Aibu Retiring at 55 - 30 years of idleness?

That's what I thought.

It depends on the person, completely. Those who would feel bored tend to stay working until they are kicked out the door! Often people attach their status in life to their job and would hate to leave. Life in civvy street has no status you see!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being idle now and then, or bored, or inactive. Those of us who have worked hard deserve to sit down and stroke the cat, eat cream cakes and put the feet up. It's a balance, nothing wrong with idleness, with something else thrown in to keep the blood flowing.

Some people can't sit still. I think being able to do nothing is a great thing. It shows you are happy in your skin and do not feel the need for other stimulation.

Far too much emphasis is placed on retirees to get out there, do this, join that, walk here, gym there, volunteer, mind the grandkids and so on.

For me, I love being lazy. I worked all my life and am now happy to sit and read, walk every day, spend a fortune online on stuff I don't really need, but like the look of, plan travel (but rarely get there in the end!), and so on.

Some people, like me are introverts and in my case I found work challenging having to be "on" all the time. Now I don't and I'm loving it.

Personally I know I would be bored, I enjoy my job and I like the routine, I get lazy when I do not have a routine I have to follow. I like the balance of being busy with a lot I have to do and having days I do nothing

My dad sold his business when he was in his late 70's he so quickly aged after and deeply regrets it as he liked his work and the social side

Its a personal choice but its not for me

This! My mother died at 57 and step mum at 64. I'm doing what I want when I can, while I can. Mind your own business. Being at work does not necessarily make someone interesting they can still be a bore.

Theres your answer - my mum died at 58 and my dad at 60. Both super fit and healthy until they wern’t. Neither smoked and only drank on special occasions. My mum could have run a marathon 6mths before she died. One had pancreatic cancer the other a brain tumour. They died just under a year apart, I was 23. That was a fun 18mths I can tell you…Consequentially, I have no expectations of getting old and will retire or semi retire as soon as I can!

I find it really irritating when people make ludicrous statements like the thread title and call people boring and idle for simply being different. It’s usually insufferable twerps who like to think they’re high achievers and better than everyone because they fill their lives with work and chores and never sit down or stay at home because it’s ’lazy’. That doesn’t make you superior. It makes you annoying. If someone wants to retire at 55 and spend their remaining years pottering about so what?

@UnexpectedlyRetired If I could say anything to you it would be don't fret about the future. Take a year to just do things that please you rather than try to plan ahead. It's a big shift from work to not working and it really takes time to get out of 'work mode'. Create space and let something wonderful flood in.

@CautiousLurker2 That's already a very impressive list you have there. You sound so full of beans. Studying later in life is a revelation isn't it? The things you learn and the varied people you meet are a joy. That feeling of new doors opening (just when society expects them to be closing for you) is such a lift.

How are they so minted? I need their jobs 😂

I have recently retired at 59, and not by choice. I lost my job, and in the current climate I know I won't find a similar interesting one. I have enough money that I don't need to work just for the money. And I don't want to drop dead before I have the opportunity to do other things.

I'll admit am a bit lost at the moment. I have no desire to do all the things that OP does (managing properties, going on boards and committees, consultancy - and that depends on your field of work, not going to happen for me). I don't really want to do another degree or course of study just for fun - at first it was tempting, but I don't want to be tied down even more than being at work! Then again, I don't want 30-40 years of boredom and watching TV. I shall be going through the thread and getting ideas.

I do have travel plans, but the Middle East crisis is not helping! The next 10 years are the time to go for it though, before I'm properly old.

The differences in opinion here are precisely why it's important to plan your retirement by imagining how you will actually live and spend your days. Some people have had hard lives and really just want to rest. That's fine. I know someone who retired in their late 50s/60s and says they don't know how they ever had time to work. They helped their partner with their business, garden (giant garden, not a little London patio), play golf, play bowls, seem to socialise every day, go on holidays, are involved in village events etc. You just need to think about what will make you happy and how much money you need. (Unfortunately, all the things that make me happy required a shed load of money!)

