If you're in your mid or late fifties and still working full time, how do you feel?

[IamRoyFuckingKent]

Because I'm knackered! Is everyone else? And do you feel old at work? Or are you surrounded by a lot of people your age?

I have been working FT OTH for a long time it feels and I'm starting to feel old at work. If you don't, why not?

I am 56 but recently dropped my hours to four days as I was so knackered. have since found out vitamin D level low though so am hoping I will feel a bit better when they are corrected. I don't really feel old at work as everyone else is a similar age, only two person in our office of 10 is younger than me. It is a battle to get through each day though and i do find myself counting down the years to retirement !

I'm 53. Kids are now 18 and 13 so I've actually decided I'm able to lean in more at work. I'm lucky I do something intellectually interesting but not physical so I do feel that I'm able to carry on. I actually got promoted to a senior director level recently after treading water for a number of years whilst on the childcare coalface, so I'm excited to think that there are still opportunities for me.
I need to work until I'm 67 anyway so I may as well be challenged and paid as much as I can get.

Absolutely knackered at 57. It hasn't helped that I've gone full time recently after 18 years of part time work that involved a lot less brain power.

I'm fine but I do wfh so that helps a lot. I wouldn't want to commute now, or spend the day in the office, it would be too much.

62 and tired as hell!

Someone upthread has just made a good point about WFH. I'm pretty cheerful about working but only do 1-2 office days a week. It would be very different FT in an office plus commuting.

I'm 62 and still working full time. I need to work full time until 67. I'm absolutely fucked tbh although I do enjoy the mental stimulation. I just want to enjoy time time on my own.

I’m late 50’s work in a professional capacity full time in a quite demanding job both physically and mentally. My colleagues are all ages and I don’t feel my age is an issue. I have a vast bank of knowledge according to many of my colleagues more than anyone else they know so I guess I’m well respected. I do sometimes feel knackered but perhaps worryingly I can’t see myself retired as my job is an integral part of my identity. I could work 12-13 hour days but I don’t I only work an 8 hour day because I used to be absolutely knackered after working 13 hours often with no break and eventually impacted on my physical health.
Im intending on working full time to 67 but will probably carry on working part time till at least 70!
I do walk a lot at least 12000 steps a day and as the days get longer I aim for 18000 and I play sport twice a week I’m not obsessed about my diet but I do try to eat healthily 80% of the time and I nether drink alcohol or smoke.

59 and knackered.
Hoping to access some pension and drop to part-time when I turn 60.
The job's mentally rather than physically taxing (although I do sometimes nee to stand up for 6 hours at a stretch), but I have an hour each way drive to work and I think that doesn't help much either.

I'm early 50s and wfh in a job I love, so I feel fine. On the days I have to travel into our heat office up north or London I'm knackered. After 10 yrs of wfh I honestly don't think I'd ever be able to go back into an office. The commute and the mental toll it would take would probably see me off.

Also 53, DC are 12 and 15. I've worked 4 days/week since dc2 started reception. Worked hard for a promotion last year, and I'm desperate to work full time again to really get into it. Just as the dc got older, so did dm though...

I’m teaching 7 year olds and I think they keep me feeling younger! Energetic PE. lessons, sorting out trips and teaching computer skills (e.g. coding) make me old though.

I also think I’m more relaxed and less stressed than a lot of the younger teachers who are working but also trying to give time to their own families/ children. At least when I get home after work I only have myself to sort out.

I’ve always enjoyed going out to work and would hate to have to WFH. Hoping at 60 to maybe cut down to part time.

56 and absolutely love work. I work in a shared office space and love being around younger people: WFH made my brain atrophy I think. I outsource any work that needs younger skills.

I don't think I'm any more knackered than in my 40s - I certainly get more fresh air and exercise than I did then, maybe that helps.

59 and frankly fucked.
Luckily for me, my DH and I are in a position to retire next year.
Bring on living in Spain 🇪🇸

It's become more tiring and seems to take up more time than it used even though I've always worked the same hours.

I wfh one day a week and it is a Godsend. Don't think I could bear going into work 5 days a week.

58. Fine. More energy than 10 years ago tbh. I work ft, half the time at home.

Mid fifties and knackered. I sit on my bum all day and by evening I am good for nothing but my bed.

Early 60s and just started a new senior professional role which involves weekly travel away from home. I love the work and feel like I’m able to leverage my experience and knowledge. I also love the salary! And it’s true that the more senior you are, the less ‘actual’ operational work you do, so I have a lot of flexibility to manage my one time. But I am definitely wearier than 5 or 10 years ago, so have to pace myself and make sure I do regular exercise.

DH similar age also working in professional FT role, and will do so until he retires (and possibly longer).

I know I am lucky that I have these opportunities, and still feel motivated by the work itself, and (touch wood) am still healthy enough to do it.

I'm 55, self employed and working full time. Office days are easy, location days can be long and hard but I feel I'm coping ok with my work/life balance.

I exercise every day so maybe that makes a difference?

I'm with @WhatHaveIFound
63 next month, and to be fair I'm soooo busy I've not time to be knackered. I think it helps enormously to be fit - walking the dog, mucking out horses etc I also do a lot of voluntary work, and masses of gardening at the moment, work full time but we do have a slightly shorter day than many
I have decided my age is going backwards - I'm noticing a vast gap between what I do and what my friends do to the extent I was asked the other day if my friend (3 months younger, but looks massively older) was my mum!

I am early 50s, was feeling completely wiped out in my late 40s thinking that was the end of my productive life!
HRT has made a HUGE difference and feel fine now.

58 and feel fine. A bit creaky and clunky but I bloody love my job (teaching) and can't quite believe how old I am. I still find myself thinking "oh I might try that one day" and then think I'd better get cracking then!

54 and had enough. WFH and only work 80% so am very lucky really but I feel have no time for the corporate bullshit any more and a much younger boss who quite frankly doesn't value my experience. I have a lot of years service and am hoping for a redundancy payout.

I am 60. Been working part time since mid forties. I did have ds to bring up but now he is nearly 19.

I could not have coped with any more hours the perimenopausal years plus since menopause 4 years ago. Other friends still cope but they are more dynamic!

60 and have just gone down from FT to three days, and it's amazing. I really felt a big drop in energy levels between 55 and 60. Plus I found that with the boundaries increasingly blurred between work and home with blended working, we are increasingly expected to be always on, checking emails at home etc (not officially, but it's just become the norm so you look an outlier if you don't) which adds to the tiredness/reduces proper downtime. I got to the stage where I was avoiding fun things at the weekend because I needed to spend at least a day just resting/recharging. I was also doing less exercise and other things that might have increased energy levels. Couldn't have carried on much longer and very happy to have agreed a part time option (and I'm being strict about not checking emails on my non working days so far).