ER Eddie
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2013
- Messages
- 1,788
I've been considering retirement again lately, and as I do, I have a number of inter-related questions that I struggle with. I'm not looking for advice exactly; more like input or others' thoughts/experiences.
I'll try to be brief but probably won't succeed.
1. The question of when to stop work. I'm 55, and I think that I will stop sometime between 56 and 59, maybe 60 at the outside. I've got enough money; that's not the issue. The question is when will it feel right to pull the plug.
There are multiple reasons to continue -- work environment is good, pace is fairly relaxed, I can work 25 hr weeks and get paid full-time, decent benefits and pay, I like the feeling of competence and accomplishment I get, the work feels meaningful to me, I enjoy my coworkers, my boss is easy going, etc.
And there are multiple reasons to go -- I've got more than enough money, work takes the majority of my 'peak' hours and energy, I could use the time to explore other activities and interests, I could build out my social life, etc.
I know no one can answer this for me. It's an individual decision. At the moment, it does not feel right to go. I have a sense that I will stick around until the work feels uninteresting or toxic. Yet I'm concerned that it may never feel that way. I don't want to just keep on working "full time" forever.
2. The question of whether to stop work completely. Going part time isn't an option, since I'm already working part-time hours and getting paid full time, so what's the point. I could conceivably go PRN at my current job, although I suspect I'd be used for the headache cases. Or I could stop completely, then maybe do small amounts of some other type of work (e.g., teaching).
3. The question of all the "self" and energy that has been invested in my work over the years. When I retire, where does all that go? They talk about developing a new identity when you retire. I don't mean that my identity is based solely on my work -- I've never been a career-oriented person, and I've never taken my work all that seriously -- but I have to admit, who I am, and how I think of myself, is bound up in the work I do. I get self-esteem and a sense of identity from work, at least partly. That's not the only place I get it, but that is part. Where do I invest my self, once I stop working?
I have ideas about this, of course -- spiritual development, learning new things, continuing to learn about the things that already interest me, developing more of a social life, taking better care of my health, etc. But it's a question I wrestle with, because it feels like a big project, to take all that energy and self-investment, pull it out of work, and find other places to plug it into.
4. The question of social life. How do I develop a social life and make new friends/relationships, once I retire? I know that sounds a little stupid (it does to my ears, anyhow), but it's something I worry about. I don't have much of a social life outside of work. What happens when I step away from that?
I think about joining book clubs, meetup groups (not many in my area), online dating, etc. I currently have little interest in that, but I suppose that when I step away from work, the motivation will increase. I don't want to end up isolated. I'm an introverted sort of person and tend towards that anyhow.
5. The question of meaningful work. I chose my profession based on a sense that it felt meaningful to me. It certainly wasn't for the money. Doing something meaningful has been important to me. I wonder how I will replace that, if I step away from work. What else can give me a sense of doing something worthwhile or useful, something that uses my skills and talents? There aren't quick and easy answers to that one.
6. The question of where to live. If I took retirement, I'd keep my health insurance intact. With Obamacare going under the axe, my options for leaving the area are slim. I don't mind too much -- it's a nice place to live. But I wonder if there are health insurance options that might allow me to move, if I wanted to. I haven't investigated this much. If there is a possibility of moving, where would I move to? I've gone back and forth on this many times. I've done complex analyses on moving to other states and usually ended up deciding to stay put. Yet, there is that call of the unknown, and a desire for something different.
7. The question of what I will do with myself. What will I do with all that time? I am thinking about it, and I've developed some lists. I think about several areas: health, spirituality, learning new things, friendships and relationships, and interesting activities. So I make lists. Which brings us to the next question.
8. The question of real vs. ideal. How much of my planning is airy-fairy pie in the sky stuff, and how much of it will actually come to fruition? How many of the things I put on my list (my "vision for retirement") will actually turn out to be true? I have plenty of free time now, but I squander large amounts of it.
I could be doing many of the things on my "retirement" list now, but I'm not. I fart away large sections of each day. I can tell myself that's because I work, so I like to relax my mind with dumb stuff in my off-hours, so that pattern will change when I am not working anymore -- but will it? I don't know. How much of a match is there between my ideal version of retirement and what I would actually end up doing?
...
