Happier in retirement?

[MRG]

Yes.

I retired 7 years ago when I was 56 and can't believe how much has changed. I've lost 70 pounds(normal BMI now), jog 5ks for fun, and my bruxism is much improved. I no longer take nine, yes 9 prescriptions! I used to eat a night guard every two years like clockwork. I just replaced one after 3 years, it's still in good shape.

Better yet nobody has called me at 2AM with questions and nobody has told me I need to go to X, Y, Z place because they're PO'ed.(I have not so great memories of an angry Scotsman yelling at me for an entire day "this system is crap; crap I say").

[eytonxav]

Except for encountering bad behaviors and some amount of nonproductive meetings, I generally found work enjoyable even when some aspects were stressful. What I liked the least was a long commute my last few years of work through several construction projects. Not having to deal with that anymore was certainly a relief and having more time to spend with family and hobbies added to my happiness, with 2020 being an exception.

[CyclingInvestor]

I am 62, retired 14 years from a programming career.

While my job (19 years aerospace, 8 years financial) was always easy and almost always low stress, I am much happier now just from the extra 40 hours per week freed up to do whatever I want. I cannot imagine any job beating retirement.

[Crewer]

Yes. I had a great job and still miss some of the things about it. I didn't think I was stressed but I'm now sure I was. Since retiring I've lost enough weight, ~20 lb, to get to a normal BMI and that was without even much trying. DH lost even more weight starting soon after retiring (mostly). He's lost enough to take stress off his previously-always-aching knees so he can walk fairly long times/distances, which has lead to his COPD being reclassified as moderate from severe.

Of course in that time my kids got to their 30s and, more importantly, to much better places personally and professionally so that has probably also reduced my stress. It's not that they were basket cases or financial drains but now they are happier and more secure and both in committed and healthy relationships. I still wonder if a mother - at any age - is only as happy as her most unhappy child.

[pacergal]

I am much more content.
My stress is lower, my day is mine to choose how I fill it, our finances are sufficient for our needs and most wants.
Life is good.
I've been fairly happy throughout my life, each stage has different kinds of happy:
Love/marriage, kids, career choices/changes, owning a home, etc.

[MissMolly]

Silly boy. Of course I'm happier. Even though only semi-retired, I have been working for myself as a consultant for the past 10+ years and most of that has been done remotely. And that will be ending in 2021. I'm getting too old and crotchety for anybody else to place demands on my time. The very idea of having to get up and go into the office day after day after day and put up with all the office politics and office BS makes me shudder just to think about it. Even just semi-retired is far, far better than my previous life.

[MarieIG]

Not retired yet - Covid effected my/our plans.

DH retired the end of December 2019. We were debating who was going to retire first. (Each wanted the other to retire first/ needed it more.) I am extremely grateful that he retired, because several of the people with whom he worked on a daily basis (NYC) either got very sick or died from Covid.

So between shutdowns, quarantines, fear of being exposed, inability to travel, me getting quite sick in March, our relaxing retirement did unfold as planned. I was depressed, and decided that I might as well be depressed sitting in the office as at home.

On the bright side, DH has been getting more rest and exercise, and his doctor has been amazed at how well he is doing He has also been able to drive his "retirement present" to visit the kiddos and help out with DGDs.

[Major Tom]

I really liked my job, and I really like being retired, so I guess about the same level of happiness throughout. I could go into more detail, but that would be slightly dull.

So, I'm not significantly happier in retirement, but I do like the fact that I no longer have to rely on a job for my income. That part is pretty cool.

[Lawrencewendall]

Woke up at 9 and it was so foggy I couldn't see out the windows. Laid back down and finally woke up at 11. Life is good!

