Retirement #2

[lem1955]

My profile says I retired at 60 at the end of 2015. But that's not exactly right. Retirement was my intention and I had 4 or 5 months without any paid work until I got recruited for a very part time consulting position with a non-profit I had admired for a long time. The ED agreed to all my conditions and I've had the pleasure of working with great staff and a dynamic board since then. During this last Covid quarantine year, the work and connection to others through Zoom provided meaning to my days. But I'm eager to travel again and play with more friends. So I've given notice that this will be last year. Unlike the last time I said I was retiring, I have no financial concerns. But I wonder if I will regret the loss of deep engagement with a dedicated group of people. I know I can always add more volunteer board work to my plate, but that doesn't provide quite the same depth of involvement. I have about 6 more months to get used to the idea and train my replacement, (which will be fun. I hand-picked her.). I think this will be Retirement for Real, this time. We will see.

 

[brokrken]

I think you will definitely miss the engagement, so you'll have to find something to fill that void. Perhaps you'll do it with other Board work or meeting people via your travels. But, being a very social person myself, the lack of interaction with colleagues scares me about retirement. The pandemic has only raised those fears. Zoom calls are just different. I am seriously considering pushing my date back, not for lack of funds, but for lack of diverse intellectual interaction.

 

[ERhoosier]

lem1955


I resemble your remarks


I ERed 7 yrs ago, got bored, got recruited into consulting (by friend of a relative), consulting expanded into return to FT w@rk with a great group of professional colleagues, and now set to enter Retirement #2 in June.



I just tell everyone I failed at retirement the first time so had do the 'refresher course'



Seriously- retirement means the freedom to engage as deeply or 'shallowly' as you like. Many not-for-profit boards are happy to take whatever experienced assistance they can get.

Good Luck whatever you decide for your future!

 

[novaman]

Similar story here. Sold my dental practice in May 2018 and agreed to stay with the new owner up to 1 year at about a day a week. This ended up lasting until the end of 2019.

At that point I figured I would be moving to a phase of just volunteer work at a charity dental clinic so I ramped that up to 2 half days a week. But then Covid hit and shut everything down.

In June a dentist friend of mine called out of the blue and asked if I’d be interested in helping him in his struggling practice. I gave him my terms- no more that 1.5 days a week, I wasn’t willing to hustle on a packed schedule, and I wanted to be able to take time off whenever I want to travel. He said “yes”.

I’ve been there for 11 months now, but with things opening back up and the chance to travel more coming back online I’m wondering how much longer I really want to keep doing it.

I enjoy the social interaction with patients and staff and the ability to continue to practice the full scope of dentistry, but no matter how relaxed I make my schedule there is still some stress in dealing with patients and doing procedures.

At this point I’m taking it month by month.

 

[pacergal]

I retired end of 2016, have been asked back on call 4 times.
I don't work more than 1-2 days a week, this last time back, have only worked 2 days/month. I like the occasional social aspect, but really enjoy not engaging in any of the politics.
I still consider myself retired!
I guess if I was working full time, doing what I did prior to retirement, I might feel differently.
Whatever you call it, enjoy leaving your work place and calling your time your own

 

[Dtail]

Hope it is.
Time>Money.

 

[Koolau]

Once retired, a good friend told me he didn't know how he ever had time to w*rk. I took that to heart and have avoided TOO many entanglements. I never want to awake and found I've over committed myself. I did plenty of that when I was w*rking. Not any more. Still, I like to help. I just put my own limits on my own time. YMMV

 

[Winemaker]

I loved my job and the people that w*rked for me. We set daily goals, and w*rked the shift to accomplish that. It was the back stabbing upper management people who drove me off. Screw them, retirement #1 is so sweet.

 

[Bamaman]

Similar story here. Sold my dental practice in May 2018 and agreed to stay with the new owner up to 1 year at about a day a week. This ended up lasting until the end of 2019.
At that point I figured I would be moving to a phase of just volunteer work at a charity dental clinic so I ramped that up to 2 half days a week. But then Covid hit and shut everything down.
In June a dentist friend of mine called out of the blue and asked if I’d be interested in helping him in his struggling practice. I gave him my terms- no more that 1.5 days a week, I wasn’t willing to hustle on a packed schedule, and I wanted to be able to take time off whenever I want to travel. He said “yes”.
I’ve been there for 11 months now, but with things opening back up and the chance to travel more coming back online I’m wondering how much longer I really want to keep doing it.
I enjoy the social interaction with patients and staff and the ability to continue to practice the full scope of dentistry, but no matter how relaxed I make my schedule there is still some stress in dealing with patients and doing procedures.
At this point I’m taking it month by month.

A relative I lived with in college sold his dental practice after 30 years at 55 years old. He got a little tired of golfing and joined the National Guard as a dentist. He ended up going to Iraq and Afghanistan working on the troops, and really enjoyed his time in service. He just had to retire at the mandatory age of 70 but wouldn't take anything for his part time gig.

 

[EllisWyatt]

Currently in Retirement v3.0.
First retirement lasted 6 months - I missed the technical challenges and interpersonal interactions., so went back to work for 1 more year.
Second retirement started 6 years later (was enjoying myself and had the classic 1MY syndrome) and lasted 4 years. Turns out I really missed the technical challenge.
Third and final(?) retirement began 8 months later When I realized that enjoyment of solving technical challenges wasn't enough to put up with management nonsense.

It's been 3 years now - I think this retirement will stick.

Turns out that - for me - retirement is like playing an instrument... It takes practice to get good at it.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

I'm starting to think about retirement #2.

Retirement #1 was in 2009.
2010 - some consulting work and then "taught a class" (programming) at a local college as an adjunct in Fall 2010. Followed by two classes, then three and eventually went full time starting in 2014. Now tenured.

While I still love teaching, I'm now trying to plan out when I should call it a day. A minor hook is a teachers retirement pension if I stay until 65/10years, which is under two years away. While it won't change my life, it is still an excellent deal (actuarially) vs. the amount of money they took from my salary. [ I would get back my contributions with interest if I didn't stay until 65/10 years.]

I've already got my classes scheduled for Fall 21, so on that front I'm committed. (I guess I could tell them I changed my mind but that wouldn't be nice.)

 

[Koolau]

I'm starting to think about retirement #2.

Retirement #1 was in 2009.
2010 - some consulting work and then "taught a class" (programming) at a local college as an adjunct in Fall 2010. Followed by two classes, then three and eventually went full time starting in 2014. Now tenured.

While I still love teaching, I'm now trying to plan out when I should call it a day. A minor hook is a teachers retirement pension if I stay until 65/10years, which is under two years away. While it won't change my life, it is still an excellent deal (actuarially) vs. the amount of money they took from my salary. [ I would get back my contributions with interest if I didn't stay until 65/10 years.]

I've already got my classes scheduled for Fall 21, so on that front I'm committed. (I guess I could tell them I changed my mind but that wouldn't be nice.)

Heh, heh, "Do what you love and you'll never w*rk a day in your life." YMMV