I'm retiring fall of 2019, still about 2.5 years away, but I'm obsessed - I can't stop thinking about it and counting down the days. And my job isn't even that bad. Any advice for how to get out of this obsessive mentality? I really want to enjoy every moment of my life and not waste time and energy wishing I could fast forward into the future (however nice that future sounds).
Living in the moment
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pacergal
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Believe me, the time will go by faster than you think. I started a retirement countdown on my phone at 1000 days.
I ran all the financial calculators I could find, started reading book after book.
The one book that slowed me down and had me really thinking day to day about what I wanted my life to be was Ernie Zelinski "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free". His Get a Life Tree is a wonderful eyeopening, thought provoking approach that had me stop thinking about "retiring" and more focus about what I wanted the rest of my life to look like.
My last year had ups and downs, but really did go by quickly. You will get there!
I ran all the financial calculators I could find, started reading book after book.
The one book that slowed me down and had me really thinking day to day about what I wanted my life to be was Ernie Zelinski "How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free". His Get a Life Tree is a wonderful eyeopening, thought provoking approach that had me stop thinking about "retiring" and more focus about what I wanted the rest of my life to look like.
My last year had ups and downs, but really did go by quickly. You will get there!
NW-Bound
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Not the 1st time a poster talks about this. I think you have to stay off this forum. Else, seeing retirees talk of goofing around all day or taking naps at noon will drive you nuts.
SumDay
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I could have written this. In fact, I think I will.
My obsession started at about 2.5 years. We are now right at 1 year.
Dash man
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Nemo2
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I'm 74 1/2, my obsession with quitting work started 60 1/2 years ago.......I called it my "31.5 Step Program" and stopped all this work nonsense age 46.
Please buy my book.
Please buy my book.
Fedup
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I never let myself think about retirement until 6 months. I mean it was very hard.
But retirement isn't all about taking naps, but you could be out there cutting roses and have lots of scratches from the roses. It can be painful. Retirement isn't always a bed of roses so to speak.
But retirement isn't all about taking naps, but you could be out there cutting roses and have lots of scratches from the roses. It can be painful. Retirement isn't always a bed of roses so to speak.
NW-Bound
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But the fact that you can take a nap after trimming your roses if you want to is a big deal. You may choose to not nap and spend time surfing the Web and BS'ing here on this forum. It's your choice.
You cannot do the above after a tedious meeting at work. You have to go back to your desk, and even if you are tired, pretend to work.
You cannot do the above after a tedious meeting at work. You have to go back to your desk, and even if you are tired, pretend to work.
DrRoy
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My countdown has 2 days left! Of course I have been thinking about it, but the time did not really start to slow up on me until a month or two ago. Over the last 5 years DW and I started taking much nicer, bigger, longer vacations and that helped.
Fedup
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I do all the above at work except trimming my roses.
NW-Bound
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Bad, very bad. 
PS. I recall now at megacorp, on Friday workers tended to go out together for lunch outside the campus. When they went back to work, the Internet was slow like heck. They were surfin'.
PS. I recall now at megacorp, on Friday workers tended to go out together for lunch outside the campus. When they went back to work, the Internet was slow like heck. They were surfin'.
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stepford
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One foot in front of the other. That was my mantra for the last 2-3 years at work (I was in a perpetual OMY for that time). It did seem interminable, but focusing on short term goals helped.
Fedup
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I've been napping at work since my first job in college. It's called work smarter not harder.Bad, very bad.
PS. I recall now at megacorp, on Friday workers tended to go out together for lunch outside the campus. When they went back to work, the Internet was slow like heck. They were surfin'.
NW-Bound
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Totally agree.
Management was the problem, as they did not think so. Or they said "smart + hard > smart or hard alone".
Management was the problem, as they did not think so. Or they said "smart + hard > smart or hard alone".
CardsFan
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I found that reading this site was a way to "fast forward" by seeing how others were enjoying the retired life. I did not join until close to retirement, but probably viewed for 5 years prior.
We also started taking more frequent and elaborate vacations, while still working. No more days of cancelling a vacation because of a client, or burning the days at the end of the year. Someone else COULD handle the client, and they would HAVE to when I leave. I let them practice while I could still jump in later, if needed.
Danmar
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Stop "counting the days, hours, seconds, etc" It will just make it seem longer. Spend more time and more mobey now, doing things you think you will do in retirement. .
Just_Steve
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I started counting the days the day I said the following words.
"I do hereby pledge and declare that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the States of New York, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the position of ____________________ according to the best of my ability."
Then 25 years later it was all over.
"I do hereby pledge and declare that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the States of New York, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the position of ____________________ according to the best of my ability."
Then 25 years later it was all over.
grasshopper
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When I saw the thread title, I instantly thought wow A New World.
Good reply. I'm turning 74 in a month or so. I was gonna work forever. I'm smarter now.
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