Warning: this post may cause a little envy… but only a tiny bit 😏

I'm retired at aged 50. I didn't ask to be but ill health required it. I loved my job. I'd worked since I was 20 and so worked 30 years in the same role. Social care.

Its SO boring. None of my friends are retired, I have very little to do. My kids have grown up and flown the nest. BORING. I'm trying to find a small job (in hours) at the moment... but even with my experience what I look like isn't doing me any favours!

I am retired (in my 70s), but frankly, I now wonder how I ever found time to actually go to work (which I was doing full time).
Not only do my adult DC (not living with me), demand lots of our time (re help with their DC, decorating, and other things, I also have siblings, who seem demand a lot of my time as well (ie vulnerable adult, who lives a distance away, still needs my help).
Got up 2 days ago, and for once neither my DH nor I were expected to be somewhere (but DH still had to sort out various tools required for the following day).

Took a package at 56, walked out the door of a high end job and never looked back for one minute. I don't have kids, and I don't live with my partner of twenty years either (recipe for a great relationship I can assure you!), so my life's my own. Financially secure too with no mortgage or debts. I am lucky and thoroughly enjoy the indolence of it all.

I started working at 13 in a Saturday job, worked every Summer from 14yrs old on until I finished school. Straight to work, then to various college degrees through evening study, then looked after Mum and Dad through their illnesses, taking time out from work for that. I've done my bit now and make no apologies for a life of pottering, eating, gardening, walking, travel, and scrolling the internet. No TV or radio here, as I don't surround myself with bad news that I have zero control over, or watch crap either. I do keep up with current events, and am rivetted by Andrew's shenanigans, but generally I keep away from it.

I have no fear of judgement by anyone. If someone walked in my shoes they would know why.

i know a few. i couldn't imagine it myself, i enjoy the simulation of working. In my experience people brains start to pickle quite rapidly if they don't use them.

@5128gap I replied to a post stating most people have worked since their teens asking if there was statistics to prove that. You interjected to tell me that because 70% of people left school at 16 blah, blah which I then replied saying this doesn't tell me anything. You then went off an a tangent about the majority of 16-18 yr olds doing something in the adult world which may or may not be work. I agree that the majority of 16 yr olds in the past did something, I just disagreed it was was full time work 😆

I thought it was my dream, too. But if you have the opportunity to have a successful career doing something you love, or at least where you feel you are contributing to society, feel grateful. It's not much fun to feel under-educated and of no use, even if that does mean endless free time.

This. Everyone around me is retiring and acting like they feel sorry for me because I cant do the same. The truth is I could retire tomorrow, but honestly cant think of anything worse.

I have over 40 years of contributions

I will have 52 years of contributions as my state pension age is 68 and remember the contributions threshold is not particularly high. It's really not unusual.

You would have to ask some one who had come to that conclusion. Because that isn't what I said, if you read my post. I said that the majority of middle aged people will have been working or doing something in lieu of work since their teens when they left school. People didn't leave school at 16 and sit around doing nothing. They worked until something happened that meant they couldnt such as sickness, or they had to do another type of activity such as raising children.

I have over 40 years of contributions, started full time work at 16 and now, a few years before state pension, I have my days free. I get up when I want and answer to no one. I’ve worked and I’ve brought up children (well) so I savour every minute that I can call my own. I’m never bored even when I’m not doing anything 😁

For example, statistics on road accidents allow us to make assumptions about which drivers pose the greater risk.

Statistics on road accidents will tell us who pose the greater risk because they are in more accidents. It's not an assumption that young male drivers are more likely to be in a RTA...

Work isn’t the only way to give yourself purpose. I find hobbies and volunteering manage that very nicely for me. We all contribute to tax through VAT, but as it happens I pay tax anyway as my work pension (even taken early wit( actuarial reduction) takes me over the threshold. I wound down in my 50s and when I hit 60 last year I stopped all work. It’s brilliant. I don’t ’do nothing’ though. I’m really, really busy - but it’s all things I’ve chosen to do. Retirement is the best job I’ve ever had.

I retired at 42. I don’t do much tbh. Lots of cooking, growing veg, dog walking, gym and travelling. I’m heading to Malaga next week where it’s still lovely and warm. We don’t have tons of money so live very frugally. I absolutely love it

@5128gap so when looking at statistics of female full time employment how does one come to the assumption that the majority of people have worked full time since their teens until their 50s/60s? They haven't.

That's precisely what I aspire to do.
People seem to enjoy suffering these days
But if you can get out of the rat race and live in peace
Why not?
You can keep yourself busy writing or something if ur bored

56 here, and will work until retirement age unfortunately.

I could easily do nothing, watch TV, do puzzles etc, go out for lunch, hit the charity shops. That's my kind of life.

I have a friend that took early retirement at 62, thinking they would get a little local part time job after working for a huge company for along time, and start new hobbies etc.

Turns out they get up late, have a leisurely breakfast, do loads of online puzzles and scrolling, maybe do a bit of shopping, but are home for when programmes like tipping point start.

They know they should be doing ' more' , but they say it's a difficult habit to get out of.

Its actually exactly how statistics work. They show us patterns from which we make assumptions about unknowns. For example, statistics on road accidents allow us to make assumptions about which drivers pose the greater risk.

@RubySquid I don’t think OP meant sitting on your arse all day literally doing nothing. They mentioned having no obligations, so no work commitments, school runs etc.

I can't think of anything worse than having no purpose and making no contribution to society or the tax system

I can. Working 😂

I tried being a SAHM for a year and HATED it. I know it isn't exactly the same and with kids in school there isn't a lot to do. I couldn't feel that I was contributing or valuable by doing nothing all day.

I wanted more purpose than to do nothing but chores and hanging out. I went back to work and love it.

The grass isn't always greener. I think you may be looking at this through rose tinted glasses.

@NeedWineNow I am a millennial who had a paid paper round at 14, I can't extrapolate that to everyone in my generation.

I’m sort of doing the opposite. I’m in my 50s back working full time and having an amazing career resurgence which I’m loving. I was a SAHP in my 30s (which I also loved). I’ll be financially able to retire comfortably at 60 but if I’m still enjoying work as much I might not. DH who wasn’t a SAHP is able to take his foot off the gas a bit now as I’m filling the gap he filled when the kids were younger which really lovely for him as he’s had enough of working all the time.

@5128gap you have just assumed things. That's not how statistics work...

But surely that's not the point of the OP where she says about people doing nothing all day. Sounds like you are doing plenty

I started full time work as a legal Secretary in London at age 16 and worked right up until I was 60. No children so no maternity breaks.

DH is 9 years older than me. He did the figures and worked out we could both give up work at the same time which we did. I was having a really difficult time at work, ever increasing workload and a bi-polar boss who made life extremely difficult. It was a hard time so I took advantage of the fact that I could give up. It took a good 6-8 months before I felt like I was anywhere near back to normality and had got over the stress of my job.

That was 3 years ago. We enjoy time together. We holiday, have days out, I do dance classes and various activities. My mum needs more care now so one day a week is taken up with her. I am looking at doing some voluntary work in our village but really I'm just enjoying getting up in the morning and no longer have that sinking bout of fear every time I turn on the computer and seeing screaming emails headed 'DO THIS NOW' or 'PHONE ME IMMEDIATELY - SO URGENT IT HURTS ', or hearing my mobile go at 8am and answering calls from my hysterical boss. My life might not be for some, but it suits me at the moment.