W*rk nightmares (dream)

[Del Q]

I deal with difficult customers in my sleep all the time, I hope this goes away when I downshift next year.


I grew up on a farm, one night several years after I had a dream I was a dairy farmer milking cows in the morning. I had 102 cows that I milked all by myself - it was taking forever and I was exhausted when I finished the last cow. When I was done milking the very last cow I looked up and in walked cow #1 - it was already time to start evening milking. I woke up in a cold sweat and went to the office.

 

[Amethyst]

I had those for ~20 years after college. Never dreamed about grad school; only college. They stopped after a particularly harrowing lost/didn't study and there's an exam dream, where I got fed up and said, "This is ridiculous, I'm a grown-up with multiple degrees and I don't even need this class!" It's like I scared the dream away.

I also stopped "naked in public" dreams, which used to plague me, by one day pulling a blue coverall out of a bag, pulling it on over my head, and calmly going on my way.

Now if only I could stop the "evil car that won't obey the pedals or steering wheel" nightmares I've been having lately.

Amethyst

I
More common for me have been the "in college and behind on classes" dreams/nightmares. I read an article on them in the WSJ years ago and they're apparently very common even decades after graduation. I can't figure them out; I rarely skipped class, always did the assignments, etc. I enjoyed college and got good grades. In the dreams, I go to class without books, skip class for weeks at a time and then am afraid to return because I've fallen behind, etc.


I just finished a Geology class in which I read everything, attended every class and got an A for the course. Maybe now those dreams will stop!

 

[Rob]

I "thought" I enjoyed my 42 years of teaching until I retired at 66, but I dream about unruly students ignoring my teaching and being totally uncontrollable at least once a week. Perhaps this is my "subconscious" telling me it's great to be retired!!!!

 

[MooreBonds]

I don't specifically recall having a work-related dream...but even these days - 16 years after college - a few times a year I'll still have a dream that I'm in some English or history class (my worst subjects) in either high school or usually college, and it's time for the final exam.

And I suddenly realize I haven't been to class all semester! Somehow, I missed it in my schedule and only went the first few classes and somehow never made it back the rest of the semester.

 

[scrabbler1]

No work-related nightmares, but add me to the list of college-related nightmares. Not that is has happened often, but a year or two ago I had one where I was back in school and having a problem in a class I had struggled in back in the 1980s and it seemed like I was really back there and meeting with a professor I hated (which made the nightmare only worse LOL!). Then I woke up and realized it was 30 years later and I was all done with school (and work, YAY). WHEW!

 

[MooreBonds]

I don't specifically recall having a work-related dream...but even these days - 16 years after college - a few times a year I'll still have a dream that I'm in some English or history class (my worst subjects) in either high school or usually college, and it's time for the final exam.

And I suddenly realize I haven't been to class all semester! Somehow, I missed it in my schedule and only went the first few classes and somehow never made it back the rest of the semester.

Re-thinking, I now remember the occasional work-related dream with my caddying days (ages 12 until about 22). For some reason, I'll dream that I'm going back up there to sign in on the list, and do the usual morning routine of helping to pull out the golfers' bags, load them on carts, etc. Nothing traumatic or frustrating or scary or 'crazy' (i.e. nothing breaking the laws of physics or some member doing something hilarious or impossible) - just random dreams based on memories of being up there again.

 

[W2R]

I never have nightmares about college. I seldom have work nightmares any more, either.

My work nightmares generally involve going back and discovering that things I used to be responsible for, aren't being done properly at all any more, in my opinion. Then, in the dream, for some reason I'm the one that gets blamed (why? I'm retired, for Pete's sake!! ). If I don't awaken at that point, in my dream I end up yelling at my successor and pulling off minor miracles to fix the problems before disaster strikes.

 

[Palmtree]

I've been out of the corporate world for 25 years (quit and started my own business) and I still occasionally have a nightmare about being back in the office.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

I haven't spent more than a moment thinking about work. Certainly haven't had any dreams about work. I sleep so soundly these days I barely dream at all (or don't remember them).

 

[Brett_Cameron]

I have them occasionally. I am very relieved when I realize it is just a dream.

 

[GrayHare]

My nightmare is that I've been working for months without a paycheck, and for some reason I still continue to show up. That college dream pops up sometimes too, "What? Finals are today?! I signed up for that course? I didn't attend any of the lectures!" Another is forgetting to bring a notebook to lectures. Never high school, always college. Bizarro that so many of us have such similar dreams. Wonder if they are more common among us LBYM types who hate to be unprepared for the future.

 

[MRG]

Yes... 25 years ago and still dream. Usually involving situations setting up large meetings and coordinating all aspects. Solving one problem, and immediately faced with another. All different problems... speakers, heat, dinner not ready, breakdown meetings out of sync, lighting, heat and whatever else could go wrong. Also, display set ups in McCormicK Place.
None of that was from the later years, but early on, probably made a big impression.

