To suddenly not want to work anymore?

[MasterGland]

I want to sit at home with my cats and read books. Perhaps bake occasionally, play board games with my son. Weed the garden.
I have realised that I can easily fill my days with these things. They make me happy. I am really struggling with motivation at work. I used to be quite career oriented, but now I keep calculating the minimum I need to retire, and how I might do it as soon as possible.
It is a sudden change for me, and not sure if it is related to the current lockdowns... but have not directly been affected by them really as worked straight through both. Anyone else had a sudden change of heart about the pursuit of endless work?

Yup, 18 years left on my mortgage but I dont know about the rest of you, i cannot be bothered to even visit friends let alone work. All the talky talky! Just let me grab my dog and wander round the fields before a potter in the garden. I'm not even forty yet (ok 3 weeks but not yet) ive aged 15years in 6 months

Problem is the mortgage is a tiny part of household outgoings

Our mortgage is a massive part of ours, so I’m considering selling up and cutting about £1k a month off our payments. We’d still have a mortgage but it would be much smaller (about £300 per month) so we could reduce our hours.

That’s the plan, anyway. Having the guts to actually do it is a whole other matter!

I think if you are a person who is not overly ambitious to climb the career ladder , then I would whole heartedly recommend reducing your hours to part time as soon as you can afford it .

In my experience more time can save money anyway eg childcare ,
Being able to cook from scratch and make cheaper meals, not needing to pay to have help with any household chores because you are so tired etc plus tax savings as you earn less (the tax free sum becomes a higher proportion of your salary )

I have worked part time since having DC 20 years ago. I'm now WFH and it almost feels like I've already retired as I am able to space work out throughout the day; sit in the garden for 20 mins with a coffee , walk the dog etc. Oh and no rushing in the morning . I love it .

At the moment DP and I are just on a “mortgage and nursery fees” treadmill and all we talk about is the pipe dream of changing it.

Is there any feasible way you could change it, @burritofan?

I agree, I’ve never understood those people who won the lottery and keep on working. That reminds me, I must buy a Euromillions ticket for tonight...

I worked out the minimum I need to earn for a reasonable standard of life and work to that. I'm a TA and thought I had it pretty good but this year I've just lost all motivation. I do want to work, I enjoy feeling useful and needed and having colleagues etc, but today I just narrowly missed being hit in the face by a flying ball of paper and I just thought why am I here? I'm done with it now. I secretly hope every day track and trace will contact me so I can have 2 weeks at home with the ddog and my knitting.

I took the decision in March to take a lower paid, mornings only, low stress job.
I’m hoping I can now continue to work longer as I’m less tired, sleep better and have time to do the things I enjoy.
Previously I’ve had jobs where I worked 12 hour days. Now I’m older, I don’t have the same energy, but I’m not ready to stop work altogether yet.

I have been WFH during the pandemic and it has ruined my motivation for work. I want to be a SAHM so badly but just can't afford it! I also want to stay as a SAHM when my youngest (2) goes to nursery so I can read books all day lol.

July what’s actually holding you back from doing that ?

I wish more than anything I could go back to my second job at McDonalds. Was the most fun and least take-home stress I've ever had, I'm actually thinking of it and going back as a manager now, my perspective has changed so much this year, I don't care about the fancy titles and the rat race and being a "professional". I want to be able to pay the bills, work with some fun people, and spend more time with people making memories and having fun. I don't need the promotions.

Hadn’t realised how many people felt like this. I generally get the impression that everyone gripes but generally likes working and wouldn’t know what to do with themselves if they gave up work too soon (pre-60).

Me, I’m obsessed with checking pension and savings. Planning how much I need to live on and when I could give up work based on different pension amounts. So much so that I’m really not living in the now, unfortunately.

I don’t hate my job, but would be far happier if I could be part-time. Also suffer anxiety, which I think would be alleviated if I knew I could jack work in if I wanted. As it is, uncertainty about change stresses me out way too much because I know I have to suck it up. And everything changes constantly.

So, actually it’s financial independence I really want ASAP. Then retiring for good no later than 60-ish.

I find myself in the opposite since I was 27 I have been forced to work part time, and periods of not working ranging from 6 months to 3 years due to being a carer first for my dad then my children. I am 50 this year and a nurse and my carer has been stagnant, this year I have started my degree and picking up consultancy work on my days off as sadly I can't commit to a full time job for at least two years as too many appointment and just general admin of children with disabilities, which would mean I would need to time off work. the consultancy is well paid and I can balance my caring duties, and working 3 days as an employee which means I have the safety net of a job,
I agree entirely with just having time to stare, it is very underrated and at the worse times with my children I still found time to stare but never do with work. It saved my sanity and mental health.

