Retiring at 61 but unsure

[Richard8655]

Retiring at the end of this month at 61. But still am nervous! Not only for financial security reasons, but feel I should still be working to be socially responsible and contributing. Is that weird, or is it the puritan guilt work ethic?

 

[REWahoo]

That's just wrong. Seek professional help if it lasts longer than four hours...

 

[inky]

You don't have to be in a paid position to contribute to society. Have you considered volunteering after you retire?

 

[UserRequested]

Is that weird, or is it the puritan guilt work ethic?

Dunno. The Oracle from Omaha is still working and making heaps of money (I think). And he gives a lot of it away.
To each his own , but you owe it to yourself to at least take time out for yourself. Perhaps go part time or as others have suggested do some volunteer work.

 

[redduck]

That's just wrong. Seek professional help if it lasts longer than four hours...

...or less than 28 seconds.

 

[Richard8655]

Dunno. The Oracle from Omaha is still working and making heaps of money (I think). And he gives a lot of it away.
To each his own , but you owe it to yourself to at least take time out for yourself. Perhaps go part time or as others have suggested do some volunteer work.

Thanks. Good thoughts and advice and from immediately preceding comment.

 

[Candy83]

Retiring at the end of this month at 61. But still am nervous! Not only for financial security reasons, but feel I should still be working to be socially responsible and contributing. Is that weird, or is it the puritan guilt work ethic?

I'm not sure what youi're getting it with "financial security." If your house is paid for, and you have income that allows you to go ahead and not work then that's good. If you don't, perhaps you shouldn't be retiring.

As for "socially responsible," volunteer work is good. That is where you can feel you're continuing to "contribute." But at the same time, you have been socially responsible with your many years' worth of work. And that certainly means you have also contributed.

I think you need to give yourself some time.

 

[obgyn65]

I agree with this answer.

You don't have to be in a paid position to contribute to society. Have you considered volunteering after you retire?

 

[chris2008]

The exercise of drawing your "get-a-life-tree" might help you to find fulfillment in retirement. Ernie Zielinski explains about it in
How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor: Ernie J. Zelinski: 9780969419495: Amazon.com: Books

This picture also illustrates it well:

 

[coolowl]

Legitimate concerns posted from the note that started this thread and the responses. I imagine many of us had those same concerns. It is a big change. I've been retired only half a year but I am pleasantly surprised by how quickly my thinking about work has changed. The things I used to worry about are gone, the things that bugged me daily are gone...what I used to think was so terribly important is now just a memory. And I love it.

I was a dedicated good employee and I made a difference. I cared and put my life into that job. But now...I'm glad I did all that but there's more to living than that job. And I don't regret retiring one bit.

 

[Walt34]

I figure that if I'm self-supporting and not being a burden on others I am being socially responsible. Anything beyond that is just extra.

Not to say that going beyond the minimum isn't a great thing to do but in police work I saw so many people who seemingly went out of their way to be a pain to others. The world would be a better place if those people just stayed home and watched TV. At least then they'd have been out of the way of those who do want to make things better.

 

[Nodak]

I figure that if I'm self-supporting and not being a burden on others I am being socially responsible. Anything beyond that is just extra.

Not to say that going beyond the minimum isn't a great thing to do but in police work I saw so many people who seemingly went out of their way to be a pain to others. The world would be a better place if those people just stayed home and watched TV. At least then they'd have been out of the way of those who do want to make things better.

+1

 

[oldtrig]

I had the same thing happen to me and it took a while for it to disappear. I am four years older than you but it does happen to some of us. I think the way we were brought up causes this. Guilt I am now over it and enjoy each and every day.
I could care less what others think of me. I do remember one time about 20 years ago my next door neighbor was watching me hit golf balls in my back yard. She came over and said, why are you not working? I told her I was having bad mental issues and needed to stop working because I thought I would harm someone including some of my neighbors She left me alone after that but still peaked out the back window if I was in my back yard during the work week.lol
Get over what others feel and enjoy your retirement. Once anyone reaches 60 most have worked enough.

 

[Midpack]

Retiring at the end of this month at 61. But still am nervous! Not only for financial security reasons, but feel I should still be working to be socially responsible and contributing. Is that weird, or is it the puritan guilt work ethic?

Nervous/uncertain never goes away entirely when one commits to retiring, it just reaches a tolerable level, unique to each of us. I'd say your abnormal if you have no nerves about it whatsover.

And work is socially responsible, contributing, necessary even noble , but as others have said, retirement doesn't have to be otherwise. You can contribute in many other ways, volunteering or even if just to make your families life better. As long as you don't

• drink all day
• sit in front of the boob tube all day,
• or surf internet forums all day repeating yourself ad infinitim,

you can still contribute in meaningful ways.

Gotta log off now...

