Retirement - why bother?

[Porridge GTI]

The idea of doing only what you love is probably unhelpful because most of us will never have the chance and also because it’s questionable whether you’d want to do you favourite hobby all the time.

I accept that working life can be frustrating and worse. My original post was intended to suggest that the benefits nevertheless outweigh the alternative.

[Testaburger]

For those that love their work so much that it makes them happier than pursuing hobbies and time with family etc, then fair enough - takes all sorts.

For anyone else, surely the only thing compelling you to work is finances.

If you don’t have enough hobbies and interests to keep your mind engaged outside work then I think that’s a shame.

[Kermit power]

I'm stuffing as much as I can into my pension so that I can escape work as soon as possible.

I want to keep mountain biking and walking, get a couple of dogs to join me on those outings, do more of the volunteering things I currently do, and above all, do it on my own terms, when I want, for as long as I want.

If the weather turns unexpectedly good in the middle of November, I want to be able to drop everything and go and walk up a mountain just for the hell of it.

Carry on working? Not for a second longer than I have to, thanks!

[Belle427]

I’m 45 and would retire tomorrow if I could afford to.
I stare at the clock most of the day in work just willing it to get to clocking off time.
I think if you have hobbies and interests to keep the brain active you would be fine.

[Belle427]

I’m 45 and would retire tomorrow if I could afford to.
I stare at the clock most of the day in work just willing it to get to clocking off time.
I think if you have hobbies and interests to keep the brain active you would be fine.

[Robertj21a]

Porridge GTI said:

I’m coming to the view that it’s better to keep working.

Do you really have little or no other interests ?

[Porridge GTI]

What force is the word ‘really’ meant to have?

[anonymous-user]

Porridge GTI said:

I’m coming to the view that it’s better to keep working.

Care to explain why?

I finished work last year at 54 and it’s bloody fantastic! Loads to do, when I want and how I want.

[Robertj21a]

Porridge GTI said:

What force is the word ‘really’ meant to have?

I know you're just bored and 'playing' but even so.......

In my personal view, you can also interpret 'really' as 'honestly' if you wish (I appreciate that this will merely give you something else on which to comment......)

[MC Bodge]

You might as well ask,
"Life, why bother?"

I've not been one of the people fortunate enough to love my work -It pays the bills.

I've tried to think of alternative type/sectors of employment in the past, but have never come up with anything that pays the bills with decent hours.

I'm currently resigned to the view that (despite disliking desk paper work) so long as the job is not unpleasant, too stressful or time consuming and colleagues are pleasant and interesting it will have to do, but I would not be doing it if I didn't need the money.

I'm an active and an inquisitive person who enjoys making things, fixing things, helping people and volunteering. I would keep busy, stimulated and helping if I wasn't working.

[Mark300zx]

I am retiring from my current career in two years at 55, whilst I love the idea of retiring, I am in somewhat of a dilemma regarding going travelling or finding a new career at my age. One thing that pushes me to do the travelling are the people I know who have passed away at a relatively young age and potentially never having that opportunity again due to ill health!

[Robertj21a]

zubzob said:

Work only 5 days a week? Why bother? 6 or ideally 7 is better. Don’t like your job enough to work 7ndays a week? New job maybe?

Far too much to see and do in this wonderful world to spend too much time working.

[Wacky Racer]

I'm 65 with my own business and have no plans to give up anytime soon, maybe four or five years.

I'm fortunate I only work four days a week and have around 6/7 weeks holiday a year, but I genuinely enjoy my job, I regard it almost as a hobby. I may drop another day next year.

Many people who could have retired years ago work/worked well into their seventies because they enjoy it.Richard Branson,Paul M'cCartney, Alex Ferguson, Warren Buffett, etc.

[OldGermanHeaps]

zubzob said:

Sure. But many people are lucky enough todo fulfilling jobs, but it is a minority. Eg there are many old authors who Write books, for instance. But. Most people have to save up, then retire, if they want to spend their 70s writing books.

It’s not an option for everyone to run their own company either. to run a company, you need to employ people who would rather do other things. Not everyone can be the boss.

It’s just humble brag really, to boast you don’t want to retire. Which is fine. But don’t pretend it’s an option for most people.

Edited by zubzob on Saturday 22 September 19:20

Nope.
You dont need to employ people to run a company.
If i'm honest i enjoyed it more and taken more money home as a sole trader.

[Pvapour]

RDMcG said:

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.

What a brilliant and inspirational post.

Personaly i never intend to retire, much more important to focus on enjoying what you do which in turn means you never want to stop.

Gym work (natural) all my life to which i enjoy and never intend to stop.

[S9JTO]

I've just turned 23, so still have a long way to go until I can retire and I know I'm too young to give a real view on this but after recently taking a week off sick due to flu I genuinely felt depressed not being in work. I narrowed it down to the fact that it's the lack of social interaction outside of my family and girlfriend. It's not because I love the company of those I work with or my job really, don't get me wrong it's very interesting and challenging work but I would still prefer to be doing whatever I wanted to do, whenever I want to...

I think the key to retirement as others have touched upon is ensuring you have a hobby to keep you entertained. I think that I won't fully retire until I'm in my late 60's/early 70's but semi-retire in my early 50's to spend more time doing what I want, when I want, but keep my brain active etc by keeping in the working world. Luckily in my field contracting is very much in demand, so that would suit nicely (this may change in the next 25-30 years though )

[Kermit power]

S9JTO said:

I've just turned 23, so still have a long way to go until I can retire and I know I'm too young to give a real view on this but after recently taking a week off sick due to flu I genuinely felt depressed not being in work. I narrowed it down to the fact that it's the lack of social interaction outside of my family and girlfriend. It's not because I love the company of those I work with or my job really, don't get me wrong it's very interesting and challenging work but I would still prefer to be doing whatever I wanted to do, whenever I want to...

I think the key to retirement as others have touched upon is ensuring you have a hobby to keep you entertained. I think that I won't fully retire until I'm in my late 60's/early 70's but semi-retire in my early 50's to spend more time doing what I want, when I want, but keep my brain active etc by keeping in the working world. Luckily in my field contracting is very much in demand, so that would suit nicely (this may change in the next 25-30 years though )

Everyone gets the hump if they're in bed sick with flu!!!

For some reason, lots of people seem to have a view that you're either working or you're sat in an armchair watching daytime TV and wishing you were dead.

Many of the "retired" people I know, either from my parents' friends or from Scouts are just as busy as they were when they were working, but they get to choose what they fill their days with and enjoy it. Just because you're not being paid for the activity you fill your days with, that doesn't for a moment mean you can't fill them with active, social things to do.

[anonymous-user]

Kermit power said:

For some reason, lots of people seem to have a view that you're either working or you're sat in an armchair watching daytime TV and wishing you were dead.

Many of the "retired" people I know, either from my parents' friends or from Scouts are just as busy as they were when they were working, but they get to choose what they fill their days with and enjoy it.

Exactly this. I cannot believe how busy
I’ve been since retiring ansndoing things I could never do whilst working.

[ClaphamGT3]

Will I be doing what I'm doing now at 70? I expect not

Will I be doing something productive? I bloody hope so

[anonymous-user]

ClaphamGT3 said:

Will I be doing what I'm doing now at 70? I expect not

Will I be doing something productive? I bloody hope so

Agreed with this too. Being productive does not have to mean getting paid either - retirement can be a great opportunity to do charity work of some kind. Offering your time to help others is very rewarding.