Good luck enjoy it, I am hoping I will find my happy medium in the next 5 years as I give up "employment" and concentrate on the consultancy and work 6/7 months a year only. My plan is to work September to April and take the summer off. Then "retire" at 60 doing a pin money job. If Covid doesn't scupper it I fancy the local worldwide park working in the shop or tills.

50s, HCP, fed up of NHS management and bureaucracy; I quite like my job when I’m left alone to do it and don’t have to be a de facto policeman or social worker. It’s now taking too much of my brain space and having worked throughout this year I feel burnt out with nothing more to give. Hope to retire in 3 years when youngest goes to university

Can you reduce your hours and take a you day Op? Might make a whole lot of difference to your life if it’s more balanced

Totally relate to this post. Zero desire to work but I'm a competitive person and I love making money so ??? I'm stuck haha. Currently happy as a SAHM and will be for the rest of this year but next year all kids will be in school full days and I'll need to figure something out. My DH is a somewhat high earner but I feel guilty not contributing financially. He's also WFH full time now and I don't want him to see me at home living a life of leisure all day while he's working hard. SO many of my friends in late 30's are feeling this way too though, especially bc of lockdown. They have been off work or WFH and they dread going back to the office.

Couple of posters talk about retraining

I think I’ve had a varied career but the boring factor remains the same

My dream of life is to be like this cat

This thread provides me with a lovely bit of escapism yesterday. I reckon if I could earn between 500-1000 per month from home I could do it comfortably (late 50s). Those of you who have earned part time from home what have you done?
Also it’s lovely to hear all the lovely stories of retirement but I wonder if there are any stories of regret or boredom. Maybe they wouldn’t post on here

I really love this thread, makes me feel like I'm not alone. Interested to hear from those who run their own business or self employed? I do, and always thought it's the dream compared to being employed but don't feel like that lol still feel trapped!!

Any other business owners resent their business?

Not quite as easy to resign under these circumstances

Also it’s lovely to hear all the lovely stories of retirement but I wonder if there are any stories of regret or boredom. Maybe they wouldn’t post on here

My FIL retired last year and the change in him has been quite shocking. He's aged a decade in a year and seems quite lonely (obviously not helped by lockdown of course). It's really changed my perspective on early retirement tbh, I'm not sure I'd want to do it without being really certain I had a plan for how to spend my time.

My cousins OH took early retirement three years ago at 54.
The change in him has been astounding.
Gone from a physically fit active man to an elderly person, developed health problems, spends a lot of time dozing in his chair.

Sad to see.

July what’s actually holding you back from doing that ?

@Lardlizard fear of the unknown and that it won’t work out!

@olivesonapizza

Also it’s lovely to hear all the lovely stories of retirement but I wonder if there are any stories of regret or boredom. Maybe they wouldn’t post on here

My FIL retired last year and the change in him has been quite shocking. He's aged a decade in a year and seems quite lonely (obviously not helped by lockdown of course). It's really changed my perspective on early retirement tbh, I'm not sure I'd want to do it without being really certain I had a plan for how to spend my time.

My dad retired twice and went back before finally doing it for health reasons.

He was miserable.

But I think that’s obvious if you enjoy work.

One of the saddest things for me this last couple of years - I arranged a colleague’s retirement party. He was so excited about retiring and he felt obliged to have a party so I talked with his adult children about ways to make it better for him. I think we did it.

Three months after retirement, he died in a car accident. I don’t say this to depress anyone, but it made me think a lot.

I know a lady who had a 12 year countdown to retirement. Can you imagine?! She ended up downsizing- she had a house and now lives in a flat smaller than mine.

She said looking at that 12 year thing made her realise her priorities and she cut seven years off the waiting by downsizing.

My grandparents saved their hearts out to retire at 56. They bought a campervan and decided to tour Europe. 3 weeks in my grandmother had a massive stroke and my dad had to fly out to Italy to help get her home again.

She never walked or spoke again and they lived another 24 years (dying within days of each other) smoking and watching tv. It was so so so sad. That is what amde my dad decide to retire as quickly as he could- to make the most of his life.

On the other hand- my FIL and his business partner solt their business at 70 and retired. My FIL had no hobbies and did not seem to be able to really think of anything to do and he also sat and watched tv. His partner did 18 months of golf, got bored shitless then started up another business which he still is involved with at the age of 100. :) The work kept him going.

He was in charge of his own working life and destony though which i think makes a difference.

That is what amde my dad decide to retire as quickly as he could- to make the most of his life.

I am making the most of my life right now.

I don't want to wait until I retire ( however early that may be) to start enjoying my life.

It is possible to earn money and enjoy life.

My parents never got to enjoy retirement together. My father was ten years older than my mum, he retired at 60, then died aged 67 (nothing to do with not enjoying retirement or becoming inactive). This was one reason I wanted to retire sooner rather than later. My DH is also 10 years older than me, he worked until 65 and is now mostly though not completely retired.