Plus, one going back to my youth maybe age 8, being lost on the streets around Fenway Park, in Boston. Still dream about that.

And one more... Due to make a presentation to the President at 8:30AM... By train from the suburbs to Chicago Office. On the express... looked down... one brown loafer, and one black dress shoe. Aarghh! That happened.

Imoldernu, how did the shoe meeting go. Too funny now but then it might be harder to appreciate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[SJ1_]

..
My real question is did you every have post retirement nightmares about your prior w*rk life?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

Last night I dreamed that I was told if I wanted to keep my health coverage
I would have to wo$k 5 more years!!!

I remb. how slow that last month went.....

 

[48Fire]

Haha not sure if I would call it a nightmare, but I had several dreams where I was at work, kinda just stopping by. The last one, which was the worst, a higher level manager started giving me a lot of work. So I told him, "hey, i'm retired". But this is really just an excuse to him. So I just left! Problem solved! Woke up happy

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

I have about 5 months left at w**k, so when they try to give more things to do, I might try your line: "Hey, I'm (almost) retired!"

-BB

 

[LinCella]

I still dream about my nightmare manager and it's always me getting the short end of the stick! Then I wake up and count my blessings that I no longer have to answer to her in real life!

 

[Options]

I never dream about my current career, probably for lack of interest.

My recurring job dreams involve career in my 20's, many moons ago, when I was a radio disc jockey at some of San Francisco's largest radio stations. In radio, the enemy is "dead air", or silence. I always dream whatever music that's playing is getting close to ending and I can't find any music in the control room to play. Had the dream recently but the radio station was much nicer than prior dreams and I was much more calm about failing to find any music to play. Took it as a positive sign of my relationship to reduced performance demands placed on myself by myself.

 

[Telly]

Coming up on 13 years ER'd, and I STILL have occasional nightmares of work. They always fit the same molds:

I come into work, having been away for a bit, and I can't find my desk. I no longer have an office, I finally find my desk with no chair, shoved in with other people I don't know in some lousy location.

Or,

I am at work, don't have anything to work on at all, am just walking around feeling very very vulnerable.

 

[iac1003]

Never had a college nightmare; can't recall any med school ones because I was so sleep-deprived.

But I just got back from a 1 week vacation and last night I dreamt that I was being sent to a different nursing home to work but I had no ipad notes, no directions, didn't know which patients I was supposed to see. So glad I woke up and am not going back to w*rk until tomorrow.




Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[longranger]

Still in the OMY mode. I have a gruesome broad menu of dreams that have a common thread that I am trapped at work forever and I am hopelessly inadequate at my job. Details vary from very realistic to bizarre and surreal. I remember too many of them because my wife wakes me up when I am talking out loud or moving too much. Hope the dreams stop when I pull the trigger.

 

[Sea Kayaker]

5 months into ER...still not one work related dream (or nightmare).

Surprising? Yes.

Complaining? No.

 

[unno2002]

[FONT=&quot]Since retirement, I’ve had many bad dreams relating back to earlier employment, schools, etc. It usually goes something like I need to do something, to be able to retire, keep my pension, etc. Many of the dreams have been quite vivid, and I can recall the details when I wake up. Spooky. [/FONT]

 

[Redbugdave]

This thread is timely. I have been retired just a shade over one year. I never have any dreams of my work...Until last night. I dreamed I stopped into work for something, (in reality I had not been back since I retired), and somehow got put into my old work position the main floor. In the dream I remembered and felt the feeling of being trapped and wanting to escape but could not. It was a feeling of panic. I remember feeling that way at times when I was working. That dream and feeling stuck with me into the morning.

There is no way I could ever work a job again.

 

[W2R]

This thread is timely. I have been retired just a shade over one year. I never have any dreams of my work...Until last night. I dreamed I stopped into work for something, (in reality I had not been back since I retired), and somehow got put into my old work position the main floor. In the dream I remembered and felt the feeling of being trapped and wanting to escape but could not. It was a feeling of panic. I remember feeling that way at times when I was working. That dream and feeling stuck with me into the morning.

There is no way I could ever work a job again.

Sounds like your subconscious was telling you that yes, you made the right decision by retiring. My guess is that you won't dream about work again for a long time.

 

[Redbugdave]

Sounds like your subconscious was telling you that yes, you made the right decision by retiring. My guess is that you won't dream about work again for a long time.

I have no doubt I made the right decision with retiring when I did. In the past few months I have begun to find real fulfillment in my life. I never felt like I was on the right track nor surrounded with the right people the last few years while I was working. I think the dream was my subconscious reminding me how I used to feel. I had forgotten what it used to be like. l think a good wake up call.