Countdown to Retirement

SMcGill

1. If your employer offers private healthcare then make the most of that. 
2. If you get staff discounts at retailers then same as above e.g. many employers offer cycle discounts
3. Relish every annual review / report / conference etc in the certain knowledge it’s the last one you’ll ever have to suffer

Florafauna

I'm retiring at the end of the school year and have no plans and no timetable. Planning to just let the world turn and then decide what I'd like to do

LHW99

September will feel like a whole new world

sgx2000

Love it....

Dorian1958

After much reflection I decided to leave work during Christmas 6 years ago and gave notice mid January to leave at the end of April, 2 weeks after my 60th birthday. Spring time was a fantastic time to finish and the weather was lovely then in 2018. The timing was partly because I  could financially, but also the feeling I was "done" with work having been fully committed up to that point.  I didn't want to drift through months and months of waiting to go. One thing I had noticed over years of work  was that immediately anyone decides to leave they're yesterdays people - their views and opinions are politely listened to but usually ignored - I didn't want to be in that position for any longer than I needed to. The joke is that people articulate about how you'll be missed and wonder what they'll do without you, whereas in fact the business will get on fine without you.  People will immediately be jockeying into position to fill the hole so hand over stuff to any willing hands and don't kill yourself trying to finish off never ending tasks.  My plan on leaving was to " do nothing " for 6 months,  by which I mean not rush to fill the time with volunteering and committees etc. I just tinkered around,  sorting out DIY and being more physically active. Sure its important to think about what to do, but you also need time to decompress.  The first few months felt like being on holiday,  not worrying about the clock, a great feeling. So I waited before heading off on holiday,  after all I had time to plan ahead.  It took about a year before I woke up in the morning without thinking about work or what I might have been doing that day in the office.  6 years on I've dropped a stone without even planning to do so and my health and fitness have never been better. Relationships are more valued and developed also.  This is a golden time which I'm much appreciating.  Good luck.

bigfer

never, ever get a dog.

handful

bigfer said:

never, ever get a dog.

That on the face of it seems like quite a controversial statement, especially if you are a huge dog lover but I am retiring in 3 weeks and our dog who is 11 next week will be the biggest constraint on what we do and where we go and for how long! 

When the poor old girl departs we will definitely not be rushing into getting another dog, for probably the first time in my life. Fortunately we often look after our daughter's so we will be able to get our dog "fix" when we have her. That will have to be on our terms though, in between long motorhome trips to some far flung locations around Europe!

GSP

TIME - You can never get it back.

Leave as soon as you can, who knows what may happen to you or loved ones in those 6,9,12 months you decide to stay on.
TIME - You can never get it back, it’s the most precious thing.

MallyGirl

handful said:

bigfer said:

never, ever get a dog.

That on the face of it seems like quite a controversial statement, especially if you are a huge dog lover but I am retiring in 3 weeks and our dog who is 11 next week will be the biggest constraint on what we do and where we go and for how long! 

When the poor old girl departs we will definitely not be rushing into getting another dog, for probably the first time in my life. Fortunately we often look after our daughter's so we will be able to get our dog "fix" when we have her. That will have to be on our terms though, in between long motorhome trips to some far flung locations around Europe!

So true. Our old girl is nearly 14 and the vet said she wouldn't make Xmas 2023. She's still here but we can't take her many places and we won't put her in kennels so most travel is on hold. We use a dog&house sitter if we go somewhere but that is hassle and significant expense. Our 'young' dog is 10 1/2 but we can at least use kennels again once he is an only dog.

cfw1994

Spring is, I agree, the best time to step away.
Days getting longer, summer things to do….

I chose to cycle LEJoG, solo….although a dozen pals met me at various points along the way.  A great way (for me) to de stress from a lifetime of work!
Maybe chose some challenge for yourself for that first month or two, & spend the next 56 weeks project managing it!

Build up a list of different things you like doing: might be crafts, sports, reading, films, walking, holidays, DIY, family-things, friends, etc etc etc….
Then build a sub list along each, with as many things as as you like…..
Then mentally figure out how to juggle the far-too-many things you will have to do!