Minimal Work

[ferco]

Anyone out there who is technically "ER", but just has a "mental need" to work one day a week just to stay in the game and keep their toe in the water. This is with the proviso that what ever "work" you were doing wasn't disdainful, but you recognize that you no longer had the necessity of doing it full-time.

 

[Midpack]

Sorta. I just retired at the end of June and haven't felt any need so far, but I expect I'll want to go back to work eventually, part or full time. But it's wonderful to know I can afford to work wherever I want (relocate) doing whatever I want regardless of pay scale. The first career was largely for the money, the second will be for the joy of the work itself. So I empathize...

 

[fwest]

I fully expect and WANT to do something to enhance my financial and mental well being after I retire, however the knowledge that you dont have to put up with a j-o-b that drains you so you dont eat catfood when you are old is the carrot for many people.....


5 months away from ER

 

[Mulligan]

I work 3 hours a day, for 9 months out of year. Adds a little pocket change, but I do it mostly because its easy and dont mind doing it. I find my day is more productive when I do this. On my "off" days I dont get anything accomplished. But then again, that isnt so bad either.

 

[Walt34]

I did, after much thought and experimentation with "full retirement".

However, (and this is huge) it meets all of my criteria of having a short commute, no heavy lifting, little to no BS/drama, minor amounts of paperwork, and the hours (2:00 PM to 10:00 PM) agree with me. I have yet to be denied a day off when I want it and the pay is just a shade less than my before-retirement income. I have my KMA hat and while I'm full-time now I have the option of going to part-time when/if I want to.

While the unplanned-for income is nice we're banking most of it since I suppose that is ingrained in us but we have loosened the purse strings some and indulge ourselves in ways that we wouldn't have without the extra income.

YMMV.

 

[ksr]

I do a little part-time w*rk now, but in a completely different area from my career. I was in a technical field for 25 years; I now teach knitting classes 2-3 times per week.

 

[Aiming_4_55]

I'm not ER yet, probably 6 - 8 years from now.

Personally, I think I will continue being a landlord after ER, but we'll see.

The other thought is contracting as little as possible for reduced cost benefits, not because I "have to", but because furgal nature to get cheaper health care benefits.

 

[Ronstar]

I like my 3 day a week work arrangement. Working sometimes from home with little bs helps. And sometimes I fake senior moments to avoid working on projects I don't like.

 

[Nords]

Anyone out there who is technically "ER", but just has a "mental need" to work one day a week just to stay in the game and keep their toe in the water.

Spouse and I do landlording chores a morning or two a month-- mostly handyman repairs and groundskeeping.

I've also noticed that over the last year the book and the blog have experienced a sort of "time creep" which is beginning to bear a suspicious resemblance to work. But I'd do it whether or not I was getting paid, just not as promptly.

I don't feel any mental need to keep up with military strategy or tactics or tech. I enjoy reading about training & operations, especially historical analysis, but I certainly don't wish that I was back at sea doing steely-eyed-killer-of-the-deep stuff. I write because I enjoy it, and when I've had enough of it then I'll spend more time on my longboard...

 

[Animorph]

I don't feel a need to, but it was fun working part time at home on my own schedule for a friendly boss. Even came up with a new patent idea. Had to stop playing PC games to free up time. Either one is fine with me.

 

[Moemg]

After I retired I took a part time job .It was one day a week . I soon realized it was a mistake because it was in the same field I had worked for many years . I then quit the job and ramped up my ebay selling .I do not need the income it provides but I do need the stimulation it gives me .

 

[Alan]

I worked 10 hours a week (2 part-time days) through February and March this year as a Tax-Aide volunteer preparing taxes. It actually cost me about $500 to do this as my bicycle was stolen from where it was chained up outside the library one day.

Still, I plan on doing the same next year. It's mentally stimulating and does not interfere with our traveling which we do mainly in the summers. (I also get the exercise of cycling to/from "work").

 

[W2R]

Prior to retirement I thought I would miss working, and secretly planned to study, write, maybe even consult once enough time had passed to satisfy the formal ethics requirements to which I was subject.

Much to my surprise, once I retired I left all of that behind in the dust. The only thing related to work that I choose to do, is to read the news to see what my agency has been up to.

