Non financial - how to prepare for retirement

Fabtasia

I'm seriously thinking about retirement and have done the Financial steps of  prepared/monitored a budget, requested all info from pensions, got forecasts from an IFA. It looks like based on our current expenditure (with some slack built in e.g Care, overspending, hubby retiring earlier) we'd be fine.

I am more worried about change from work on me, I'm 54, so most of my friends/colleagues will still be working and my hubby wants to continue for at least a couple of years. I think lockdown working from home will make the shock less than it would be (e.g. no 3 hour commute!). I might pitching it to myself as a sabbatical so that I feel its less of a step.

What are did you do or wish you had done when you retired, started thinking of retirement? What did it feel like when work didn't frame your day?

kidmugsy

3 hour commute?  Good grief.  Why not "retire" and then do a little self-employed work, while paying the cheap-as-chips self-employed NICs?  

bostonerimus

I retired at 54 as well. I was burned out and not enjoying my job or daily commute which was an hour each way. So I was perfectly happy just decompressing for a few months, going to coffee shops, reading, and going to the theater and cinema. I then did a "bucket list" item and went on a bicycle tour across the USA. After 3 years I got a bit bored and took some part time work. I've been doing that for about 4 years now and I think I'm ready to stop that now and concentrate on my garden and cycling. The thing is to have interests and stay flexible. I find that some days I just really enjoy doing nothing...

Linton

Perhaps the key factor that has made our last 16 years in retirement very enjoyable is that we we knew several years in advance the things we wanted to do,  things which would not have been possible whilst working.  Then it was simply a matter of waiting until the finances were sufficient.

 You must not see retirement merely as the time when you do not have to work.  Within a few weeks hopefully you would have had chance to destress and be ready to start a new life. Do things - eg voluntary work, OU degree or some other qualification in a topic that interests you, long country walks.  Plan the weeks ahead.  Within a few months you should be asking yourself how you ever found time to work.  Perhaps you meet up with some ex colleagues and when they discuss the latest office politics or reorganisations you find you just dont care.  The burning issues that you spent time worrying about seem pathetic.

Fabtasia

Yes, it was 1.5 hours there and back. The central line commute often involved people shoutjng as they were so stressed.  Work agreed that I'm not doing it 5 days a week again.  I think it's great to hear how people have managed the transition, even if it's doing something different as a job.

gambleruk

Just over a year into retirement and it still feels wonderful not having to stress and commute to work, I take the dogs out 4 times a day so that keeps me active, also go running 2 to 3 times a week, read plenty of books and listen to lots of my music all of which cost next to nothing as an added bonus. Like other people have already said you will think back and wonder how you ever had time to work if you have hobbies to keep you busy. Mentioned in other posts I never switch the tv on during the day except for sports at weekend and similar to yourself most of my friends are still working but meeting up with one tomorrow for a few beers as he is off this week and you have plenty of time to arrange to do things with other people at weekends.

marlot

On the run up to retirement, I ...

• Moved to a house in the part of the country I fancied retiring to.
• Moved to a 4-day week.  Changed jobs within the company to one with less stress/easier to exit from [with boss' support].
• Spent a day a week volunteering in something that I fancied doing when I retired.
• Bought the puppy I'd always wanted.

sheslookinhot

Think about going part time for a spell, gradually easing yourself to retirement.

Nick9967

Seriously go for it, I am incredibly de-stressed after leaving my midlands - London commute of years , trains, tubes, people ahhhh! home for tea now! breakfast before I leave, ready to retire in 4 years (54 now) commuting gave me the basis of my pension and paid most of my mortgage off so am grateful for that, now I learn to live with less (honestly I see no difference now, no £100 pm on Starbucks, stopped smoking, no £7k on travel etc etc etc yet my salary is about 35% of what it was) don't need to spend now to stay contented, life is far far to unpredictable and short to worry about work unless you do something you love, which is rare! 

Fabtasia

I have thought about asking for part time - at the end of the day if I don't ask, I won't get.
I've been looking at volunteering ops, the ones I would like to do, need free time in the week so that's definately one for the list.
The costs of on the go food / coffee is an eye opener, I did try and take food in but I used to find I'd eaten my lunch by 10am! 
It's encouraging that people seem to have found their groove.

mark55man

great thread. I'm 2-3 years away from financial goals.  I think my first two years are decluttering, home renovation  and ebaying it (with lots of restful walks and coffees out) then we'll see!!

I agree about WFH (although done both) but now when I get to 30 minutes in the car I get restless and bored so won't miss that.  For me its either local (v. short drive) or Holiday (v. long drive) none of this mucking about commuting in the middle