in fact working part-time, and not retired? Am I missing something? If you are still employed, even one day a week, how can you be retired?
I notice many people here say they are retired, but work maybe one day a week for extra money. So, they are in fact working part-time, and not retired? Am I missing something? If you are still employed, even one day a week, how can you be retired?
I am retired from a profession I had for 30 years.
I am drawing SS retirement.
I am totally doing with my time what I want to do, not have to do.
I'm 60. The company has cut benefits and pension. No raises in years for anybody. So some fantasy that learning new skills will solve things is not in the ballpark. My job is easy but boring now. I guess I was wondering how people handled a dead end job at the end of a career. I am hanging on for now, but a layoff or bailing out at 62 is looking most likely. I think the place I work is so mismanaged they have forgotten older workers and just wait for them to retire. Which is not a bad thing sometimes.
Well, maybe the thing that needs a change is your attitude about staying in the job. Instead of making yourself miserable by viewing it as "a dead end", boring, unsatisfying, or bemoaning the past, switch to the short term view. The paycheck continues to pay the bills, continues to provide some benefits (access to group health insurance, puts some money into your pension instead of taking it out, or whatever), and is still better than quitting and having to find another position somewhere. It is still better than nothing or a kick in the head by an angry mule. Take what you can get out of it and drop the rest.
Well, maybe the thing that needs a change is your attitude about staying in the job. Instead of making yourself miserable by viewing it as "a dead end", boring, unsatisfying, or bemoaning the past, switch to the short term view. The paycheck continues to pay the bills, continues to provide some benefits (access to group health insurance, puts some money into your pension instead of taking it out, or whatever), and is still better than quitting and having to find another position somewhere. It is still better than nothing or a kick in the head by an angry mule. Take what you can get out of it and drop the rest.
This is the pep talk I give myself every morning. I'm giving it to myself right now, as a matter of fact.
Every day I am at work is one day closer to the day I'm not. I am making more than I spend and contributing to a slightly higher SS monthly payment down the road while enjoying the benefits of employer-sponsored health insurance and a modest profit-sharing plan.
Better than a kick in the head by an angry mule. LOL, I like that one.
I say better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
When things get really bad at work, and that sharp stick starts looking like the lesser of two evils, I just ask myself," What would Mrs. Wiggins do?" That helps to keep everything in perspective for another day.
I also have a countdown app on my phone. Collecting ex-husband's pension May 2020, putting the house on the market March 2021, relocating to WY Summer 2021, stuff like that. Taking the long view and keeping my eye on the prize is working for me.
I notice many people here say they are retired, but work maybe one day a week for extra money. So, they are in fact working part-time, and not retired? Am I missing something? If you are still employed, even one day a week, how can you be retired?
I guess I consider myself retired because I DID retire from my career and collect my pension now. I am working part-part-time because the opportunity presented itself, the money is good, and the work is easy, and I can work when I am available, so why not? I don't need the money to survive, but because my life didn't cruise along neatly in the earlier years, I am behind with savings and did not have money to fix things up in my home. I'm using the extra for that now.
But, I could quit (as a matter of fact, I tried to because I travel regularly and my employer said, "No, work when you are available") and my pension would be more than sufficient to meet my needs, so I consider myself retired. Or Mostly Retired.
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