On the other hand, my mother felt she had to continue working past retirement age (for financial reasons), despite hating it, and then spent most of the 10 years she had left seriously ill before she died. I wish she had retired sooner and enjoyed what she could of life.

Life isn't a binary of going to work or sitting at home and reading the paper.

There are interesting things you can do in life that are not paid employment.

Equally, paid employment is not always interesting!

I'd love to help with your garden. Will work for tea and cake 😀

My parents were dynamic. Passionate money raisers for animal charities and always off in their caravan on some crazy adventure. They sadly died quite young which made me even more driven to make the most of this one precious life.

"I am likely to be alive for another 30 years!"
Do you know something we don't?

If on your death bed you can say that you are really pleased that you continued working and running your properties then that's right for you but not for others.

@Binsin you are my retirement icon. I’ve done an MA and am completing a PhD in my fifties. Hoping to set up a CIC related to my PhD eventually and volunteer in the community - my Dh’s grandparents and their siblings did this, actively involved in their church and all loved into their mid 90’s in great health until the final weeks. I LOVE travel and am hoping to do more of it along side DH (who still works) and with friends. Hoping to finish a couple of novels. Need to get fit, though. Determined not to live for/through my young adult children but to be available for them as needed with emergency childcare etc I hope I can list off my achievements like you have in another 10 years. 🥰

You sound amazing. I wish you were my friend. I have a garden I'm going to need help with. 😅
Were/are your parents dynamic? I wish I was. I love doing lots of things but really admire people like you.

I suppose it depends on what your working life is like in comparison. How many people are carrying out exciting tasks or projects all day? The majority of people's working lives will be filled with routine tasks that have become mundane and can be done in their sleep. Lazing around watching tv would seem like an upgrade compared to that I bet.

Also some people are too reliant on social interactions with others. I love spending time with people but equally I love my own company and will never be at a loose end with what to do with my spare time.

I would love to retire at 55 but I'm aiming for 60. I've gone down to 4 days a week and ideally would like to stay at that or possibly go down to 3 days a week when I'm in my 50s (am 46). Mortgage is paid off so surplus funds are going into savings to finance early retirement and potential university/property deposit fund for 2DC. Both my parents retired at 55 and they are 83 & 74 and have enjoyed taking early retirement.

That's more to do with the person than retirement as a concept though.

Having had my kids in my 40s I'll be working till mid 60s earliest! Luckily I like my job. But I'd hate sitting around too, thats how I am. One of my kids is into sport and has a great life, my ambition if I'm healthy is to mentor kids at the club to give back. Im putting a lot of effort into keeping fit though. Health can be a lottery but I'll do whatever I can to help the process

Haha I know right. I've always been interesting and interested in others.

I work pt am late 50s. Dh is semi retired. We have plenty to do. Gym, swim, walking, dance socials and family life. Plus gardening, travel ,reading and socialising with friends. And so much more.

I know plenty who do nothing with their spare time. They watch TV. But that can be interesting and stimulating to them. Dh and I enjoy youtube and tend to watch walking channels or pub crawl ones on there.

Life's too short. I've known people retire and die quickly from cancer or other illnesses. Also know plenty who have died before retirement. People working hard for retirement and didn't make it.

I live and let live.

That's fine Many people have plans for retirement but a lot of them resort to tv watching instead( with no health issues before I'm jumped on)

And I would add that my otherwise healthy husband dropped down dead at the age of 66. Not even a year of state pension, thank goodness he had retired early on his work pension.

I took early retirement from teaching at 55. I always thought I'd go at 60 but after the Covid shit show, I'd had enough. 5 years on and most days I wake up not quite believing that the day is mine to do with as I wish. I volunteer twice a week at Church and I have a brother with LD who lives nearby in supported accommodation so I can check in with him and go for days out which he loves. It's perfect! But then I only ever worked to live, really and not the other way around.

A former colleague of mine is working well into her 60s and doesn't look like giving up any time soon because she loves networking and being in the thick of it. She no longer teaches but still works in a school in a different capacity. For her, retirement would probably out her in an early grave.
Everyone is different!

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.