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I was fortunate to have been offered a 3 month Lack of work opportunity a few years ago. It was a nice test drive of retirement. I loved every minute of it. Projects got done without being rushed. I took leisurely motorcycle rides with no time constraints, spent quality time with the dog where we took long walks, and had all the housework done and dinner ready for the wife when she got home. The TV rarely if ever got turned on and I always felt like my days were very productive.
I still have 2 years, 3 months and 3 days left until retirement. I will be in heaven day 1!
Did anyone else experience this? Hubby who has been retired for 2 years said he did not. It just feels like I walked out the door for a vacation & will be back with work piled high, stress, updates and changes to take care of. It just does not seem real to me. Is this normal or does it take time for reality to set in?
I am experiencing exactly this....and was going to ask the same question. I keep thinking I have to return "home" and go back to work! This seems like a vacation.
How long until this life became reality and you retirees settled into a routine?
This actually makes a year since my husband was assisted in retiring and we moved to a different state.
I don't think he misses his job, really but what he does do is get up early come downstairs and sit down at his computer and start playing computer games. He does that until6:30 when I come in and we watch TV till Midnight and then we both go to bed.
This is what he does every single day unless he has Dr. apts. which we both have many of. He no longer drives, nor do I.
He has Parkinson's and can't do much of what he used to do, but this is all he does. and He is on anti depressants so his mood is all right, not great but alright. At least the games keep his mind active and he seems to enjoy them.
I am also incapable of actually doing much either I am on the computer or sleeping mostly. But it is very frustrating to both of us, not to be able to do things that need doing etc. Fortunately I have family living with me that can do some of the things that need doing and that look after the two of us.
I never looked back. I had too much else to do in retirement. Well, maybe that is not entirely true. After the 5th year in retirement, I stopped by the workplace to chat for a couple hours.
After many large life changes, I decided the adjustment period for a major change is about 3 months. If your husband still has not mentally retired, I suspect there is something else going on. Perhaps like many, he did not plan for retirement and did not really start his new life, with new plans, new activities, new accomplishments and a sense of purpose.
Clinical depression is also quite common after retirement. Depression can take many forms and often occurs as a spectrum disorder.
You should take a closer look at the OP's post. She said her husband had retired 2 years ago and didn't feel what she is going through as a recent retiree. She is the one who has not adjusted yet (understandably) and wondered if other retirees had felt something similar.
I have fourteen months and one day. I think I will slam that door shut on 12/29/17 and never look back. I am eligible NOW and have to suppress the urge to just walk out. In the federal service there are benefits to working until you are 62 and the increase in pension is the ONLY reason I am staying until the end of next year.
I felt exactly the same way when I left my job for the last time over a year ago. It just felt like it was just another day off. Yet at the same time I knew that I wasn't going back. That filled me with extreme joy and sadness at the same time.
I began my early retirement as I did any other day off. Then I started a big project that kept my mind off of not earning a paycheck at 58. That was the part that depressed me after quitting. I knew in my heart and mind after crunching the numbers for the 100th time that I didn't need to work. Being a workaholic is just like any other addiction. It takes time and effort for the planets to realign in your universe to create that blissful harmony. Only this time I wasn't doing it in a self destructive, soul crushing way.
Months passed and I grew quite accustomed to the freedom and that workaholic need melted away rather quickly. The money is still coming in faster then we spend it and our checking account has nearly doubled from what I retired with on July 31st 2015.
I do what I want, when I want and that freedom is intoxicating. It beats being a workaholic 100 times over. Each day goes so fast now because there is always something fun to do. That's the down side.
The only advice I can give you Rox54 is to Enjoy!!!!! You will as soon as you realize that every day belongs to you now. Go have fun!
I retired 12/3/15 at 61.5 yrs of age. For months and months it was totally surreal. It's now 11 months later and, at times, it still seems surreal. Welcome to the other side, it's a blast!
Did anyone else experience this? Hubby who has been retired for 2 years said he did not. It just feels like I walked out the door for a vacation & will be back with work piled high, stress, updates and changes to take care of. It just does not seem real to me. Is this normal or does it take time for reality to set in?
It took some time for me.
I would still get the Sunday evening feeling of having to get my uniform and boots ready. I was in the Air Force.
I've been retired for ten years now and am so bored at times. In fact I have been putting out the word that I am looking for a simple part time job.
This actually makes a year since my husband was assisted in retiring and we moved to a different state.
I don't think he misses his job, really but what he does do is get up early come downstairs and sit down at his computer and start playing computer games. He does that until6:30 when I come in and we watch TV till Midnight and then we both go to bed.
This is what he does every single day unless he has Dr. apts. which we both have many of. He no longer drives, nor do I.
He has Parkinson's and can't do much of what he used to do, but this is all he does. and He is on anti depressants so his mood is all right, not great but alright. At least the games keep his mind active and he seems to enjoy them.
I am also incapable of actually doing much either I am on the computer or sleeping mostly. But it is very frustrating to both of us, not to be able to do things that need doing etc. Fortunately I have family living with me that can do some of the things that need doing and that look after the two of us.
This all seems unreal to me much of the time.
I'm sorry, but this does not seem like a very nice retirement. One of my fears of retiring too late in life is not being able to enjoy the time off. So many people believe they have to keep working to maximize their retirement savings but if you spend your days watching TV and little else it's safe to assume your expenses are much lower than you expected.
i retired just as I turned 48 and am now working again at 50 going on 51. I'll give myself until 55 and reassess.
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