Ok, so those are the main questions I seem to be struggling with. I thought I'd put them out there and see what other people had to say. I'm not looking for advice, exactly; just thoughts, perspectives, experiences.
I'll try to be brief but probably won't succeed.
1. The question of when to stop work. I'm 55, and I think that I will stop sometime between 56 and 59, maybe 60 at the outside. I've got enough money; that's not the issue. The question is when will it feel right to pull the plug.
There are multiple reasons to continue -- work environment is good, pace is fairly relaxed, I can work 25 hr weeks and get paid full-time, decent benefits and pay, I like the feeling of competence and accomplishment I get, the work feels meaningful to me, I enjoy my coworkers, my boss is easy going, etc.
And there are multiple reasons to go -- I've got more than enough money, work takes the majority of my 'peak' hours and energy, I could use the time to explore other activities and interests, I could build out my social life, etc.
I know no one can answer this for me. It's an individual decision. At the moment, it does not feel right to go. I have a sense that I will stick around until the work feels uninteresting or toxic. Yet I'm concerned that it may never feel that way. I don't want to just keep on working "full time" forever.
2. The question of whether to stop work completely. Going part time isn't an option, since I'm already working part-time hours and getting paid full time, so what's the point. I could conceivably go PRN at my current job, although I suspect I'd be used for the headache cases. Or I could stop completely, then maybe do small amounts of some other type of work (e.g., teaching).
3. The question of all the "self" and energy that has been invested in my work over the years. When I retire, where does all that go? They talk about developing a new identity when you retire. I don't mean that my identity is based solely on my work -- I've never been a career-oriented person, and I've never taken my work all that seriously -- but I have to admit, who I am, and how I think of myself, is bound up in the work I do. I get self-esteem and a sense of identity from work, at least partly. That's not the only place I get it, but that is part. Where do I invest my self, once I stop working?
I have ideas about this, of course -- spiritual development, learning new things, continuing to learn about the things that already interest me, developing more of a social life, taking better care of my health, etc. But it's a question I wrestle with, because it feels like a big project, to take all that energy and self-investment, pull it out of work, and find other places to plug it into.
4. The question of social life. How do I develop a social life and make new friends/relationships, once I retire? I know that sounds a little stupid (it does to my ears, anyhow), but it's something I worry about. I don't have much of a social life outside of work. What happens when I step away from that?
I think about joining book clubs, meetup groups (not many in my area), online dating, etc. I currently have little interest in that, but I suppose that when I step away from work, the motivation will increase. I don't want to end up isolated. I'm an introverted sort of person and tend towards that anyhow.
5. The question of meaningful work. I chose my profession based on a sense that it felt meaningful to me. It certainly wasn't for the money. Doing something meaningful has been important to me. I wonder how I will replace that, if I step away from work. What else can give me a sense of doing something worthwhile or useful, something that uses my skills and talents? There aren't quick and easy answers to that one.
6. The question of where to live. If I took retirement, I'd keep my health insurance intact. With Obamacare going under the axe, my options for leaving the area are slim. I don't mind too much -- it's a nice place to live. But I wonder if there are health insurance options that might allow me to move, if I wanted to. I haven't investigated this much. If there is a possibility of moving, where would I move to? I've gone back and forth on this many times. I've done complex analyses on moving to other states and usually ended up deciding to stay put. Yet, there is that call of the unknown, and a desire for something different.
7. The question of what I will do with myself. What will I do with all that time? I am thinking about it, and I've developed some lists. I think about several areas: health, spirituality, learning new things, friendships and relationships, and interesting activities. So I make lists. Which brings us to the next question.
8. The question of real vs. ideal. How much of my planning is airy-fairy pie in the sky stuff, and how much of it will actually come to fruition? How many of the things I put on my list (my "vision for retirement") will actually turn out to be true? I have plenty of free time now, but I squander large amounts of it.
I could be doing many of the things on my "retirement" list now, but I'm not. I fart away large sections of each day. I can tell myself that's because I work, so I like to relax my mind with dumb stuff in my off-hours, so that pattern will change when I am not working anymore -- but will it? I don't know. How much of a match is there between my ideal version of retirement and what I would actually end up doing?
...
Ok, so those are the main questions I seem to be struggling with. I thought I'd put them out there and see what other people had to say. I'm not looking for advice, exactly; just thoughts, perspectives, experiences.