Retirement - why bother?
Discussion
So long as someone will employ you then if you enjoy working why not.
Personally I can think of a million and one things I could be doing to occupy my time if I didn't have to work and had the funds to support myself. I'd "retire" today if I could (note to self - buy Euromillions ticket).
Personally I can think of a million and one things I could be doing to occupy my time if I didn't have to work and had the funds to support myself. I'd "retire" today if I could (note to self - buy Euromillions ticket).
Maybe its coincidence, but I often see peoples brains switch off as soon as they retire from high-stress jobs and lead very quickly to health issues such as dementia and Alzheimers. I'm sure I'm just unlucky to have seen it a few times.
From high powered business leader to vegetable in 5 -10 years has been tough to watch. I am sure it is linked to brain activity and the massive shock of going from 100mph to 0 overnight.
From high powered business leader to vegetable in 5 -10 years has been tough to watch. I am sure it is linked to brain activity and the massive shock of going from 100mph to 0 overnight.
I retired last year at 56 and I love it.
since then Ive joined a second band, taken up all grain home brewing, had a new kitchen, fettled my kit car, I dont have time for work, and if m,y brain does turn to mush in 10 years time I won't be the one having to worry about it.
If you like your job, great, but if you hated it, like I did pretty much the whole of the 35 years I did it, then in my view its better to have fun than die from the stress
since then Ive joined a second band, taken up all grain home brewing, had a new kitchen, fettled my kit car, I dont have time for work, and if m,y brain does turn to mush in 10 years time I won't be the one having to worry about it.
If you like your job, great, but if you hated it, like I did pretty much the whole of the 35 years I did it, then in my view its better to have fun than die from the stress
Porridge GTI said:
Why not live to work?
Because most of us are in a profession that is tolerable/OK at best. Or have other things we'd prefer doing. Think I'd rather be sat in an office than playing with my motorbikes?If you love your job so much you don't want to spend that time doing anything else then I'm genuinely pleased for you, but for most of us that's not the case.
My contract with a fortune 500 company was terminated 2 years ago; just before my 64th birthday when oil price fell, I had 5 months at home and thought about retiring, it was awful, spent loads of time working in my Elan and finished the engine, then the company asked me back, through an agent, 2 years latter, 66 now, they have just asked me to transfer back to staff on a fixed term two year contract, with every prospect of a 3 year renewal, OK the elan hasn't progressed in the last two years, but I'm enjoying it, mixing with people of different ages, using my brain, and maybe I wont take the extension, but while I'm fit its OK, actually having to get up and not let people down suits me,
My daughter was very anti me going back, as several friends of her Mum were retiring around same time, but 3 of them now have early onset dementia, and she now agrees that it may be better to work,
My Dad was a coal miner he died at 53, he couldn't even reach retiring age with his job, I work in an office in a well paid job, close to the top of one of the biggest projects in the world. I have no line responsibility, no staff, just consulting and advising on issues as they arise.
It depends on your personal circumstances your skill, job type etc its not possible to draw hard rules.
My daughter was very anti me going back, as several friends of her Mum were retiring around same time, but 3 of them now have early onset dementia, and she now agrees that it may be better to work,
My Dad was a coal miner he died at 53, he couldn't even reach retiring age with his job, I work in an office in a well paid job, close to the top of one of the biggest projects in the world. I have no line responsibility, no staff, just consulting and advising on issues as they arise.
It depends on your personal circumstances your skill, job type etc its not possible to draw hard rules.
Love working. I am 70 and have worked since 11. Now doing Board work which is quite time-consuming but fascinating.
I do not do the 80 hour weeks I once did...now maybe 30, but I keep a separate personal office, do not work from home and love the fact that I always know its Monday instead of Saturday. I have lived-in seven countries and seen the world; cannot abide the idea of sitting in the sun on some cruising ship or African safaris or the like.
I still collect wine and drive cars on the track, often do very long-distance road trips, go to the gym, and keep a lot of variety. Log about 80,000 air miles a year mainly for business.
I think it very much depends on your objective. I always loved what I did, implementing new technologies, dealing with the changes they would bring, and always looking to the future. The world is an exciting place.
Of course, life ends, ( not a concern) but I will likely deteriorate as we generally do, I have no interest n a useless prolonging of life and will certainly not some multi year treatment just to stay alive. Right now I can do pretty much everything I always did and I would sink into a massive fit of depression if retired and on some kind of endless holiday, or volunteer work, or gardening or golf.
We are all different , but there is zero chance I will be on my deathbed saying " I should have spent less time in the office"...I hear that old saw often, and its nonsense as far as I am concerned.
I do not do the 80 hour weeks I once did...now maybe 30, but I keep a separate personal office, do not work from home and love the fact that I always know its Monday instead of Saturday. I have lived-in seven countries and seen the world; cannot abide the idea of sitting in the sun on some cruising ship or African safaris or the like.
