This is a great thread, as I turn 61 next week... Frankly I'm not thinking about retirement because I see very few guys who seem to do it well, and there are so many older working guys who are at the top of their game. A few of you are reassuring that it can be done, so I'm taking notes.
Re sirius glass (#103), I too have known many people who fitted into the two categories he has listed. My previous accountant, my former bank manager, a few architects I've worked with, many of my older clients. Quite a few neighbors who were supremely work-focused to the detriment of the rest of their lives.
All very nice people and good to work or deal with. Unfortunately, most of them did not survive beyond 18 months to two years after they retired.
The widows are doing very well. Almost all of them sold up and moved to Queensland where the climate is kinder and there are more available widowers. I am sure they would have preferred to still be with their original partners, but sadly that was not to be. So many have remarried.
So maybe a third category? 3. The ones that fall into either (1) or(2) or both, but have wives who have lives, and plans to get on with life after the hubby has popped off. Yes, all this can be unpleasant to ponder, but real world situations happen. Heads-in-the-sand escapism doesn't cut it here.
All very sad, but it's part of life. The trick is to figure all this out early enough, and start making plans to avoid being in these three "statistical victim" categories.
I'm not anywhere near retirement, having at the very least another 15 years. I watched my father retire...then go back to work only to retire again...and then go back to work. He had worked between 2 and 3 jobs all of his life and never developed any outside interests. Watching him I realized very quickly that hobbies and interests are a necessity. It's actually why I got into photography in the first place. I've tried a number of other things- wood sculpting, gardening, exercise and a few of these things have stuck as well. I'm not sure I have enough to do to fill an entire week, but I'm working on it.There are two types of people who do not do well in retirement:
Notice the pattern?
- The one that hates his job so much that he never developed outside interests that he enjoys.
- The one is so wrapped up in his job that he never developed outside interests that he enjoys.
Been a few days travelling to (nearby) Italy, which I curiously never visited properly. It's one of those procastination destinations because it's rather close. Sometimes I'm doubting about shooting much film as one can indeed cover quite some miles for the price of some film!
I wasn't going so much for photography, which if becomes a center can actually be stressful on trips. I took my F80 rather last minute and it was quite funny. Of the 2 rolls I took, one was already exposed and on the second day, the batteries quit on me while shooting. Good luck hunting CR123s around. I found out that I left the camera turned on in my backpack. Did that once last year overnight and it was bricked.
Film is about the most expensive indulgence I have. WIll send about 10 color rolls to process and sure the bill is going into about 80€. Amusing to think that all my transportation costs were cheaper than all of it, plane included!
Off-season travel is fantastic.
On the topic again, Dad's waiting for his early retirement that never seems to come and it is often discussed around. We visited a relative who said retirement was boring and he didn't know what to make of it. Of course, because aside of going to the bar and watching TV he had nothing going on.
Travel is nice to meet people and be surprised. On the hostel I talked to a man who takes a month off every year to walk, and he did Aquitanie to Liguria! Another man just went for a short circuit around but talking on the way to the station it turns out he actually was in my town and found it quite curious that two strangers could be connected in that way.
There are two types of people who do not do well in retirement:
Notice the pattern?
- The one that hates his job so much that he never developed outside interests that he enjoys.
- The one is so wrapped up in his job that he never developed outside interests that he enjoys.
That "pattern" may apply for people who hold "jobs" but it doesn't apply for people who are passionate about their life work .
All very nice people and good to work or deal with. Unfortunately, most of them did not survive beyond 18 months to two years after they retired.
I am only in my 40s. About 10 years ago I had a life changing experience caused by precisely what you describe. The man in question had been for a long time the boss of a major defence programme (old fashioned Chief Engineer). I met him before he retired as a representative of a competitor company, and had the honour to work with him after he retired (part time consultancy for the government). He couldn't have been retired more than about a year when he was diagnosed with cancer caused by a lifetime of smoking, drink and stress. A month later he was dead. Up to that point it was my career goal to get to a similar position but I have always had this lesson in the back of my mind. Never let the job take over your life and your health.
...
Young people who are reasonably healthy will have very bad experiences later in life if they fail to spend significant time outdoors using their muscles.
I think I left a dangling modifier. I didn't mean that I'v been sick for the last 5 years and not enjoying my retirement. I'm pretty healthy. To clarify, I meant that my post is what I believe since i retired 5 years ago.Hobbies can get boring too. How many pictures of mountains can you take. Then what? Sometimes work especially challenging work where you excite your brain and keep the juices flowing is better even if it causes stress. There's a good feeling if you're accomplishing something, On the other hand, I find that getting involved in spiritual things, especially at this age, has a lot of reward too. Doing selfless acts and being humble has its benefits. I suppose it comes down to balance. A little if this and a little of that. Staying physically healthy is beneficial too. When you feel sick, it's hard to enjoy anything else. At least I feel that way since I retired 5 years ago. I'm now 73
Hobbies can get boring too. How many pictures of mountains can you take. Then what? Sometimes work especially challenging work where you excite your brain and keep the juices flowing is better even if it causes stress. There's a good feeling if you're accomplishing something, On the other hand, I find that getting involved in spiritual things, especially at this age, has a lot of reward too. Doing selfless acts and being humble has its benefits. I suppose it comes down to balance. A little if this and a little of that. Staying physically healthy is beneficial too. When you feel sick, it's hard to enjoy anything else. At least I feel that way since I retired 5 years ago. I'm now 73
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