Bold leap into retirement

trevjl

2 weeks - 6 working day to go for me. 
I really thought I would be getting anxious and cold feet but a surprise for me is, I can't wait.
I don't hate my job, in the past I loved it, got to see the world and really enjoyed it. 38 years at one company and 45 years in total and I have really had enough.
I have become that grumpy old bloke that needs to retire that I saw retiring 25 years ago.
I just cant' deal with company BS, elf 'n' safety BS and youngsters that do SFA (yep. definitely that grumpy old bloke !!)

pterri

michaels said:

I find knowing you can go soon but not now makes the remaining months drag even worse rather than it being a light at the end of the tunnel...

That’s where I am, 11 months. Holding out because last years pay bump needs to work through for the DB pension increase. 

pterri

MetaPhysical said:

I've gotten to the stage that I actually hate (a big word, I know) work.  I am paid well and I am as professional as I can be but I see it as an imposition on me these days which is unfair on my employer since they are paying me.  They really should be getting a lot more out of me but at 57 I just CBA with it all and all the corporate BS anymore.  So I am in cruise mode and not learning new stuff or volunteering for more work or assignments since I'll be out in a year.  I'm at the stage I want to do what I want to do in my life.  The sun is shining today (for once) and I'd rather be on my bike or in the dales with my partner on a circular walk and a pub lunch than go through the torment of work.  I've done 41 years of it now and I've had enough.

MetaPhysical said:

I've gotten to the stage that I actually hate (a big word, I know) work.  I am paid well and I am as professional as I can be but I see it as an imposition on me these days which is unfair on my employer since they are paying me.  They really should be getting a lot more out of me but at 57 I just CBA with it all and all the corporate BS anymore.  So I am in cruise mode and not learning new stuff or volunteering for more work or assignments since I'll be out in a year.  I'm at the stage I want to do what I want to do in my life.  The sun is shining today (for once) and I'd rather be on my bike or in the dales with my partner on a circular walk and a pub lunch than go through the torment of work.  I've done 41 years of it now and I've had enough.

Yep, it was a sunny day on Monday. I’d have loved to cycle up to one of the central London parks, grab a sarni and a coffee and watch the ducks. I’m a very simple soul. Instead I was drafting a document that I know will be a stress to get signed 9ff and then no one will ever read it again. 

cloud_dog

FIREDreamer said:

michaels said:

I find knowing you can go soon but not now makes the remaining months drag even worse rather than it being a light at the end of the tunnel...

Having done a 6 month retirement notice period earlier this year (my choice for extra retirement leave benefits), I can 100% agree with this sentiment!

I was counting down the days like a prisoner waiting release.

I only really had to give notice of one month.

I've actually got a countdown clock stuck on the front door 

73 days remaining for the OH, and I have extended by a month, so about 103 days remaining for me.

GenX0212

Starting from this week I have dropped a couple of hours and switched to only 4 days per week, loose plan is probably to work another two years before full retirement. When I worked out the figures then after AVC's and Tax etc I'm actually only a couple of hundred pounds worse off per month and my monthly salary is almost the same as it was before I received this years pay rise in June. The payback is an extra 52 days holiday per year.

My first day off was quite strange as I felt compelled to do something but really didn't know what to do, as the weather wasn't great I ended up just washing the car and reading. Not really sure what I'm going to do with the extra time I now have available, especially when the weather is wet, but I'm sure it will still beat working.

LHW99

I just CBA with it all and all the corporate BS anymore

I can't help feeling this is actually the main bugbear stopping many people wanting / being prepared to work longer. When my OH & I ran our own business, and could say "you lot are paying for our time, would you rather we sat in meetings or did the job?" there wasn't an argument. The poor employees didn't get a choice.

katejo

GenX0212 said:

Starting from this week I have dropped a couple of hours and switched to only 4 days per week, loose plan is probably to work another two years before full retirement. When I worked out the figures then after AVC's and Tax etc I'm actually only a couple of hundred pounds worse off per month and my monthly salary is almost the same as it was before I received this years pay rise in June. The payback is an extra 52 days holiday per year.

My first day off was quite strange as I felt compelled to do something but really didn't know what to do, as the weather wasn't great I ended up just washing the car and reading. Not really sure what I'm going to do with the extra time I now have available, especially when the weather is wet, but I'm sure it will still beat working.

I dropped to 4 days in  September last year. The 1st free day really felt strange. The weather was good so I walked to a local park and had coffee in the sun. I have often felt since that I am not using the day purposefully! On Monday this week I was working from home but longed to go out! 

barnstar2077

GenX0212 said:

Starting from this week I have dropped a couple of hours and switched to only 4 days per week, loose plan is probably to work another two years before full retirement. When I worked out the figures then after AVC's and Tax etc I'm actually only a couple of hundred pounds worse off per month and my monthly salary is almost the same as it was before I received this years pay rise in June. The payback is an extra 52 days holiday per year.

My first day off was quite strange as I felt compelled to do something but really didn't know what to do, as the weather wasn't great I ended up just washing the car and reading. Not really sure what I'm going to do with the extra time I now have available, especially when the weather is wet, but I'm sure it will still beat working.

I dropped down to four days three years ago.  Best decision I ever made.

I have Wednesdays off, and normally meet a retired friend for a coffee, do some food shopping and then meet my partner at her work when she finishes.

I used to get up early to get a few jobs done first, but have recently been having an extra hour in bed, followed by some reading and a lazy morning.  I can't tell you just how revitalising it feels!

katejo

This week I discovered a FB group called Epic Retirement Club. It includes those already retired and those like myself who are preparing to stop. From all over the world so some interesting views. 

katejo

pterri said:

MetaPhysical said:

I've gotten to the stage that I actually hate (a big word, I know) work.  I am paid well and I am as professional as I can be but I see it as an imposition on me these days which is unfair on my employer since they are paying me.  They really should be getting a lot more out of me but at 57 I just CBA with it all and all the corporate BS anymore.  So I am in cruise mode and not learning new stuff or volunteering for more work or assignments since I'll be out in a year.  I'm at the stage I want to do what I want to do in my life.  The sun is shining today (for once) and I'd rather be on my bike or in the dales with my partner on a circular walk and a pub lunch than go through the torment of work.  I've done 41 years of it now and I've had enough.

MetaPhysical said:

I've gotten to the stage that I actually hate (a big word, I know) work.  I am paid well and I am as professional as I can be but I see it as an imposition on me these days which is unfair on my employer since they are paying me.  They really should be getting a lot more out of me but at 57 I just CBA with it all and all the corporate BS anymore.  So I am in cruise mode and not learning new stuff or volunteering for more work or assignments since I'll be out in a year.  I'm at the stage I want to do what I want to do in my life.  The sun is shining today (for once) and I'd rather be on my bike or in the dales with my partner on a circular walk and a pub lunch than go through the torment of work.  I've done 41 years of it now and I've had enough.

Yep, it was a sunny day on Monday. I’d have loved to cycle up to one of the central London parks, grab a sarni and a coffee and watch the ducks. I’m a very simple soul. Instead I was drafting a document that I know will be a stress to get signed 9ff and then no one will ever read it again. 

I was WFH in London on Monday. I longed to go out and do something else! I did take a short break but felt a bit guilty and returned home after about an hour.