Retiring early after being in command...prescription for a freak out?

[SteveR]

good post
i have been the "boss" for 20 years and think of this often when i think of early retirement...

Being the "boss" for decades (30+ years in my case) has an effect on your expecations of how others treat you to some extent. In the work environment I am currently "king" of my domain. There is no one higher in my department and my nearest boss is 1500 miles away. Most of my working life has been spent as a boss of some form or another; supervisor, manager, department manager, multi-site manager, director, etc. so "being in command" has been a major part of my life.

Leaving that role behind can be a shock to some people who have not had a life outside of their work role. I learned a long time ago that there are two of me; my work me and my non-work me. I am not the same at home as I am at work and vice versa. If I were I know I would have a really rough time in ER with no one to cater to my ego or do my bidding. LOL! But for some this is a major issue and one not to be taken lightly.

Know who you are before you leave otherwise it could be really tough on the self esteem.

Think about what your day will be like before you leave the job. Write a list and see if these are the things you will be happy doing for the next 30 years or so. Don't include travel and cruises unless you plan on doing them full time. If you life seems too empty, see if you can fill some of those hours with a hobby, volunteer work or even...gulp.. a part time job.

Retirement should be something you GO TO rather than being a job you run AWAY FROM.

 

[Cut-Throat]

Retirement should be something you GO TO rather than being a job you run AWAY FROM.

Yeah, but having been AWAY FROM my job for over 5 years now, I still get an immense amount of satisfaction from it! - In fact I used to have a saying when I was at work when some A**Hole was making life miserable for me - "They are only making my retirement that much more enjoyable!

 

[Fireup2020]

Each of my customers/clients (they are all transitioning veterans) - gets my two cents on this topic. Transitional stress can suck! Typically 6-9 mos after retirement or separation after at least 2 enlistments is when it creeps up on you. (Been there done that one too - wish someone had forewarned me)

All I try to do is plant the seed, so down that road when they are cranky, borderline depressed, spouse ready to kill them and vice versa....it can be recognized for what it is - and it is just a normal phase of transitioning.