Job in retirement?

[albireo13]

I have a bunch of time in retirement now. It is fine but I am considering getting a job of some kind. I might as well earn some $$ and it’s good to keep busy and active.
Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

 

[G POP]

I have a bunch of time in retirement now. It is fine but I am considering getting a job of some kind. I might as well earn some $$ and it’s good to keep busy and active.
Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

No. Why? Because of those first two letters, N and O. No is my favorite word. Full disclosure, I officiate sports which fills my time.

 

[Aerides]

If you want a job, get one.

If you want to stop having your time sucked up, stopping letting it. that's done easily, without going back to work.

 

[Calico]

I have a bunch of time in retirement now. It is fine but I am considering getting a job of some kind. I might as well earn some $$ and it’s good to keep busy and active.
Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

Only because you keep saying yes to them.

 

[FD1000]

I have a bunch of time in retirement now. It is fine but I am considering getting a job of some kind. I might as well earn some $$ and it’s good to keep busy and active.
Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

No.
All my friends and family know that I’m busy in retirement.
Retirement is my time. I’ve already worked more than 35 years and taken care of my family and others.
Unless it’s an emergency, the answer is no, or I’ll do it on my own schedule.

Learn how to say NO. Please practice it with me. No, No, No.
Instead of no, I say the following: "I'm sorry, but I'm busy." I don't give any details; I'm my own boss.

 

[Flyfish1]

So, I talked to my older neighbor once about volunteering or working in retirement - and in a thick Boston accent he told me WT* is wrong with you! You have been on someone else's time schedule almost all of your life -time to be on your own schedule.

 

[TripleLindy]

I have a bunch of time in retirement now. It is fine but I am considering getting a job of some kind. I might as well earn some $$ and it’s good to keep busy and active.
Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

Man, I wouldn’t let that be the thing that pushed me into going back to work. If you need the income or are just bored and truly want to re-enter the workforce, by all means do so.

My advice if you don’t need the income: find something that you enjoy doing and do that, not chores for other people.

 

[Calico]

No.
All my friends and family know that I’m busy in retirement.
Retirement is my time. I’ve already worked more than 35 years and taken care of my family and others.
Unless it’s an emergency, the answer is no, or I’ll do it on my own schedule.

Learn how to say NO. Please practice it with me. No, No, No.
Instead of no, I say the following: "I'm sorry, but I'm busy." I don't give any details; I'm my own boss.

I don't say "I'm sorry" because I'm not. I don't say "I'm busy" because that is often met with "Busy with what? or When will you be free?"

I respond to each request with "That doesn't work for me." If necessary, I repeat that on an infinite loop. Eventually people learn to just stop asking.

 

[YellowSubmarine]

If your not into it, just tell them the same ...'"I'm not into it". How easy can it get?

 

[Diogenes]

The OP has an enviable problem! Imagine the contrary, where the phone never rings, the e-mail never dings (except for spam), there are no Christmas party invitations, and one has plenty of time for Zen meditation of the meaninglessness of attachments etc. "Doing things for other folks" means that (1) those other folks exist, and (2) they believe that it's worth their while to involve one in their lives. May we all be so blessed!

 

[imjustawarrior]

FI means you have the freedom to work or not work. Your choice. No shame in going back to work if that is what you want to do.

I do not let other people spend my time. People have offered to pay me to help them. I tell them no because that would be work. I tell them if I want to do it, I'll do it for free. If I don't want to do it, I tell them no. I'm all for helping people, but people need to be respectful and not assume because I am retired that I will do whatever they want.

 

[MC Rider]

I don't mind lending a hand on small projects. But if it's more than small, hire someone else. I am not for hire anymore.

 

[MarieIG]

. . . Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

No. I would not allow it.

I don't say "I'm sorry" because I'm not. I don't say "I'm busy" because that is often met with "Busy with what? or When will you be free?"

I respond to each request with "That doesn't work for me." If necessary, I repeat that on an infinite loop. Eventually people learn to just stop asking.

I agree with this approach. "That doesn't work for me" is the exact phrase which came to my mind.

 

[Fermion]

I keep thinking it would be fun to start a makerspace in our town or teach people about electronics and robotics but I have less time in retirement it seems than I did while working. Do you have any hobbies?

 

[albireo13]

Lots of hobbies I cant get to … hiking, astronomy,

 

[wmackey]

The best part of my retirement job is the complete freedom to say no. The people I work for understand that I mean it and I will walk away.

 

[Aerides]

Lots of hobbies I cant get to … hiking, astronomy,

Who are these people in your life that don't respect your time and think it belongs to them? Why aren't you comfortable saying "no!"?

 

[MarieIG]

Lots of hobbies I cant get to … hiking, astronomy,

Maybe that should be your new "job". Getting to your hobbies.

 

[marko]

Getting a job just avoids the real issue.

You and your friends seem to misunderstand what the word "retirement" means.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

Start billing those "other folks" If they pay you, you've got the job you speak of. If they don't, then you're no longer spending all your free time serving them. Win-Win!

 

[Steelpony]

I have a bunch of time in retirement now. It is fine but I am considering getting a job of some kind. I might as well earn some $$ and it’s good to keep busy and active.
Retirement is fine but I find my time gets sucked up doing things for other folks who could be doing it themselves. In other words, I am the “retired guy”.
My time is available for all to use.
I have had to put up walls but it has been annoying.

Anyone else deal with this?

If you don’t need the money there’s a lot of volunteer opportunities at your local senior center. Great hideout also.

As noted I just say no thanks as mentioned. They’ll stop asking after awhile.

 

[imjustawarrior]

Who are these other folks? What do they have you do?

 

[disneysteve]

Other than my wife, my daughter, and my mother, there's nobody who needs me to do anything for them.

As for working in retirement, do it if a) you need the money or b) you find a job that you're really passionate about that lights you up inside. Personally, I have been selling collectibles since the late 1980s and always said ramping that up would be my "retirement job". So it is. I love going to thrift shops, estate sales, antique stores, and auctions hunting for treasures to resell for a profit. I meet great people and have a lot of fun in the process. The money is a nice bonus too.

 

[Slim11]

I am thinking the same as the op, of a part time job to 1 do some good int he world, and 2 keep me a bit busy. Plus the money wouldn't suck, but its not great. I do volunteer work, and thats great, but sometimes I wish at my age I did have something to atually have to get up in the am for. I do have hobbies and the like. But sometimes its good to work. ( i know the dreaded 4 letter word! Lol) if it makes you whole, then do it. Some need to have the active problum solving that only a job can give them. So, the best part is if you do it and hate it, You Can Quit! Lol. If you dont need it for money, try it if it intrests you.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

The OP has an enviable problem! Imagine the contrary, where the phone never rings, the e-mail never dings (except for spam), there are no Christmas party invitations, and one has plenty of time for Zen meditation of the meaninglessness of attachments etc. "Doing things for other folks" means that (1) those other folks exist, and (2) they believe that it's worth their while to involve one in their lives. May we all be so blessed!

Indeed. I am very handy, and a close friend and his wife are NOT very handy. Yesterday, he texted me a picture of a broken down pipe of his garbage disposal, and asked (politely) if I were available to consult on this. I am retired, he is working (from home). I said "Sure," went to Home Despot, got the part, went to his house, fixed the disposal, then we had an enriching chat for about an hour about personal problems. He paid me the $5 that the Home Cheapo part cost, and I was on my way. Did I feel exploited? No, it was a friend asking for help. Plus he does plenty for me.