Retiring - what I won’t miss
Discussion
Going to take early retirement soon. Might do some sort of paid activity on a part time basis but not expecting to do proper work again.
Looking back I’ve been very fortunate. I fell into a career that suited my skills, allowed me to meet and work with some great people (plus my fair share of the opposite of course), gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad plus was very well remunerated. Certainly a life I never envisaged as a working class lad growing up on a council estate.
However there are lots of things I won’t miss about work. I think top of the list is the inefficiency. I can’t stand doing things that are pointless. When I look back at my career it astounds me how much time was wasted by being made to take part in meetings that either didn’t need to take place or my attendance wasn’t necessary or went on far too long (an hour because someone had put it into the calendar for that yet really everything could have been dealt with in ten minutes).
All the internal, corporate BS drove me mad. Every few years there would be a new slogan / HR initiative and we would be forced to listen to and swallow whole rivers of meaningless BS.
insincerity and lies. Management telling you X when you knew that they didn’t believe a word they were saying and also that they knew you knew it was BS but everyone having to pretend that wasn’t the case. Even worse - having to deliver the BS yourself.
PowerPoint presentations: if there is a hell I expect to spend eternity being forced to watch them!
Looking back I’ve been very fortunate. I fell into a career that suited my skills, allowed me to meet and work with some great people (plus my fair share of the opposite of course), gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad plus was very well remunerated. Certainly a life I never envisaged as a working class lad growing up on a council estate.
However there are lots of things I won’t miss about work. I think top of the list is the inefficiency. I can’t stand doing things that are pointless. When I look back at my career it astounds me how much time was wasted by being made to take part in meetings that either didn’t need to take place or my attendance wasn’t necessary or went on far too long (an hour because someone had put it into the calendar for that yet really everything could have been dealt with in ten minutes).
All the internal, corporate BS drove me mad. Every few years there would be a new slogan / HR initiative and we would be forced to listen to and swallow whole rivers of meaningless BS.
insincerity and lies. Management telling you X when you knew that they didn’t believe a word they were saying and also that they knew you knew it was BS but everyone having to pretend that wasn’t the case. Even worse - having to deliver the BS yourself.
PowerPoint presentations: if there is a hell I expect to spend eternity being forced to watch them!
Esceptico said:
PowerPoint presentations: if there is a hell I expect to spend eternity being forced to watch them!
I'm at the opposite end of the career myself, but I have still had my share of these! Two solid weeks of induction powerpoints: I could feel my youthful enthusiasm slowly leeching through my eyeballs with each passing hour.Esceptico said:
Going to take early retirement soon. Might do some sort of paid activity on a part time basis but not expecting to do proper work again.
Looking back I’ve been very fortunate. I fell into a career that suited my skills, allowed me to meet and work with some great people (plus my fair share of the opposite of course), gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad plus was very well remunerated. Certainly a life I never envisaged as a working class lad growing up on a council estate.
(Snipped)Looking back I’ve been very fortunate. I fell into a career that suited my skills, allowed me to meet and work with some great people (plus my fair share of the opposite of course), gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad plus was very well remunerated. Certainly a life I never envisaged as a working class lad growing up on a council estate.
What type of work do you do, if you don't mind my asking?
Esceptico said:
Going to take early retirement soon. Might do some sort of paid activity on a part time basis but not expecting to do proper work again.
Looking back I’ve been very fortunate. I fell into a career that suited my skills, allowed me to meet and work with some great people (plus my fair share of the opposite of course), gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad plus was very well remunerated. Certainly a life I never envisaged as a working class lad growing up on a council estate.
However there are lots of things I won’t miss about work. I think top of the list is the inefficiency. I can’t stand doing things that are pointless. When I look back at my career it astounds me how much time was wasted by being made to take part in meetings that either didn’t need to take place or my attendance wasn’t necessary or went on far too long (an hour because someone had put it into the calendar for that yet really everything could have been dealt with in ten minutes).
All the internal, corporate BS drove me mad. Every few years there would be a new slogan / HR initiative and we would be forced to listen to and swallow whole rivers of meaningless BS.
insincerity and lies. Management telling you X when you knew that they didn’t believe a word they were saying and also that they knew you knew it was BS but everyone having to pretend that wasn’t the case. Even worse - having to deliver the BS yourself.
PowerPoint presentations: if there is a hell I expect to spend eternity being forced to watch them!
Agreed. It's why I spent the last 10 years of my working life contracting. Good money, and avoid the bullsLooking back I’ve been very fortunate. I fell into a career that suited my skills, allowed me to meet and work with some great people (plus my fair share of the opposite of course), gave me the opportunity to travel and work abroad plus was very well remunerated. Certainly a life I never envisaged as a working class lad growing up on a council estate.
However there are lots of things I won’t miss about work. I think top of the list is the inefficiency. I can’t stand doing things that are pointless. When I look back at my career it astounds me how much time was wasted by being made to take part in meetings that either didn’t need to take place or my attendance wasn’t necessary or went on far too long (an hour because someone had put it into the calendar for that yet really everything could have been dealt with in ten minutes).
All the internal, corporate BS drove me mad. Every few years there would be a new slogan / HR initiative and we would be forced to listen to and swallow whole rivers of meaningless BS.
insincerity and lies. Management telling you X when you knew that they didn’t believe a word they were saying and also that they knew you knew it was BS but everyone having to pretend that wasn’t the case. Even worse - having to deliver the BS yourself.
PowerPoint presentations: if there is a hell I expect to spend eternity being forced to watch them!
t. I like doing actual stuff, not talking about it in meetings or presenting slides.Gee68 said:
Happy retirement.
Having followed your adventures on the bike forum I’m sure you will never be bored,I’m very jealous of the country and the riding you have on the doorstep.
