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I'm retired one week and want to go back, how crazy is that
03-24-2014, 02:25 PM
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#1
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Confused about dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3
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I'm retired one week and want to go back, how crazy is that
I just retired last Monday ( St. Patrick's Day) and already I'm sorry. I have a very decent pension and my wife is still working, so its not the money but the finality of being out of the real work force has me not sleeping . Is this normal? Any advice or comments are appreciated.
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03-24-2014, 02:31 PM
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#2
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Recycles dryer sheets
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: in the sticks
Posts: 473
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Did you retire because you had achieved your "number" or because you thought you had achieved all of your career goals and were ready to step out of the rat race?
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03-24-2014, 02:35 PM
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#3
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Confused about dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3
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Combination of both I guess.
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03-24-2014, 02:36 PM
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#4
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Twin Cities
Posts: 523
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03-24-2014, 02:39 PM
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#5
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sarasota, FL & Vermont
Posts: 36,376
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It is normal. Retirement is a big change, and change is hard. Give yourself some time to get used to it and use that time to think through what you want to do with your new-found free time.
__________________
If something cannot endure laughter.... it cannot endure.
Patience is the art of concealing your impatience.
Slow and steady wins the race.
Retired Jan 2012 at age 56
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03-24-2014, 02:40 PM
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#6
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Colorado Mountains
Posts: 3,165
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Hi sanman87,
This could be a great thread. Usually all we see are folks that retire and love it. It would be great to explore the down side a little bit. Maybe we can help you figure out where you might want to go from here. There are lots of folks with different experiences while retiring here so stick around and see what some have to say. Hope you get things figured out so you feel better about your situation. In my case, the last two times I have seen my old boss, he as asked me to come back to work, so maybe something like that could work for you if you decide retirement just isn't for you quite yet.
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03-24-2014, 02:42 PM
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Eastern WV Panhandle
Posts: 25,346
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Some measure of unease/misgivings is more the norm than the exception, based on what I've read here over the years.
If you haven't you do need to think about what you want to do with the time that you used to spend at work. Most find it a new-found freedom.
For starters, I'd suggest the longest-running thread on this forum, what did you do today? That'll keep you busy for the next couple of weeks and if you don't get some ideas from that, well, I don't have a good answer for you.
Welcome to the forum!
__________________
When I was a kid I wanted to be older. This is not what I expected.
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03-24-2014, 02:44 PM
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#8
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Confused about dryer sheets
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3
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I am going to get that book. I'm also going to stick around and see what others might be saying. Thanks.
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03-24-2014, 02:45 PM
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#9
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: GTA
Posts: 1,728
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A friend of mine has recently semi ER'd and he had the same sort of "panic attack" about being aimless and adrift. And he is mildly Type A.. lol
From what I have read it isn't unheard of. When I pull the plug, I'm thinking about giving myself a little vacation time and then having a project or big trip planned that will take up a lot of my time to plan/"work" on, to ease the transition. You might think of tasking yourself with a similar big challenge...
__________________
Family Motto: "Every penny's a prisoner"
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03-24-2014, 03:18 PM
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#10
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 783
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I retired Feb. 28, so I have about 4 weeks experience with early retirement. I admit that I still think about the old job but I really don't understand why. I was really stressed out and couldn't wait to get out of there. Instead of getting up at 4:50 AM to get in my exercise before work, I can now sleep in till about 6:30 AM. Other than that, so far, the days seem to fly by, and I can relate to the old saying "how did I ever have time to work 8 hours a day?" I have a couple of projects but I am going to work on them as the mood hits. When nice weather finally arrives I will have way more projects than I can ever accomplish so I won't get bored.
Maybe I would not feel the same if DW was still working. We like the new found freedom to take off on the spur of the moment. It also helped a bit that we just got back from a week down in Key West that was a sort of retirement celebration.
No way would I want to go back to work.
__________________
***********
My motto is.... "a dollar saved is better than a dollar earned. I don't pay tax on the dollar I saved."
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03-24-2014, 03:24 PM
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#11
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 11,078
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Took me months to be able to sleep. I got over it, I'm sure you will too.
Congratulations,
MRG
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03-24-2014, 03:27 PM
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#12
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 2,745
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I don't think it's crazy. I'm planning to RE shortly and it worries me, too. But I won't look back.