[ExFlyBoy5]

Most definitely happier being retired. As my signature suggests (and as I have discussed in a couple of threads), I was happily retired for 6 years before returning to w*rk doing a couple contract gigs due to COVID. In the 6 years, I didn't have any issues w/ boredom until COVID limited almost ALL activity outside the home...so I *thought* doing a little w*rk on the side wouldn't be too bad. Well, I was WRONG WRONG WRONG!!! Thankfully, my latest contract will be over no later than the end of the years. Odds are it will be over sooner...and it can't get here soon enough. I am ready for MY FREEDOM AGAIN!!!

As I have mentioned before on this forum, I look at early retirement in a very similar way that I saw summer vacation when I was in school. Do you remember the last day of school and the FREEDOM you got during the summer months? Wasn't it GRAND!?!? For me...it certainly was and being full on FIRE'd is similar...except that you don't have to go home when the street lights come on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lawrencewendall Woke up at 9 and it was so foggy I couldn't see out the windows. Laid back down and finally woke up at 11. Life is good!

Such a tangible benefit of being retired. Terrible weather? Just go back to bed. No more fighting terrible traffic in terrible weather!

[LXEX55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Navigator I definitely don’t want to go back to work, so in that sense I am happier. My day to day level of happiness seems to be the same as before, though.

This about sums me up too. Don't miss work, but somehow I thought I would be happier in retirement. Not unhappy though, just not what I expected I guess

[TimeMeasure]

Retirement probably returns a person to a state closer to whatever their intrinsic, hardwired level of happiness is. So, whether one is happier in retirement than before probably depends on whether the extrinsic influence of work tended to make one happier, or less so, than one’s baseline.

In my case, wouldn’t say that I feel... happier... exactly... but different. Less stressed, perhaps; or at least, the stresses are more manageable and under personal control, which nets out to less stress in any case.

It’s also nice to not be constantly tired, all the time, every day. A position that at times could entail being available 24x7, combined with other responsibilities, didn’t augur well for a rested, clear mind. Simply being able to get enough sleep can make a surprisingly large difference in quality of life.

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimeMeasure Retirement probably returns a person to a state closer to whatever their intrinsic, hardwired level of happiness is. So, whether one is happier in retirement than before probably depends on whether the extrinsic influence of work tended to make one happier, or less so, than one’s baseline.

+1

I couldn't have put it better myself.

[Dtail]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LXEX55 This about sums me up too. Don't miss work, but somehow I thought I would be happier in retirement. Not unhappy though, just not what I expected I guess

Maybe a hobby or volunteer work.
For me it is Pickleball 6x a week. When I am on the court on a random Tuesday, playing competitive games at 10am, I look around and there is nothing better at that moment.

[theo2]

I'am 66 and just retired this year,,,,,, should have done this 30 years ago!!!! I'am loving it!

[anothercog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by theo2 I'am 66 and just retired this year,,,,,, should have done this 30 years ago!!!! I'am loving it!

Congrats! Enjoy it. I’m definitely leaning towards sooner than later.

[DrRoy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmm99 Are you kidding me? Of course, I'm happier! LOL!!!

+1 Big time.

I am in control of my time, no demanding calls from customers, free to travel, and more opportunity for photography.
.

[G8tr]

Not retired yet, but recently joined a megacorp and have seen some folks retiring after 20+ years there. Most have spent the past year or so planning all of the facets or their retirements, from financial to relocation. I think this level of planning contributes heavily to happiness in retirement.

[eytonxav]

Quote:

Originally Posted by G8tr Not retired yet, but recently joined a megacorp and have seen some folks retiring after 20+ years there. Most have spent the past year or so planning all of the facets or their retirements, from financial to relocation. I think this level of planning contributes heavily to happiness in retirement.

Are you a little less happy this morning after that game last night?

[sengsational]

Not a straight line up from retirement, but with effort, maybe a knotch up.

We all have a happiness "set point", according to the academics who study such things.

According to Zelinski, you probably will be less happy if you sit and watch TV and don't do activities. And nobody is going to schedule those activities for you, so retirement requires one to work at it, to get good at it