A funny thing happened this morning

[David1961]

I've been ER'd for a little over 2 months. When I was first starting to awaken this morning, I could see it was light outside and for about 2 seconds, I panicked and thought to myself "It's late - I better hurry up and get to work!". Then I realized that I don't have to do that anymore and turned around and went back to sleep. Nice feeling. And I still occasionally have dreams (or nightmares) about my former j*b. Wonder how long that will last.

 

[MBAustin]

I had the same thing happen a few times - not during the first few weeks (when it still felt like vacation) but over the next few months. The dreams/nightmares started about the same time and peaked at about 4 months after ER (about once a week) and then started to tail off. I don't specifically remember the last w*rk-related nightmare I had but it was probably more than a year ago. YMMV.

 

[Midpack]

I've been ER'd for a little over 2 months. When I was first starting to awaken this morning, I could see it was light outside and for about 2 seconds, I panicked and thought to myself "It's late - I better hurry up and get to work!". Then I realized that I don't have to do that anymore and turned around and went back to sleep. Nice feeling. And I still occasionally have dreams (or nightmares) about my former j*b. Wonder how long that will last.

Probably varies by individual. I'd guess it will happen less frequently as time passes until 'not at all.' After 17 months retired, it still happens to me, but very rarely (episodes months apart now). After working for decades, it's not surprising it takes a while to 'reprogram.'

I'm just glad I know what day of the week it is everyday. I've been told some retirees aren't sure on any given day without looking at a calendar...

 

[Nodak]

I've been told some retirees aren't sure on any given day without looking at a calendar...

That would be me.

 

[Mulligan]

You never know its all how crazy your mind works when you sleep. I never have any dreams/nightmares about my career job, but about once or twice a year I have some crazy dream about my job in high school or college. Sometimes in my dream I can hear myself think, I am old why am I working here again?

 

[Dreamer]

You never know its all how crazy your mind works when you sleep. I never have any dreams/nightmares about my career job, but about once or twice a year I have some crazy dream about my job in high school or college. Sometimes in my dream I can hear myself think, I am old why am I working here again?

This made me chuckle. I could see the same thing happening to me in a dream.

 

[HighRoller]

You never know its all how crazy your mind works when you sleep. I never have any dreams/nightmares about my career job, but about once or twice a year I have some crazy dream about my job in high school or college. Sometimes in my dream I can hear myself think, I am old why am I working here again?

+1 I've been retired for 8 months now and haven't dreamed at all about my last job, which I had for well over 25 years. But I have had dreams about a job I had 30 to 40 yeras ago...

 

[Bram]

I have been retired 9.5 yrs and still have the rare (1 or 2/year) job nightmare.

 

[travelover]

......... But I have had dreams about a job I had 30 to 40 years ago...

Me, too. I dream that I haven't delivered the papers on my paper route for a week and the customers are all mad at me.

 

[Purron]

I still occasionally have dreams (or nightmares) about my former j*b. Wonder how long that will last.

I still have those dreams quite often and it's been a few years. I think I'm the weird one here though. I've written about it here before and for most work dreams appear to fade pretty quickly.

 

[ronin]

Never dreamed about (former) work. But I dream about the dojo.

 

[MooreBonds]

I've been ER'd for a little over 2 months. When I was first starting to awaken this morning, I could see it was light outside and for about 2 seconds, I panicked and thought to myself "It's late - I better hurry up and get to work!". Then I realized that I don't have to do that anymore and turned around and went back to sleep. Nice feeling. And I still occasionally have dreams (or nightmares) about my former j*b. Wonder how long that will last.

Well, despite having finished college 13 years ago, as recently as perhaps within the past 8 months, I still have a periodic dream about it being a few weeks before classes end, and somehow I ended up missing classes all semester long and have no chance of passing...or the occasional "crap, I just missed my final exam!" dream.

I'm sure a psychologist might attribute it to some other subconscious thought which is merely manifesting itself through that mental construct....but it doesn't make the feeling of dread any less real in the dream!

 

[Purron]

Never dreamed about (former) work. But I dream about the dojo.

OK, go on.....

 

[imoldernu]

And I still occasionally have dreams (or nightmares) about my former j*b. Wonder how long that will last.

Last job was 28 years ago. One of my major responsibilities was giving (sometimes long) presentations to large groups (200 plus). The recurring dream reprises an actual event... Stepping up to the podium with speech folder in hand... opening it up and... no speech. Other times, searching for, but not finding the place where the speech is to be given, knowing the audience is waiting. Waking up in a cold sweat... usually happens after a late night snack.

As I get older, it takes longer to come back to reality after night terrors. Fortunately it only happens a few times each year.

 

[Mulligan]

+1 I've been retired for 8 months now and haven't dreamed at all about my last job, which I had for well over 25 years. But I have had dreams about a job I had 30 to 40 yeras ago...

Wouldn't it be nice to know why are brains do this? I mean, it's not like I think about that period of my life any, nor do I want to be young again. So why the heck does it pop up out of the blue in a dream? Moorebonds, I have had that dream about missing classes all semester then feel the dread of an impending F for the class. I wasn't a serial class skipper so I don't know where those dreams come from either.

 

[Nords]

And I still occasionally have dreams (or nightmares) about my former j*b. Wonder how long that will last.

10 years and counting... but I no longer wake up shouting orders.

I'm just glad I know what day of the week it is everyday. I've been told some retirees aren't sure on any given day without looking at a calendar...

You're not shopping for the right retirement gifts!

 

[Purron]

Wouldn't it be nice to know why are brains do this? I mean, it's not like I think about that period of my life any, nor do I want to be young again. So why the heck does it pop up out of the blue in a dream? Moorebonds, I have had that dream about missing classes all semester then feel the dread of an impending F for the class. I wasn't a serial class skipper so I don't know where those dreams come from either.

Yeah Mulligan, in addition to the work dreams, I've had the missing a class dreams. I think I need therapy

Or Hawaii

 

[Midpack]

10 years and counting... but I no longer wake up shouting orders.

You're not shopping for the right retirement gifts!

Along the same lines, my parents have had one very similar to this in their kitchen for many years...

 

[Redbugdave]

The nightmares/dreams you have sound like a classic case of PTWD.

Post-Traumatic Working Disorder. The doctor says you need to go fishing more often...

On the serious side...After doing something for so many years I don't see how you can completely turn off or forget a good portion of your life. Most dreams are forgotten or not remembered the next day. It's interesting those are the ones that are remembered. I'm not retired yet so I don't have those type of dreams.

 

[scrabbler1]

Can't say I have had any work dreams but I did have a bad dream about missing a college class even though I finished college in 1985.

As far as not knowing what day it is, that has happened a few times since I ERed. Also, with this time of year having a very early sunset, I have somtimes awakened from my afternoon naps to see it is dark outside and inside, leading me to panic that I "overslept" my nap and am missing my evening activities. Then I check the clock to see it is only 4:45 PM and my little panic attack ends.

 

[easysurfer]

I know that feeling as I still have recurring w*rk dreams. But usually, they always end well as sometime during that dream, I realize that I've since retired.

Even a few years since retiring, a few months ago I had that split-second feeling like "I better get off the couch and get ready for w*rk in the morning."

 

[truenorth418]

I still have w*rk related dreams after over a year retired. I sometimes wake with a start at 4 am from a dream where I am late for a meeting or having trouble with a particular co-worker. It's never a particularly pleasant feeling, but not exactly a nightmare either. I don't recall having these dreams in the days following my retirement but I have been having them more recently. I have been having coffees and dinners with old co-workers so I suspect that might be part of it.