 

[MBAustin]

I took the plunge at a much younger age and have struggled with this on and off. I'll second the motion to read Ernie Zelinski's books (my favorite is The Joy of Not Working) which have some good historical and global perspectives as well as helpful exercises as mentioned above. My solution (?) unfortunately was to overcommit to volunteer activities, as well as take on some limited consulting. I'm now finding myself too busy and looking forward to having some of my commitments wind down, as well as not feeling guilty about missing a meeting here and there to travel.

Good luck!

 

[H2ODude]

I sort of eased into it at 61, fully unemployed as of about 9 months ago. I experienced a lot of what you describe, but with time it really does go away. Volunteering can scratch the itch of self value. I left my longer term full time employment almost two years ago and I have not once wished I had not. With time, the idea of returning to what I used to do is just plain unacceptable.

I've read where making the adjustment to retirement can take a few years for some. I feel I'm way ahead of that curve, some just make it instantly. Give it time, but spend some time searching for things that give you what you may need, be it volunteering or hobbies. Good luck!

 

[braumeister]

Remind yourself that it was out of your control. A lot of us retired for medical reasons (allergic to work).

 

[HighRoller]

Retiring at the end of this month at 61. But still am nervous! Not only for financial security reasons, but feel I should still be working to be socially responsible and contributing. Is that weird, or is it the puritan guilt work ethic?

I do recall thinking the same thing just before I retired, however once I actually retired, I never thought about it again.

 

[Midpack]

I do recall thinking the same thing just before I retired, however once I actually retired, I never thought about it again.

I haven't given it much thought either, BUT I haven't lived through my first market correction without income. I know I won't panic sell anything, but I am sure I'll get a little anxious...we'll see.

Thank goodness there's so much market history/backtesting. I slept soundly through 87, 00 & 08 and every other blip, the first 2 times 100% in equities - and staying the course was richly (pun intended) rewarded every time...

 

[Donzo]

I've been free since 7/1/06. I had some trouble pulling the trigger to get free and then considered an offer from another company that I had worked with in my career job that I just left.....While I was hysterically happy to be free of mega pharma as a RM - I was concerned about spending instead of saving, concerned I would not be happy/bored, concerned I would not be contributing. Well, I can't believe how fast the last 6+ years has gone and how good I am at doing what ever I want to!
I do volunteer my time about 5-7 afternoons/evenings a month and have joined a few organizations that I "align" with.

Honestly I could not be happier and my DW is enjoying all of our freedom as well..........
Every person has a different reaction, but, you are not alone with your thoughts

 

[GT1 Doug]

Richard, I felt much the same way. Since, I didn't contribute to society, I didn't feel I was relevant anymore. What I found out was there are many other ways to be a useful member of society. For one, I now get to spend a lot more time with family, friends, and neighbors. I take my nieces and nephews fishing every chance I get. They like it (almost as much as I do) and I get to mentor them to be stewards of the environment. I have been able to help neighbors and friends with anything from projects around the house to building a house. The thanks I get are far more sincere than anything I ever got from work. I volunteer to help do wetlands restoration, plant mangroves and trap nuisance gators. I have time to be involved with the political process beyond just voting and maybe something good can come of it (but I am not holding my breath). And as my DW pointed out, by leaving the workforce, I opened up a job opportunity for someone else. Opportunities to help out seem to come up all the time. While I was working, I never had time for any of them. Now I get to pick and choose. In reality, if I continued to work another year or decade, I think would have still felt guilty when I left. I had to learn other ways to be useful for myself. Now after 9 months, I don't feel nearly as guilty. Particularly on Monday mornings.

 

[gerrym51]

I don't worry about it because i contriutred nothing to society

 

[UserRequested]

I don't worry about it because i contriutred nothing to society

LoL Like your sense of humour

 

[ERhoosier]

Agree with others that paid w#rk is NOT only way to "contribute". In fact I've often run accross w#rking folks who might make the world a better place if they stayed home in a rockin' chair watchin' the corn grow

 

[eytonxav]

Richard, I felt much the same way. Since, I didn't contribute to society, I didn't feel I was relevant anymore. What I found out was there are many other ways to be a useful member of society. For one, I now get to spend a lot more time with family, friends, and neighbors. I take my nieces and nephews fishing every chance I get. They like it (almost as much as I do) and I get to mentor them to be stewards of the environment. I have been able to help neighbors and friends with anything from projects around the house to building a house. The thanks I get are far more sincere than anything I ever got from work. I volunteer to help do wetlands restoration, plant mangroves and trap nuisance gators. I have time to be involved with the political process beyond just voting and maybe something good can come of it (but I am not holding my breath). And as my DW pointed out, by leaving the workforce, I opened up a job opportunity for someone else. Opportunities to help out seem to come up all the time. While I was working, I never had time for any of them. Now I get to pick and choose. In reality, if I continued to work another year or decade, I think would have still felt guilty when I left. I had to learn other ways to be useful for myself. Now after 9 months, I don't feel nearly as guilty. Particularly on Monday mornings.

From one Doug to another, nice post!