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Old 10-17-2009, 11:07 AM   #21
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I was told of this guy at a previous Megacorp. In his 50s, while in the last few months of work waiting to finalize his early retirement plan, he was diagnosed with cancer. He couldn't retire now, because he only had pension but no insurance coverage in retirement. He had to come to work on and off and on long-term disability when permitted while pursuing treatment. He died a "worker" within a year.

So, what's a guy to do?
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Old 10-17-2009, 12:26 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mickeyd View Post
Do many people retire/not retire because they think that they may die soon? It was a non-factor for me.
There are hundreds of posts on this forum about how you had better retire quick or you just might die at your desk. I could never really understand the sentiment, but it appears to have been a factor for many.

Remember the bucket list?

Ha
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Old 10-17-2009, 12:42 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by HPPH View Post
A new study shows that people who give up work completely are less healthy than those who carry on in a part time job.

It found they experience fewer serious diseases and are able to function better day-to-day than those who stop working altogether.

Those staying on in part-time jobs related to their previous career are also likely to fare better mentally than those who drop everything.
Heh. "Correlation doesn't imply causation, but it does waggle its eyebrows suggestively and gesture furtively while mouthing 'look over there'. "

Perhaps the people who gave up work completely constitutes a pool that contains not just healthy active early retirees, but also folks who were too ill to carry on working either full or part-time.

I know of more than a few people who would like to work, but have a variety of health problems that keep them out of the work force. That's a pretty depressing state to be in, which doesn't do their mental health any good.
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Old 10-17-2009, 03:00 PM   #24
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One of the reasons why I am taking all my vacation time as I approach retirement, is that w*rk was killing me due to excessive stress and enforced cubicle sloth. I don't need any more of that. I do not think I would have been able to work much longer. Maybe a year, maybe two.

I am working on losing weight and getting more fit, to combat the downwards slide in my health in recent months. I may not be able to reclaim my youth, but I can reclaim my life and I expect to enjoy many more decades to come.
Hopefully, you will find that once you FIRE, you will have more time and inclination to eat, live, and pursue healthier lifestyles. I have lost weight, lowered blood pressure, cholesteral levels, waist size since FIRING. Also stress levels are at an all time low.
I recommend: ... jump into the deep end AS SOON AS YOU CAN
Good luck W2R
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Old 10-17-2009, 03:06 PM   #25
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Hopefully, you will find that once you FIRE, you will have more time and inclination to eat, live, and pursue healthier lifestyles. I have lost weight, lowered blood pressure, cholesteral levels, waist size since FIRING. Also stress levels are at an all time low.
I recommend: ... jump into the deep end AS SOON AS YOU CAN
Good luck W2R
That's exactly what I would need to completely reclaim my health, so I hope that I will have similar results after retirement. It will be very soon, and I am taking some unused vacation time until about a week before ER. Have started losing weight and trying to decompress, already.
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Old 10-17-2009, 03:40 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by Want2retire View Post
That's exactly what I would need to completely reclaim my health, so I hope that I will have similar results after retirement. It will be very soon, and I am taking some unused vacation time until about a week before ER. Have started losing weight and trying to decompress, already.
A guaranteed good result is coming your way. You are making all the right moves already.
Did you get that face only picture taken yet, as the "Before" to use for comparison for the "After" state? Don't forget.
I have a photo taken of me receiving an award for 3 patent submissions, approx 6 months before I boogied. I was very happy that day, or so I thought.
It is frightening to see the lines around and under my eyes, the sallow skin color, and the forced smile in that photo, compared to my natural smile and improved complexion since FIRE.
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Old 10-17-2009, 04:09 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by mickeyd View Post
Do many people retire/not retire because they think that they may die soon? It was a non-factor for me.
Not a parameter in my decision either, although seeing people my age die did certainly help confirm things for me.
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Old 10-17-2009, 07:38 PM   #28
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In the "related articles" box next to the original article: Money the key to a longer life, says Economic and Social Research Council - Telegraph

Key findings:

"The study, for the Economic and Social Research Council, also found that those who get the choice of early retirement are also more likely to enjoy a longer life."

