Has anyone gone from full time to part time before retirement and how did it change your life?

[Jadorelabrador]

I have always worked full time in a very stressful job and was a single parent with two SEN children on top.

I’m now married and my life is very different. Still stressful job but DH works 4 days per week and has done for a few years and did so before he met me. He does painting on his day off and chills and go to art galleries, cooks and walks the dogs for a really long time etc

I have recently been diagnosed with a few things, autoimmune disease (now under control with meds), and have had an Autism and ADHD diagnosis.

Work want to help and want to help me at work. I don’t know what to ask for. Then DH said ask to go part time we can afford it - it was a light bulb moment. I’ve asked and they are considering it but unofficially they have said - of course you can. They have said 5 days to 4 or 3 tell us what you want.

I’m in my 50s. If you went part time - what did you did you do? What does your life look like now etc?

Im thinking part time for 3 years and then drop down a bit more for 5 years and then go. I like gardening - it calms me and I like horse riding and playing piano but haven’t done either for years due to lack of time.

Being ADHD I need a plan else I will go into work on my days off!!

I went from 30 hours to 18.5, to a less stressful team (social care). After 3 years I then retired at 63. It made it easier to transition to retirement and I was ready to burn out otherwise

Did you find it a shock? Did you have a plan for your days off? 💐

I worked for 5 days, admin role, with local government and took my pension with them early at 58. My husband had just retired at 65 with private pension and state pension. I got a job working 2 days at W H Smiths at service station, just stocking shelves and manning the till. With my private pension and wage I earned nearly the same as full time working. It was fantastic! Less stress in job and more free time to spend with DH, win win.

Just make sure it doesn’t affect your pension entitlement @Jadorelabrador if you’re in a final salary scheme - I think there are still a few schemes where you can lose out quite badly if you drop hours in the run-in to retirement.

My final salary scheme is no more - was ring fenced some years ago - the new part is average salary but it is not sustainable to be honest to keep working like this - I will have a breakdown - I nearly left two years ago. Thanks for bringing it up though as it does need consideration.

I've worked part time since I had children.
Single mum now and, like you OP, am ND and a health issue. I wouldn't cope full time.

I did an exercise class on my day off and sometimes swimming but tbh food shopping/laundry expanded to fill the other day, freeing up my weekends. It wasn't a shock, it was lovely! I've been retired a year and do other classes/art/ occasional volunteering but I like free time to potter. It's getting the balance between structure and free time.

It’s actually a thing where I work. Managed retirement or some such.

means you don’t lose so much of your pension if you want to retire early, and they don’t lose qualified staff so abruptly.

I’m 50 and want to retire at 55/57 If I’m not in a financial position to do so I’ll keep going pt until 60 ish.

i plan to find more time to exercise, I’d like to keep fit and strong heading into old age. Travel as well. I do bits of yoga on an app now and am thinking of yoga retreats, weekends away riding, hiking, cycling etc.

I also had a pension forecast and realised my pension was more or less the same as my part time earnings so it felt like a no brainer to leave

Im 63 and I've just taken flexible retirement, so I work half time and my pension makes up the short fall. It's taken me out of higher rate tax, so financially it's not a huge hit really.

I'm Special Guardian of my now 12 year old granddaughter and I'm divorced so it's just good to have a bit of time to myself

I've been fortunate enough to stay pt (3.5 days) since my DCs are young and am staying that way till I retire now. I'm not diagnosed ADHD but have traits and am very restless/busy. An empty day is one that needs to be filled I'm no good at just staying at home.

So this is my list of things I do outside work (includes evenings and weekends)

Several exercise classes including one on my day off. Aim for 4-5 a week.
Supporting young adult DC with SENs
Choir
Allotment
School governor
Parkrun
Ad hoc volunteering at local
nature reserve (average one morning a month)
Meet up with friends for brunch/coffee/nights out
Landscape photography (with a phone) - I go off to scenic places by myself.
Crochet
Pub quiz with family
Occasional housework 😬

When I retire I am looking forward to doing more volunteering and clubs and particularly learning some new crafty skills (I'd like to do silversmithing again having done it years ago and learn quilting).

In my 20s I dropped to 2.5 days. It's bliss. I have no children and live alone. I have a lot of free time to do what I want.

I’m 4 days a week. One by one my similarly aged girlfriends are dropping a day / compressed hours / 9 day fortnights. We all take the same day off, go to the gym - a big walk - art gallery or movie. My cleaner comes on that day as does the food shop- I get home and it’s spotless and the fridge is full.
it means I’m less resentful about having to do the occasional work thing or duty visit or coffee.
I never want to work FT again. I’ll drop another day when youngest is through uni - and retire when he’s 25 (I’ll be 63) unless we inherit prior to that (we are likely to inherit quite a lot from both sets of parents one set of whom are divorced and both are individually wealthy). If I have grandchildren sooner I would want to be able to care for them at least a day or two a week and still have time for a me-day.

I'm similar.
I probably only worked full time for the first 5 yrs then started gradually reducing hours. I've been doing 2 nights a week for about 10 yrs (am early 50s). I spend my days dog walking, exercising gardening, reading, seeing friends.
If I'm honest I can't really afford it but my mental health is worth it!

For context I'm in Australia and taught in secondary. I was widowed at 61 and paid off the mortgage a few years later.

I went .8, i.e. 4 days when Covid landed and 3 days for my last year. I retired at 67.

It's vital to check your contract should your circumstances change. Mine said that once gone part-time, it was up to the school if you wanted to up your time; no entitlement to increase hours.

During lockdown I trained to guide in an art gallery. It's really good, though not the link to friendship I had hoped. I have a large garden I'm still trying to reduce to manageable proportions. I exercise to keep on top of my back.

Check check check your pensions. You are looking to reduce working time early so be informed.

I volunteer and have always done so. I have a clean, organised and relaxing life as we are not under too much pressure.
I see friends, go to yoga and Pilates, walk my dog and allow myself a day time bath, read and go to classes. I do part time study courses too. We travel a lot, and it requires research. I have noticed as I have aged I need more time to myself.

I'm 57... I went down to 3 days a week 2 years ago. I work in a Special School with children who have autism and very challenging behaviour>
Last year I dropped to 2 days a week as supply, so that I could care for my grandson (DD is a nurse as is her DH so child care and shifts are a nightmare)

I do extra days as supply now and then, but mostly I do 2, look after the grandchildren when DD is on shift, and on my definitely free day I did my allotment.
Even though looking after the grandkids is tiring, I have SO much more energy now... I have hobbies, I'm playing a sport, learning an instrument, I spend hours tending my veggies.
My pension was always going to be shit anyway, but I do claim carers allowance for my adult son (autistic and will always need a moderate level of support at home).

I feel HUMAN again. I have arthritis and some neuro problems but not being at work every day means less pain, less fatigue and the days I work...I enjoy.

I'm also on the spectrum and need a lot of quiet time .

I totally recommend it!

I work 3 days a week and do some freelancing on and off.

I would never work full time again.

I have mental and physical health issues so I spend the rest of my week doing physical activity and art and craft to help manage my conditions.