Ready
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Since this is an early retirement forum, it follows that most of the members are here because they are enjoying being retired. But that doesn't mean it's all pros and no cons.
As I have shared in many posts over the years, for me it's been mostly positive, but with some challenges along the way. I still work part time, but only a few hours a day, from my home, so pretty low stress. However, I still struggle with the amount of free, unstructured time I have. It doesn't always feel natural to me.
In addition, I find that working on some really challenging issues keeps me mentally stimulated, and at present I only am able to get these challenges from my work. So I find myself in a situation where if I stopped working completely, I think I would be a bit bored and unsatisfied.
I exercise three hours a day, I think I have a fair number of hobbies to keep me busy, and I'm generally a positive person. Most of my social contacts still comes from work, which is probably part of my problem. I'm naturally an introvert, so work keeps me socially connected in ways I would not be if I was fully retired.
There's much to think about as you prepare to leave the working world and transition to a world where you have as much free time as you wish to have. Some people keep busy with family, kids, pets, church, volunteer work, or just going fishing every day. People with a lot of these activities generally seem to find retirement most satisfying.
However, for those of us who spent their careers fully immersed in what they do, a departure from that world can be a bit of a shock. Take your time to think about what your lifestyle will be like in retirement, and if possible, consider shifting from full time to part time as a trial period to see what it feels like.
Good luck with whatever you decide!
As I have shared in many posts over the years, for me it's been mostly positive, but with some challenges along the way. I still work part time, but only a few hours a day, from my home, so pretty low stress. However, I still struggle with the amount of free, unstructured time I have. It doesn't always feel natural to me.
In addition, I find that working on some really challenging issues keeps me mentally stimulated, and at present I only am able to get these challenges from my work. So I find myself in a situation where if I stopped working completely, I think I would be a bit bored and unsatisfied.
I exercise three hours a day, I think I have a fair number of hobbies to keep me busy, and I'm generally a positive person. Most of my social contacts still comes from work, which is probably part of my problem. I'm naturally an introvert, so work keeps me socially connected in ways I would not be if I was fully retired.
There's much to think about as you prepare to leave the working world and transition to a world where you have as much free time as you wish to have. Some people keep busy with family, kids, pets, church, volunteer work, or just going fishing every day. People with a lot of these activities generally seem to find retirement most satisfying.
However, for those of us who spent their careers fully immersed in what they do, a departure from that world can be a bit of a shock. Take your time to think about what your lifestyle will be like in retirement, and if possible, consider shifting from full time to part time as a trial period to see what it feels like.
Good luck with whatever you decide!