Retire or continue working; I've got to decide (conversation, accident, salary)
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Why does it have to be all or nothing? Can you (OP) take some time off and/or scale back to working part-time?
Good point. Seems like the OP is looking at it as an "all or nothing" situation, possibly because his job has been the overwhelming activity in his life. Maybe he/she should consider retiring from that job, and pick up a low responsibility, part time gig. It could afford him/her more free time to relax, and he/she might find it more enjoyable than they originally thought.
Good point. Seems like the OP is looking at it as an "all or nothing" situation, possibly because his job has been the overwhelming activity in his life. Maybe he/she should consider retiring from that job, and pick up a low responsibility, part time gig. It could afford him/her more free time to relax, and he/she might find it more enjoyable than they originally thought.
The whole "I've got to decide" part is just all in his head. There is no one pointing a gun at him just because he is 66 1/2. He can work until 75 if he wants to. It's completely up to him. To me it almost sounds like anxiety over the realization that he is some day going to die. I mean a lot of people have this ideal health and don't think about death as a possibility. Not everyone has had near death experiences that prompted them to deal with their own mortality by his age. If you know when you are going to die it makes the retirement decision a lot easier and a lot more obvious.
I retired July 1st, 2020 and my wife retired July 1st 2021. In general terms, all the good things you have heard regarding Retirement are true! I strongly recommend you have a well considered plan for post-retirement activities (note plural tense) to keep your time occupied, and practice/prepare for these activities in advance! You don't want any days or weeks after retirement aimlessly wondering "What will I do today?"
I loved my occupation of the past 20+ years! But while clearing out the last of my boxes of old work papers today from my three former employers during this same 20+ year span of time, I kept finding containers of over-the-counter antacid tablets that I had kept in my desks.
No wonder my waistline has shrunk four-inches since I retired for the final time!
I retired July 1st, 2020 and my wife retired July 1st 2021. In general terms, all the good things you have heard regarding Retirement are true! I strongly recommend you have a well considered plan for post-retirement activities (note plural tense) to keep your time occupied, and practice/prepare for these activities in advance! You don't want any days or weeks after retirement aimlessly wondering "What will I do today?"
I loved my occupation of the past 20+ years! But while clearing out the last of my boxes of old work papers today from my three former employers during this same 20+ year span of time, I kept finding containers of over-the-counter antacid tablets that I had kept in my desks.
No wonder my waistline has shrunk four-inches since I retired for the final time!
NO MORE STRESS, my time is all the time!
OP is not in this situation though -->
"My work with the government is not taxing on me so physically I can continue to work as long as I want to."
"My work with the government is not taxing on me so physically I can continue to work as long as I want to."
It's kind of sad, however, that his/her job seems to be the only thing in his/her life. I would think that by that age, you'd have SOME sort of hobbies/activities that you'd rather be doing, instead of living your life on somebody else's schedule, as a job forces you to do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by otterhere
Those who don't (or didn't) hate their jobs seem to be in minority around here... Sad commentary!
I don't know about that....I didn't HATE my job, but it was a big intrusion on my life. Be honest, would you rather spend your time, on the beach, or at work?
It's kind of sad, however, that his/her job seems to be the only thing in his/her life. I would think that by that age, you'd have SOME sort of hobbies/activities that you'd rather be doing, instead of living your life on somebody else's schedule, as a job forces you to do.
I don't know about that....I didn't HATE my job, but it was a big intrusion on my life. Be honest, would you rather spend your time, on the beach, or at work?
Are you retired yet? I didn't think so! How many years to go?
"Don't Be Fooled by the Retirement Lie," Jordan Peterson:
The problem with part time work is that it's still got constraints. It's better than full time but it still obligates the person to put in hours on the job every day, even though fewer hours. For me, it affords me to have maybe 3 additional free hours during the day to go to lunch with a friend or get errands done but I still cannot call the shots to take off whenever I feel like it or go on extended vacations. I still have to attend meetings and do trainings. And I pretty much have to work consistent hours; I cannot work randomly. After all, it's a business that needs certain tasks done and they need it done in a certain amount of time. So the work pressures are still there.
I retired and had a year "off" with no work at all and at first it was nice but it got really boring after awhile. I worked at a high level for many years and I learned that I need the challenge and intellectual stimulation of employment to feel vital. I'm a rather young retiree. I'm sure by the time I hit my 70's, my attitude will be different, but right now I like part time employment. The extra money has helped to pay the bills so I haven't pulled much from the IRA yet.
It depends on your personal life too. My friend is married and she recently retired and she travels a lot with her husband. If you do not have a spouse or SO to spend time with, it might make more sense to work a little bit. It helps to keep the boredom away. I must mention that I have a long list of hobbies and sufficient social contacts but even with all of this, the days were difficult to fill up without work.
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