Those Long Last Days Working Before Retirement...

[Midpack]

If there's been a thread on this I apologize, just point me to a link.

I still have 3 months to go (til 6/30), but the days just get longer and longer at work. At this rate, I will die out of boredom and distraction about June. I can't start anything too substantial, my organization is humming along like a top so they don't need me on a daily basis these days, and my likely replacement is interviewing on Monday.

I assume I just have to grin and bear it, but I wasn't prepared for the long days preceding the last day...

[huusom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack If there's been a thread on this I apologize, just point me to a link. I still have 3 months to go (til 6/30), but the days just get longer and longer at work. At this rate, I will die out of boredom and distraction about June. I can't start anything too substantial, my organization is humming along like a top so they don't need me on a daily basis these days, and my likely replacement is interviewing on Monday. I assume I just have to grin and bear it, but I wasn't prepared for the long days preceding the last day...

Do what I've been doing for the last 2 years. Spend your day reading this forums other that may interest you. I have 3 more years to go and it's getting harder and harder every day.

[cj]

I wish... I have 7 more working days to go and the past 3 months have been just about the busiest of my career here! One other person left, so there is a lot to get done, plus train other people and document everything. It doesn't help that there is an unusual flurry of work, and another woman is getting ready to go out on maternity leave.

But, MidPack, I can understand what you are saying. Being unchallenged and bored at work just makes the time go so much slower. Hang in there - the end is in sight!

[Blackwoodt]

Midpack - Daydream the time away, you will be retired in time to enjoy the summer. Plan a trip, I would say vacation, but since you will be retired you no longer take vacations!

Congrats on being in the class of 2011! Think of us poor people that have to endure the daily grind for another year

[travelover]

I've mentioned it before, but I started coming in late, taking a long lunch and leaving early. I also achieved a lot of internet research on topics of interest to me, especially investing and travel.

Think of it as practice for real retirement.

[67walkon]

There are a bunch of you who are KMA!

[W2R]

Hey Congratulations, Midpack! While you are waiting, why not start an official countdown. Is it 97 days from today?

Pretty soon you are going to notice in the mirror as a grin subtly starts to appear, and gradually broadens, day by day....

[powerplay]

Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! You will be there very soon and then the celebrating can begin.

The last year kind of dragged on for me. My last few months were spent documenting the things I had done and setting up a Wiki for my workgroup.

[Nodak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover I've mentioned it before, but I started coming in late, taking a long lunch and leaving early. I also achieved a lot of internet research on topics of interest to me, especially investing and travel. Think of it as practice for real retirement.

+1

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack I still have 3 months to go (til 6/30), but the days just get longer and longer at work. At this rate, I will die out of boredom and distraction about June. I can't start anything too substantial, my organization is humming along like a top so they don't need me on a daily basis these days, and my likely replacement is interviewing on Monday.

Six months from now you'll be marveling at how fast everything happened.

Sounds like it's time to give your pre-retirement checklist a good scrub, make a few doctor's/dentist's appointments, and work on Ernie Zelinski's "Get-A-Life Tree".

Might be time for long workouts at lunch, too. Invite the boss out for a round of tennis or golf. Whadda they gonna do, fire you?

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj But, MidPack, I can understand what you are saying. Being unchallenged and bored at work just makes the time go so much slower. Hang in there - the end is in sight!

It's not that I don't have enough to do, it's more that it's not as meaningful since I won't see the fruits of my labor on a lot of this or I have to put up with issues that won't matter to me in 3 months. That and my mind sporadically wanders into July. It's a strange sensation that I had not anticipated, but I'll survive.

I still come in on time and leave just after quitting time, but I have begun to let the standard deviation of my lunch duration and time slide a little...wild & crazy huh!

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover I've mentioned it before, but I started coming in late, taking a long lunch and leaving early. I also achieved a lot of internet research on topics of interest to me, especially investing and travel. Think of it as practice for real retirement.

This is exactly what I did I was mad busy through end of October working on the start up of a new production unit and then had 6 months of small stuff, handing over to others etc.

I also took 3 weeks vacation 'cos I couldn't wait for it all to happen. Those last 3 months were excruciating (I spent loads of time on er.org)

[W2R]

Not me. I kept eating at my desk as always right up to the last day of work, because it was my habit. Despite being on "flextime" I continued to arrive at work by 6:00 AM every morning... even on my last day of work. Old habits die hard sometimes.

I don't even get up by 6:00 any more, though! And now, I eat lunch at wonderful restaurants with a fascinating conversationalist instead of eating at my desk alone. I love being retired.

[scrabbler1]

In my final month of working, after I had announced my resignation, things had not changed a whole lot for me. I was working only 2 days a week and was working on only one project, one I was hoping I would finish in that final month.

I knew it would be close as to whether I would finish it and I wondered what would happen if I did not complete it. Nobody else could really do the work so would I work an extra day or two if I could not finish it? Not sure.

Anyway, I finished the project at about 4 PM on my last day, about 45 minutes before I left the office for the last time. I managed to go through my stuff, pack up my personal items, and sort through the mess of papers on my desk in a somewhat tidy manner, and quietly walked out the door for the last time, just the way I hoped it would end.

And I never looked back.

[RockyMtn]

Things got very slow for me as well as my replacement was named five months before I left and got up to speed quicky. Didn't feel right making decisions that would affect others after I left so I rightly got out of the way. I came in later, left earlier, had longer lunches and spent time getting all of my post work affairs in order. I also lined up a few consulting gigs to ease the transition out of the full time work environment and to keep a few $$$'s coming in. I felt guilty for oh.....about a day. Looks at it as a little seperation bonus!

[martyb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Not me. I kept eating at my desk as always right up to the last day of work, because it was my habit. Despite being on "flextime" I continued to arrive at work by 6:00 AM every morning... even on my last day of work. Old habits die hard sometimes.

Not me, I'm glad I never developed any of those nasty habits! With 1 yr,9 months left to work, I can honestly say I've only eaten lunch at my desk once in the last 2 yrs (yesterday, because I had a poorly timed on-line training class I had to attend that started at noon). I normally arrive for work fashionably late by about 5 minutes or so, and although I do sometimes have to stick around a little after my scheduled quitting time now & then, I try to make up for it on other days by leaving a few minutes early when nothing's really going on, and by padding my lunch break a little here & there. So...I guess I'm "practicing" too! Oh...and I do check in here on the ER.org daily as well...

[NeverBored]

Midpack, I'm right there with you, leaving 6/30/11. I have a list of projects that need to be finished, and am checking them off. Most of what is hanging over me is the documentation. For the last 10 years, no one else has done what I do, nor do they know how. Although I've kept good files, I'm now trying to write it all clearly out, step-by-step, as I do care about the people who will take over.

It is a surreal time.

[RockMonkey]

Oh man, these last ~23 years are really starting to drag.