After giving yourself ample time and opportunity, if retirement still does not work for you, I hope you can go back to work. Good luck & best wishes.
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03-24-2014, 04:01 PM
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#13
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: NC
Posts: 21,305
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I wouldn't conclude anything after a week, retirement is a significant milestone. It took me a good month to fully grasp that I really was retired. Thankfully it's rare, but I think about my former job occasionally even after almost 3 years retired. And I certainly miss many of the working relationships, but not the job itself or Corporate AT ALL.
__________________
No one agrees with other people's opinions; they merely agree with their own opinions -- expressed by somebody else. Sydney Tremayne
Retired Jun 2011 at age 57
Target AA: 50% equity funds / 45% bonds / 5% cash
Target WR: Approx 1.5% Approx 20% SI (secure income, SS only)
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03-24-2014, 04:05 PM
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#14
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: South central PA
Posts: 3,486
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I'm currently reading How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free and it has some very concrete and useful exercises. Getting some physical exercise often helps with sleep problems, and now you have the time to do it.
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I'm retired one week and want to go back, how crazy is that
03-24-2014, 04:37 PM
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#15
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Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: midwestern city
Posts: 4,061
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I'm retired one week and want to go back, how crazy is that
One of the reasons why I keep working is to have no regret when leaving my profession. I want to make sure FIRE is right at the time of my choosing.
__________________
Very conservative with investments. Not ER'd yet, 48 years old. Please do not take anything I write or imply as legal, financial or medical advice directed to you. Contact your own financial advisor, healthcare provider, or attorney for financial, medical and legal advice.
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03-24-2014, 04:50 PM
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#16
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 47,501
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sanman87
I am going to get that book. I'm also going to stick around and see what others might be saying. Thanks.
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I am glad you are going to get that book, because I have heard it is terrific.
I had a very easy adjustment, but those last few weeks before retirement can be a little nerve-wracking. Questions arising from my uncertainty came to my mind like, "Will it happen?", "Will something unexpected prevent me from retiring?", "Am I old and irrelevant?", and "Am I really financially ready?". I can imagine how this barrage of self-talk could become overwhelming, especially if anything even a little negative really did happen to set me off. Just a thoughtless or unkind word from someone early in my retirement might have freaked me out, in that fairly twitchy state of mind. Luckily that did not happen, but it could have.
Oh, did I mention that I felt kind of lost? No direction, nothing that I had to do, free to be me! I didn't know what to do next (but I resolved that feeling by going to the gym or shopping when I felt "at sea" like that).
Cut yourself a little slack - - adjustment to retirement is a big accomplishment and sometimes takes a while. Your feelings don't mean that you made a mistake; they just mean that you are going to relax, unwind, think about your decision, and hopefully come to some sort of peace with it.
__________________
Already we are boldly launched upon the deep; but soon we shall be lost in its unshored, harbourless immensities. - - H. Melville, 1851.
Happily retired since 2009, at age 61. Best years of my life by far!
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03-24-2014, 05:42 PM
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#18
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 14,328
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Maybe what you are feeling is like buyer's remorse. Sometimes it just takes a while to orient yourself to a new reality and quit second guessing a decision.
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03-24-2014, 07:22 PM
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#19
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Full time employment: Posting here.
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 513
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Its just another chapter in your life. It took me about 24 hours before I adjusted I was almost 65 and wanted out. The no stress part is what I really enjoy, especially not having to deal with drama in the workforce and a boss .
My body had aged where I was having a tough time getting through the day. Aches and pains that I did not have when I was young had set in.
If I want now I just sleep late and care less if I accomplish anything. I have more time to walk and read. I also like to play golf and can play most anytime I want. It has been over two years for me and so far I have loved it. I see no way I could ever go back working full time.
I hope I have saved enough but one never knows . I have no debt which helps. If my wife was not retired I might look at it different.
I have a 1st cousin same age as me that has been retired for 15 months. His wife still works and I think sometimes she gets an attitude on him because he is not working . Its seem to be best when both husband and wife retire about the same time. Oldtrig
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03-24-2014, 07:27 PM
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#20
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Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 18,085
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I had a rough time the first couple months, but now I am doing way better. Give it time.
__________________
"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."
- George Orwell
Ezekiel 23:20
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