It's not that I disliked work (other than the political BS); I had the ideal job for me. Also I do have that entanglement between my career path and my own identity or self concept. Still, now that I have the opportunity to govern my own time usage I have found that there are SO MANY things unrelated to my career that take up my time, that I really want to do right now. Realistically, I don't see myself choosing to work any more. That is a chapter in my life that I have gently closed.

 

[rescueme]

Anyone out there who is technically "ER", but just has a "mental need" to work one day a week just to stay in the game and keep their toe in the water.

Nope ...

I volunteer for Meals on Wheels (a few hours each week) but that's a different story. I don't have to show up nor even "produce" anything if I wish to skip it due to other plans (they have a large roster of volunteers).

Maybe I'll change my mind someday (heck, I've only been retired 4.5 years ), but I doubt it. I'm too busy with other things in my life. Even a part-time j*b would be an insult to me (and anyway, I could not really refer to myself as retired; semi maybe, but not fully)...

It also may be that unlike others on the board, I did not really retire early (shortly after I turned 59) that did so at a much earlier age. By my retirement date, I had enough. I was ready to lead the rest of my life on my terms, unhindered by any constraints on my time due to any w*rk commitments.

 

[Packman]

I've only been ER'd for 3 months. I thought I would take some kind of PT job in retirement, especially in the winter months. So far, I'm not inclined to look for anything, but if something fell in my lap, I might consider it.

I did the math on doing some winter tax work, and unfortunately, I think I would net less than $5,000 for 3.5 months of PT work. So, certainly the money isn't the motivation.

 

[REWahoo]

If the urge to find a job in retirement persists for more than four hours, seek immediate medical attention.

 

[chinaco]

I just FIRED.... haven't had a chance to get bored yet.

 

[Moemg]

I never consider my ebay selling work just a lucrative hobby !

 

[Nords]

Prior to retirement I thought I would miss working, and secretly planned to study, write, maybe even consult once enough time had passed to satisfy the formal ethics requirements to which I was subject.

After 9+ years of ER I have yet to encounter boredom, but I wouldn't save the writing until I got older...

 

[rmark]

Had an older neighbor (long deceased) who went back to work part time at auto parts store after an international career as an oil field mechanic - he said you can only hunt and fish so much, and he had travelled a large part of his life so he preferred to stay home.

 

[Beryl]

It has been 7 months for me and yes, I'm thinking about part-time work spring 2012. Substitute teaching one or two days a week or some such thing. In the meanwhile, I'm pretty busy with volunteering and associated classes. I may change my mind and never return to any paying job.

 

[Rambler]

Hmmmm....I'm not ER'd yet. Pretty much able to call myself FI, just missing the other two letters. I've got a year and four months until my agreement ends, and a lower pace, lower stress transition was to begin. Now, I'm not so sure. My boss was of course aware of the plan to finish up late next year, but he asked me to stay in some way, shape or form beyond that. This was to be the transition period of a year or three. Now, he's asking if I would not consider to stay in place a while longer...and, at the same time, I've been worried about boredom. I think I'm getting a case of the "one-more-year syndrome". So yes, for me boredom is a bit of a worry, but at the same time I also worry about the economy, my employees, etc, etc, so it's not just about being bored or just about padding the accounts. It's a combination of things.

I've been pretty busy with a few irons in the fire for the past few weeks and haven't been around these parts lately. If y'all don't see me around much for awhile, that's the reason. Haven't given up on ER, just busy getting there.

R

 

[W2R]

I understand, Rambler. I will be looking forward to your posts, when you have the time to join us here. Sometimes there are a few bumps in the road on the way to ER, but the time will pass quickly and you will get there.

 

[MBAustin]

I've been ER'd for 11 months and after 6 months decided I wanted to do something combining my w*rk experience with the nonprofit sector. So I've started a consultancy to provide strategic technology planning guidance to nonprofits. Definitely part-time - two days a week at most is my plan. Intent is to help fund our charitable contributions at pre-ER levels as well as my new golf habit (although if I don't get a decent swing here soon that may not be much of a habit).

 

[Rob]

I retired three months in Singapore and subbing at several international schools. It keeps me busy two or three days a week. No grading necessary. No meetings!