Thanks! Having followed your adventures on the bike forum I’m sure you will never be bored,I’m very jealous of the country and the riding you have on the doorstep.
Yes definitely blessed with riding opportunities here (and the weather to enjoy it).
I would like to do some touring in Europe at some point - no rush given current situation though!
98elise said:
Agreed. It's why I spent the last 10 years of my working life contracting. Good money, and avoid the bullst. I like doing actual stuff, not talking about it in meetings or presenting slides.
I am considering contracting. Definitely seems like a way of just working without as much BS. I’d be happy doing the odd month here and there. t. I like doing actual stuff, not talking about it in meetings or presenting slides.I had an offer that I just couldn't refuse and other things fell in to place.
I don't miss one dipstick that I worked with who faffed about but took the praise for your efforts. He was also a classic for telling you that you were to lead a meeting and give you 5 minutes notice.
I don't miss travelling, a lot of flying, I miss the Pret a Manger at the bottom of the building.
I still have bad dreams about being in meetings or needing to be somewhere else in a hurry.
I don't miss one dipstick that I worked with who faffed about but took the praise for your efforts. He was also a classic for telling you that you were to lead a meeting and give you 5 minutes notice.
I don't miss travelling, a lot of flying, I miss the Pret a Manger at the bottom of the building.
I still have bad dreams about being in meetings or needing to be somewhere else in a hurry.
God, it must have been hell, meetings, presentations, water cooler moments,
a knee trembler in the stationery cupboard with Miss Thighrub from HR
It's all very Reggie Perrin and Sunshine Desserts.
[ in Yorkshire accent ] We're not talking about t' real work, toil, labour, are we though but ?
a knee trembler in the stationery cupboard with Miss Thighrub from HR
It's all very Reggie Perrin and Sunshine Desserts.
[ in Yorkshire accent ] We're not talking about t' real work, toil, labour, are we though but ?
This is going to be controversial,lorry drivers and engineers,both make me want to punch some Mfu****s lights out.
Lazy mofo’s,either won’t lift anything(not allowed to lift more than 25 kilos guvnor) or won’t sign your paperwork as “it’s not my job”.
My wife and I run our own business and these kind of people just frustrate the absolute s**t out of me.
Obviously this doesn’t apply too all but after 25 years you kinda get a nose for the good and bad.
Not sure why I added that we run a business,me for being a big I am.
In my own defence there’ s only two of us.
Lazy mofo’s,either won’t lift anything(not allowed to lift more than 25 kilos guvnor) or won’t sign your paperwork as “it’s not my job”.
My wife and I run our own business and these kind of people just frustrate the absolute s**t out of me.
Obviously this doesn’t apply too all but after 25 years you kinda get a nose for the good and bad.
Not sure why I added that we run a business,me for being a big I am.
In my own defence there’ s only two of us.
Edited by Gee68 on Wednesday 27th January 21:27
Finish soon at 55, only 14 more shifts to go. (not counting obviously)
Not going to miss the 4.45 alarm calls for days, the night shifts and weekend working, no bank holidays off aside from Christmas day, and pretty sure they'd like those to be a normal working day too.
The endless supply of university graduates who think everything's been done wrong for the last how many years, install new systems, which then fail, so revert to how its normally done.
The finger pointing when something goes amiss, unless you're a privileged section of the company, who cannot be blamed, as then work to rule is enforced by their union and the whole st show grinds to a halt, they know it, company knows it, so they make the most of it (train drivers)
Nepotism that's rife in the railways, causes so much bother when you're trying to compete with inadequate but connected colleagues.
Not going to miss the 4.45 alarm calls for days, the night shifts and weekend working, no bank holidays off aside from Christmas day, and pretty sure they'd like those to be a normal working day too.
The endless supply of university graduates who think everything's been done wrong for the last how many years, install new systems, which then fail, so revert to how its normally done.
The finger pointing when something goes amiss, unless you're a privileged section of the company, who cannot be blamed, as then work to rule is enforced by their union and the whole s
t show grinds to a halt, they know it, company knows it, so they make the most of it (train drivers) Nepotism that's rife in the railways, causes so much bother when you're trying to compete with inadequate but connected colleagues.
rigga said:
Finish soon at 55, only 14 more shifts to go. (not counting obviously)
Not going to miss the 4.45 alarm calls for days, the night shifts and weekend working, no bank holidays off aside from Christmas day, and pretty sure they'd like those to be a normal working day too.
The endless supply of university graduates who think everything's been done wrong for the last how many years, install new systems, which then fail, so revert to how its normally done.
The finger pointing when something goes amiss, unless you're a privileged section of the company, who cannot be blamed, as then work to rule is enforced by their union and the whole st show grinds to a halt, they know it, company knows it, so they make the most of it (train drivers)
Nepotism that's rife in the railways, causes so much bother when you're trying to compete with inadequate but connected colleagues.
Eight years for me.Not going to miss the 4.45 alarm calls for days, the night shifts and weekend working, no bank holidays off aside from Christmas day, and pretty sure they'd like those to be a normal working day too.
The endless supply of university graduates who think everything's been done wrong for the last how many years, install new systems, which then fail, so revert to how its normally done.
The finger pointing when something goes amiss, unless you're a privileged section of the company, who cannot be blamed, as then work to rule is enforced by their union and the whole s
t show grinds to a halt, they know it, company knows it, so they make the most of it (train drivers) Nepotism that's rife in the railways, causes so much bother when you're trying to compete with inadequate but connected colleagues.
I used to think I was a people person but after many,many years of complete f***ing morons asking countless stupid f**king questions I’ve turned into a complete and utter grumpy b***ard at work.
I don’t like my work self.
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