"Early retirement is generally good for people's health and wellbeing unless it has been forced on them, the study said."

"Those forced into early retirement generally have poorer mental health than those who take routine retirement, who in turn have poorer mental health than those who have taken voluntary early retirement."

Perhaps we could do a poll on which of the two studies we prefer?
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Old 10-17-2009, 08:15 PM   #29
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Did any of you find that you started staying up later at night and sleeping later in the day after retirement?
If so, do you consider it a mistake, as far as health is concerned?
Is it better to try and maintain an early to rise life style?
Accomplish projects/goals/honey do's daily?
Is there merit in the Early to bed, early to rise, makes retiree's health wealthy and wise?
Just wondering because I find myself falling into somewhat lazy habits when I just take a week or so off for vacation.
I may be able to retire pretty soon but am somewhat concerned about becoming a slug.
I keep telling myself there will be plenty honey do projects to keep me busy though. The current list would probably last a couple years . I also have several hobbies, a mini farm with animals and such that keeps me active.
Just some thinking out loud, I suppose,
Steve
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Old 10-17-2009, 08:31 PM   #30
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I was planning on hanging it up at the end of the year. I noticed a list on the refrigerator that my wife put there for things to do next year. I decided I will keep on working
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Old 10-17-2009, 09:03 PM   #31
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If you retire to become a sloth its probably true....But if you retire because you want to live and travel , and live and active and productive life where you are master of your own domain..... I am sure your life expectancy will be good..... As a Uni post grad in exercise science and physiology I would find it hard to see the stress of work place keeping many people alive longer....


I do however think you need to be pro-active about having a meaningful, active and intellectually stimulating existence in eR.
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Old 10-17-2009, 09:29 PM   #32
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If you retire to become a sloth its probably true....But if you retire because you want to live and travel , and live and active and productive life where you are master of your own domain..... I am sure your life expectancy will be good..... As a Uni post grad in exercise science and physiology I would find it hard to see the stress of work place keeping many people alive longer....


I do however think you need to be pro-active about having a meaningful, active and intellectually stimulating existence in eR.
Although I may croak tomorrow, I think the above pretty well sums things up.

In my case, I've been able to stay pretty active since I retired for good about 6 years ago. When I was working, I generally found time to work out, even if it meant getting up at a ridiculously early hour to do so before leaving for work. Now, I sleep later, but still exercise just about every day. Because I have a much larger piece of land to care for than I did during my working years, I spend more time doing manual labor (which is, after all, exercise.) I have less stress in my life, sleep a little bit more, eat about the same.

My weight is pretty much where it was when I retired. My BP (which was a tad on the high side) is better now, but not remarkably so.

I probably read about as much as I did when I was working, maybe a little bit more. I go to a few more plays and concerts, most of them during the week since I don't have to get up and go to work the next day. I travel more.

I don't have a job, PT or otherwise, but I have a few volunteer commitments which keep me involved in things I enjoy doing, but not so much so that I feel stressed or overwhelmed.

I occasionally find that I'm bored because I don't have enough to do, but this boredom pales in comparison to the boredom I felt daily during the last few years of my working life.

My income is such that I can pretty much do what I want to (within reason) and never feel stressed about money.

As I said at the outset, I may croak tomorrow, but I've felt that my retired life has generally been healthier than my working life although I won't claim that in the physical/mental areas things have remarkably changed either for the good or the bad.
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Old 10-17-2009, 09:50 PM   #33
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Remember the bucket list?

Ha
Funny you should mention it ,I just returned from a trip to Maine which was on my bucket list . I've always wanted to see the Maine seacoast .
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Old 10-18-2009, 11:31 AM   #34
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In the "related articles" box next to the original article: Money the key to a longer life, says Economic and Social Research Council - Telegraph

Key findings:

"The study, for the Economic and Social Research Council, also found that those who get the choice of early retirement are also more likely to enjoy a longer life."

"Early retirement is generally good for people's health and wellbeing unless it has been forced on them, the study said."

