How to cope with work in run to retirement

OldMusicGuy

zagubov wrote: »

Apparently the happiest retirees are those who keep working. And the more similar the work the better.

Not in my case they are not! 40 years in finance and IT is surely enough for anyone :rotfl: IMO anyone who still "needs" to work shouldn't retire as they are probably not ready for it. Nothing wrong with that btw, maybe going part time or semi-retired is right for those people.

I can see the value in doing completely different things like voluntary work, but carry on working? No way. I would only consider that if I needed the money.

shinytop

This topic really resonates with me. My intended retirement date has been moving forward from 60 to 59 and my latest was about 58.5, which is October 2019. Now after suffering a very close family bereavement and having a few weeks off I'm going to find it hard to go back and even harder to keep going. I'm currently thinking how much difference the last 6 months will really make and it's probably just 'noise'. Since I have a 3 months notice period I'm going to have to decide soon.

I can see the value in doing completely different things like voluntary work, but carry on working? No way. I would only consider that if I needed the money.

I couldn't agree more. The very thought of doing 'work stuff', meetings, 'networking' (I hate that word), etc., after I retire fills me with dread. Once I'm gone I'm gone and will have no need for any of that stuff any more. Everyone is different though...

p00hsticks

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Perhaps try considering yourself lucky that you're only experiencing this for a few months witha definite end in sight, because many people probably feel like that for the majority of their working lives in much more unpleasant jobs.

Yes - I count myself very lucky that for most of my working life I have both really enjoyed what I did and been well paid for it. I appreciate that many people don't enjoy their jobs and/or don't get adequately rewarded for their work.

Unfortunately in my late fifties I was TUPE'd across to another organisation and was not able to carry on in my area of expertise. It ended up with me being a complete 'fish out of water'.

I was relieved that because I had built up savings over the years and will eventually have a couple of final salary pensions to fall back on, I was able to retire a few years earlier than I had originally intended

ColdIron

I found delegation to be a useful tactic. Obviously you can easily bat away larger new projects but you can palm off other duties under the guise of 'learning the ropes' or transition. Whenever I was asked to make a decision or judgement call on something I'd point out that I wouldn't be around in 9 (or 6 or 3) months time and reverse the question to 'So what do YOU think would be best, after all YOU will have to support it and not me'. You become a consultant and not a drone. Worked like charm

System

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Perhaps try considering yourself lucky that you're only experiencing this for a few months witha definite end in sight, because many people probably feel like that for the majority of their working lives in much more unpleasant jobs.

Exactly, there's a vast range, and it basically depends whether you are at the top or the bottom of the organisation.


I was at the top, a director of a small company. I was responsible for finding successor directors and ensuring a smooth change-over so that the company continued as a sustainable enterprise.
I could work whatever hours I chose, and over about 5 years as various pensions cut in I reduced my week from 5 to 4 to 3 days, and finally a year as an unpaid non-exec director going in about once a month.


In many ways it was the most fulfilling, and certainly exciting, part of my whole 20-year period. But I was aware that for many others it could never be like that.

AnotherJoe

zagubov wrote: »

Finding a way of cutting down may be the best option. Apparently the happiest retirees are those who keep working. And the more similar the work the better. You may find you can work for longer if you work less, which may mitigate the financial penalties.

Who did that survey? Mr Gradgrind ?

agent69

JoeEngland wrote: »

Ironically, now the point at which I can semi-retire and maybe do a bit of PT work is much nearer I'm feeling more frustrated with going to work.

I know the feeling.



I've been working 3 days a week for the last 6 months, and it is more difficult getting up on Tuesday morning (to start the 3 days) than it ever was to get up on a Monday morning?

Parking_Trouble

9 months is not too long to wait.

Try going PT and see if it makes a difference.

You'll ease yourself into having less income and more free time. Maybe the health issues become a bit easier to cope with if you have more free time.

You might find going part time you will stay in work longer if it is less stressful.

I was wishing my life away leading up to 60. Just reaching the point at which you can afford to retire is a great feeling. I passed that point in May but still working FT and no specific retirement date yet. I just go with the flow. Knowing I can stop whenever I want.
in control and no longer viewing work as a treadmill makes me view things differently.

MallyGirl

I had been planning to keep going till 60. OH is 2 weeks younger than me so it will be nice and simple for us to finish at the same time - we both work in IT. Work is being particularly trying at the moment - or one particular client is really- so I took some time out and built a second version of the retirement planner based on stopping at 55. It is doable but wouldn't give quite as much free cash for travel - good to know though. We are 51 1/2 at the moment and DD is in lower sixth so she will be at uni by the time we hit 55 even if she needs a gap year. At that point we can review options.

JoeEngland

zagubov wrote: »

Finding a way of cutting down may be the best option. Apparently the happiest retirees are those who keep working. And the more similar the work the better. You may find you can work for longer if you work less, which may mitigate the financial penalties.

Watch out for pension penalties if you're on a final salary pension

Do you have a source for that about happiest retirees are those who keep working, and presumably you mean working PT? I would have thought that the happiest retirees are those who have the time to do the things they didn't have time for while working.