I still collect wine and drive cars on the track, often do very long-distance road trips, go to the gym, and keep a lot of variety. Log about 80,000 air miles a year mainly for business.
I think it very much depends on your objective. I always loved what I did, implementing new technologies, dealing with the changes they would bring, and always looking to the future. The world is an exciting place.
Of course, life ends, ( not a concern) but I will likely deteriorate as we generally do, I have no interest n a useless prolonging of life and will certainly not some multi year treatment just to stay alive. Right now I can do pretty much everything I always did and I would sink into a massive fit of depression if retired and on some kind of endless holiday, or volunteer work, or gardening or golf.
We are all different , but there is zero chance I will be on my deathbed saying " I should have spent less time in the office"...I hear that old saw often, and its nonsense as far as I am concerned.
Why bother-
1/ Huge amounts of stress from running my own business.
2/ Dealing with the general public. Some grea, some awful. Really awful.
3/ Multiple muscular skeletal issues due to working outside in the most physically demanding job that exists.
4/ My maternal side die very young. So I would like a few years of relaxation.
It may be possible to work until you are 80 if you have been mainly office based but I’m 46 and still shovelling concrete and laying bricks 45 hours a week. That’s 30 years of hard slog so far.
On average a skilled manual worker lives 5 years less than a professional. Plus they are far more likely to suffer chronic long term illness.
So in my case that’s why the trowel will be put away as soon as possible.
1/ Huge amounts of stress from running my own business.
2/ Dealing with the general public. Some grea, some awful. Really awful.
3/ Multiple muscular skeletal issues due to working outside in the most physically demanding job that exists.
4/ My maternal side die very young. So I would like a few years of relaxation.
It may be possible to work until you are 80 if you have been mainly office based but I’m 46 and still shovelling concrete and laying bricks 45 hours a week. That’s 30 years of hard slog so far.
On average a skilled manual worker lives 5 years less than a professional. Plus they are far more likely to suffer chronic long term illness.
So in my case that’s why the trowel will be put away as soon as possible.
I would love nothing more than to retire right now (I'm 34).
I am genuinely astounded by and so very envious of people who love what they do for a living, what a wonderful position to be in where there are no Sunday night blues and no wishing your time away day in day out. I've only really had that in one job and it was so long ago I don't trust that it isn't just rose tinted glasses at this point.
If I could retire there is so much that I could fill my time with and stimulate my mind with and it seems crazy to me that anybody feels otherwise and would choose to work when given the opportunity to not do so. Everybody is different though and many relish or need the purpose that only a job or career can give them.
I am genuinely astounded by and so very envious of people who love what they do for a living, what a wonderful position to be in where there are no Sunday night blues and no wishing your time away day in day out. I've only really had that in one job and it was so long ago I don't trust that it isn't just rose tinted glasses at this point.
If I could retire there is so much that I could fill my time with and stimulate my mind with and it seems crazy to me that anybody feels otherwise and would choose to work when given the opportunity to not do so. Everybody is different though and many relish or need the purpose that only a job or career can give them.
milfordkong said:
I would love nothing more than to retire right now (I'm 34).
I am genuinely astounded by and so very envious of people who love what they do for a living, what a wonderful position to be in where there are no Sunday night blues and no wishing your time away day in day out. I've only really had that in one job and it was so long ago I don't trust that it isn't just rose tinted glasses at this point.
If I could retire there is so much that I could fill my time with and stimulate my mind with and it seems crazy to me that anybody feels otherwise and would choose to work when given the opportunity to not do so. Everybody is different though and many relish or need the purpose that only a job or career can give them.
What do you do?I am genuinely astounded by and so very envious of people who love what they do for a living, what a wonderful position to be in where there are no Sunday night blues and no wishing your time away day in day out. I've only really had that in one job and it was so long ago I don't trust that it isn't just rose tinted glasses at this point.
If I could retire there is so much that I could fill my time with and stimulate my mind with and it seems crazy to me that anybody feels otherwise and would choose to work when given the opportunity to not do so. Everybody is different though and many relish or need the purpose that only a job or career can give them.
What would you love to do?
What would it take to be able to do what you’d love to do?
Some would say that there’s no great reason to keep doing what you don’t enjoy doing.
ReaperCushions said:
Maybe its coincidence, but I often see peoples brains switch off as soon as they retire from high-stress jobs and lead very quickly to health issues such as dementia and Alzheimers. I'm sure I'm just unlucky to have seen it a few times.
From high powered business leader to vegetable in 5 -10 years has been tough to watch. I am sure it is linked to brain activity and the massive shock of going from 100mph to 0 overnight.
I've seen this with stay at home mothers and fathers too when they have children - suddenly become different people where conversation isn't what it once was. The brain is a muscle...crossword puzzles are not enough! From high powered business leader to vegetable in 5 -10 years has been tough to watch. I am sure it is linked to brain activity and the massive shock of going from 100mph to 0 overnight.
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