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I'm eligible to retire in a few months but working two additional years to age 62 will increase my pension about $10K. While I could manage with my current pension and savings, working for two more years will make for a more comfortable retirement. There was a period a couple of years ago where I thought constantly about retirement and could not focus on work. But last year, I managed to stay busy working on a series of projects which made the time fly. It will be interesting to see if being eligible to retire makes it easier or harder to keep working.
My organization just merged with a larger group and there are now more levels of management and more BS management initiatives (revise internal procedures, ISO certification, conduct self assessments, etc.). And my group seems to be the red headed step child which is making for discontent. But perhaps knowing that I can leave at any time if it all gets to be too much will help - I can sort of distance myself from all the turmoil. Would love to work part time the last two years - it would reduce my pension a little but not much. Like Paka, I'm also considering using my annual leave to take an extra day off every other week if that is what it takes to hang on.
I know this one comes up every now and then, but I am ready to retire in about 2 1/2 years. I've gotten all my finances set up, I know what I need for medical insurance, we pretty much know where we'll be living, we have plans for when we are free of the daily grind. But I need to get through the final years of my career and I feel like I've already disconnected from it and every day I just go in and go through the motions until I walk out for the last time. I have no ambitions for avancement, I am at the point where I don't get much more than COLA for raises, my employer just expects everything to get done and figures I've been around long enough to figure it out with limited supervision. I'm lucky that I have a pretty autonomous job and I am not micromanaged, but without feedback, positive or negative, I feel like I'm just keeping the seat warm.
Did any of you go the same thing? How did you get through your home stretch?
Are you in a situation to provide mentoring on the job? Toward the end of my career I was given six month interns and also education assignments for newer staff. It was amazing what this did for my motivation and also validation that I had done well and had something to share. It's such a win-win situation.
The feedback thing - is there any reason why you can't share this with your supervisor and ask for it? It's difficult for many of us to trudge on day after day in a vacuum and I think a good supervisor should be aware that some of us will have a need to be left alone and others would like comment on our work.
And a final comment on transition. Even if it's to something we anticipate with enjoyment transition can cause stress. As we age it's also more difficult to achieve smoothly. That's normal but frustrating. If you enjoy reading perhaps you can find something interesting about the subject to give you a refreshed look at the life-stage you're experiencing.
I think it's much more possible to "keep your head in the game" -- if you take breaks or start taking care of yourself -- BEFORE you get totally burned out. For example if, over the years, you haven't been taking all of your vacation time...start taking all the time you're due. Stop volunteering for longer hours or so much overtime, or to serve on so many projects. PERHAPS, if you can take a sabbatical, that MIGHT help.
Also it helps to know -- and it depends on -- WHY your head is getting out of the game. Is it JUST because you're anticipating retirement. But could there be other subconscious reasons you're even thinking about retirement....what WORK CONDITIONS or ATMOSPHERE, or personal situation has changed, that has you even thinking about retirement....where as you weren't thinking about retirement before....SOMEthing must have changed or you wouldn't be thinking about leaving the job.
I say that it helps to keep your head in the game, IF you can catch your attitude early on, because in my experience -- personal and with other friends who've retired -- that once you're so burned out or so frustrated that your DONE -- nothing can bring you back, nothing can keep your head in the game. You're too far gone attitude and energy-wise...you're just -- DONE. And other than doing a decent enough job to to you to retirement.....you just don't care anymore.
A friend who was an inner city high school teacher took half-year sabbaticals TWO YEARS IN A ROW -- hoping it would help her....and each time came back to the same administrative and management BS. She did a half a year and retired. Once you're at that point NOTHING can get you back in the game. So try to head that feeling off as early as you can by taking care of yourself more.
This was hard for me too. I felt like I was in prison serving out the tail end of a life sentence. Short timer syndrome is the real thing. I had to force myself to be engaged and act interested in work.
Are you in a situation to provide mentoring on the job? Toward the end of my career I was given six month interns and also education assignments for newer staff. It was amazing what this did for my motivation and also validation that I had done well and had something to share. It's such a win-win situation.
The feedback thing - is there any reason why you can't share this with your supervisor and ask for it? It's difficult for many of us to trudge on day after day in a vacuum and I think a good supervisor should be aware that some of us will have a need to be left alone and others would like comment on our work.
And a final comment on transition. Even if it's to something we anticipate with enjoyment transition can cause stress. As we age it's also more difficult to achieve smoothly. That's normal but frustrating. If you enjoy reading perhaps you can find something interesting about the subject to give you a refreshed look at the life-stage you're experiencing.
I would LOVE to mentor my replacement, that would be a crowning achievement of my career, but the chances for that are none to none. An admin just left after 35 years with the company, she told them 4 months before her retirement date, she kept asking when they were bringing in her replacement so she could hand off all of her paperwork and filing systems. On her last day we had a very nice luncheon for her, a few of the people who knew her for many of those years stood and commemorated her efforts. After the luncheon, she went back to her desk and spent about an hour finishing a few things she had started, then she walked out the door for the last time. On Monday it was life as usual without her, and everyone else is picking up her duties and no replacement in sight. Maybe never? Am I going to be concerned with what I'm leaving behind? Hmmmm........ not likely! What about my soul mates? We're all within about a year in age, serves the company right for hiring the elderly.
OP, I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm about a year away from retirement, and I am counting it down. I'm still fully focused on work while I'm there, but I cannot wait until I get out of there. Like you, I don't care about advancement, I don't care about improving, I just want some smooth sailing without a bunch of changes until I can stop. I'm ready to move on to the next phase. So close and yet so far away.
I guess what keeps me going is that I look at it like this: I am putting the finishing touches on my retirement, and every day I go into work I am putting in one more brick, and putting the final dollars in.
The last year before retirement seemed endless. I could not concentrate at work. I spent a great deal of time on the internet planning my travel and other retirement issues. One amazing thing happened at work. My boss thought I was doing an outstanding job and told me so. Before when I actually cared, I would bring up ideas other than what my boss wanted. When I just coasted through and never bothered to bring up ideas, my boss was pleased. It is a lesson I should have learned a long time back in my career. If you are a subordinate, it helps if you are none too smart and just go along with every dumb idea from upper management.
with all the places you have been i can see why the planning took so much time. well worth that time spent i am sure.
This was hard for me too. I felt like I was in prison serving out the tail end of a life sentence. Short timer syndrome is the real thing. I had to force myself to be engaged and act interested in work.
25 to life...ugh! I feel the same way with 3-5 years to go on my sentence...lol
Planning to retire in two years at age 67. Love my job and like my coworkers. Just tired of working 36 hours a week. Like I said, love my job.
But then my boss gets this crazy idea. Her team should meet every morning to discuss what we are thankful about and our plans for the day. 15 minute stand up meeting. Began as a "roll your eyes and groan" experience. Now we all love it and happily spend an hour talking about stuff. Very bonding, fun and weirdly-the women are comfortable with me to the point of them talking about womanly stuff in front of me. And I can ask about tips-age appropriate fashion and how to please the wife stuff.
Now I think that I will miss all of this when I retire. Too bad am tired of working "full time". But I will enjoy the next two years.
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