"Those forced into early retirement generally have poorer mental health than those who take routine retirement, who in turn have poorer mental health than those who have taken voluntary early retirement."
Aha! See, this sorts apart those who retired early just because they could, from those who were forced out by poor health leading to an inability to work.

The early retirement doesn't produce the poor health and early demise. It's the poor health that leads to forced early retirement and the shortened lifespan.

So, for the FIRE'd this is good news. We get to enjoy a longer life.
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Old 10-18-2009, 11:53 AM   #35
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My Mother is 93 and is getting limited in what she can do . It has really made me pay attention to things I want to do and do them don't put obstacles in their way .
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Old 10-18-2009, 12:24 PM   #36
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Originally Posted by Stevewc View Post
Did any of you find that you started staying up later at night and sleeping later in the day after retirement?
If so, do you consider it a mistake, as far as health is concerned?
Is it better to try and maintain an early to rise life style?
Accomplish projects/goals/honey do's daily?
Is there merit in the Early to bed, early to rise, makes retiree's health wealthy and wise?
Just wondering because I find myself falling into somewhat lazy habits when I just take a week or so off for vacation.
I may be able to retire pretty soon but am somewhat concerned about becoming a slug.
I keep telling myself there will be plenty honey do projects to keep me busy though. The current list would probably last a couple years . I also have several hobbies, a mini farm with animals and such that keeps me active.
Just some thinking out loud, I suppose,
Steve
PreFIRE - I needed the team of wild horses to get me out of bed to go to the salt mines.
Post FIRE - up insanely early (dh2b's fault ) but am very happy once I'm awake and get to watch that sun rise/mist over fields and listen to the early AM birdie symphony. I haven't tired of it yet.
I like to keep my daily sleep/awake schedule perfectly aligned with his. Once he retires, who knows? We could both turn into vampires.

Some days I am the activity maniac (recovering Type A-holic). Some days I declare goof off day and do a few simple chores.
The beauty of it all is the CHOICE.
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Old 10-18-2009, 01:32 PM   #37
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Funny you should mention it ,I just returned from a trip to Maine which was on my bucket list . I've always wanted to see the Maine seacoast .
It's beautiful, isn't it?

Ha
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Old 10-18-2009, 01:52 PM   #38
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It's beautiful, isn't it?

Ha

It is but I still prefer the small towns of Western Mass for absolute charm . Though I have to say George & Barbara's Maine house is pretty awesome !
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Old 10-18-2009, 01:56 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Stevewc View Post
Did any of you find that you started staying up later at night and sleeping later in the day after retirement?
If so, do you consider it a mistake, as far as health is concerned?
Is it better to try and maintain an early to rise life style?
Accomplish projects/goals/honey do's daily?
Is there merit in the Early to bed, early to rise, makes retiree's health wealthy and wise?
Just wondering because I find myself falling into somewhat lazy habits when I just take a week or so off for vacation.
I may be able to retire pretty soon but am somewhat concerned about becoming a slug.
I keep telling myself there will be plenty honey do projects to keep me busy though. The current list would probably last a couple years . I also have several hobbies, a mini farm with animals and such that keeps me active.
Just some thinking out loud, I suppose,
Steve
I was always a night owl, and continue that habit three years after ER. According to the studies I've seen (ex - Auscultations: Early to bed and early to rise: Does it matter?) there's no correlation between getting up early and health. I usually get to bed around 2 - 3 am, and haul myself back out around 9:30. It doesn't make any difference regarding what I do during the day, other than never accidently heading out during morning rush hour.

I would suggest doing whatever feels right to you. That's what FIRE is about anyway. I don't buy the story in the OP at all. Nobody will ever convince me that people who don't want to work are healthier being forced to continue (for whatever reason) than they would be if they retired. OTOH, if you want to work or would be too stressed out not working (like if you don't have enough money when you are forced out), then ER might not be so healthy for you. But I'm one of the former, and glad of it.
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Old 10-18-2009, 02:46 PM   #40
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Yup, I'm much more likely to die in a hiking, biking, boating, skiing, or snorkeling accident after I retire.
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