Age 56. Can't be arsed at work anymore.

[Whosaidthattt]

I'm a tired 56 year old. All these 'initiatives' and 'CPD'- I just can't be bothered anymore. Been there, did that 20 years ago. I have NO INTEREST in pretending to be excited/motivated by these 30 year olds and their enthusiasm! I get that they are young and excited about how they can change things but I just can't be arsed. Hoping to retire at 60 but that means another 4 years of excited puppies bounding about with their ideas. I'm not sure I can take it (or even care). How can I get through this final part of working life?? Help!!!

well if you are hoping to retire at 60 you must have a private pension as the old age pension won't kick in until you are 67! if its that bad why don't you simply retire now and take your pension... you are entitled too at 55 if you so wish.

otherwise you will have to do the same as the rest of us... and grin and bear it

Isn’t it a PITA when you tried the same initiatives 20/30 years ago and know they won’t work? You’ll have to fake it till you can leave OP.

I am 31 and already feel like this.

Just smile, nod & think your own thoughts. They are most likely looking for promotion, you are happy to just do your job & take your pay.

If you retired now and took your pension could you afford to live, all be it frugally, until you get your state pension? Is it just you or do you have a significant other?
I took early retirement (I have a disability, which played a part). Dh is older than me and has his state pension and I have a, very small, private one. Money is tight but life is so much better.

Absolutely depends on your circumstances as OP have referenced. If you can get by (taking pension early, savings, happy to do a lesser job, mortgage paid off etc.) then maybe, but I would not do it unless you have these things nailed on. There may not be many jobs out there on a high or comparable salary for 56 year old if you change your mind. You won't get state pension until 67, so you need to be able to survive for 11 years financially. If you can do this, then it is a "when" not an "if" - and only you can choose how much you can tolerate to bank the money. I retired at 56, similar maybe to you in some ways - got sick of the game playing, lost interest, felt tired, had other stuff on (4 kids school or uni, elderly demented parents) felt like every transformation was emperors new clothes, preferred working from home than the commute, change change change, Although there are moments where I miss work, actually not that much.

I feel exactly the same so I've fully retrained at 37 (whilst doing my FT job ) because I could NOT imagine being 50 yo and explaining to my manager why I chose my KPIs for the upcoming year..... I cannot do it.

I'm starting to work for myself in the next year.

At least you only have four years to go.

I'm 42 and feel exactly the same

It's all the same old two and fourpence, it really is

I think this is how my boss feels so she just goes on training courses for the sake of it now. The problem is that starts doing other people work for them because she likes to be busy.

I think KPIs can feel a soul sucking when you have done them for a thousand years. Coudl you drop down to 2 yearly reviews instead?

Have you got enough contributions for a full state pension, secure housing and a private pension? You could consider retiring early dependant on circumstances.

Embrace apathy! I like my job I really do. My team is great and I love being a manager.

However, I cannot get overly excited for the crisis of the day that my insane leadership cooks up. So I look concerned and say the right things…jump through the hoops that don’t matter… and go back to supporting my team to do what they need to do.

2 years and I get to reevaluate my life choices!

These 30-40 year olds saying they feel that way. That's a change jobs feeling not a 'I'm completely done with work now' feeling. I've had a few of those change jobs moments but at 57 I have reached the end of the line with work. I ache, I am free not to give a shit and don't hide it, the only purpose work is serving is to lower my mortgage and in 3 years I'm out. I prefer to plan than jump and struggle but each to their own I say.

I'm 50 and feel like I've seen it all before when it comes to "new initiatives" etc. I still enjoy my job though so I'm happy to keep working. I'm just less enthusiastic than I used to be about any changes (sorry I mean "improvements") to the way we do things.

I'm 40 and the same. Most work it total BS. I need to make a change.

Are you in teaching?

Can you smile, agree, say the right words and then carry on regardless?

I felt exactly the same at your age OP and when voluntary redundancy was offered to our department when I was 59 I couldn't wait to accept it! Financially it wasn't a good move - I only worked at temp and part-time jobs afterwards - but I have no regrets. Now very happily retired and so pleased to be out of the work world.

Look up quiet quitting.

There's a junior manager where I work who thinks he's above everyone else.

Also has a shit attitude, is lazy and rude. He's been getting away with it for years. Way before I joined.

I am mid 50s and done with people's shit. I am THIS CLOSE to telling him to go fuck himself... but I must not as I can't afford to retire until I'm 60.

The last few years of my job I just did what I needed to, did it well but made it absolutely clear to management I was not looking for advancement or personal bloody development.

if they’re a decent manager they recognise that too. My company supported people on the “wind down” in ways such as going taking a sabbatical or going PT.

Good luck OP, I feel your pain.

I'm a similar age but with virtually no pension (yeas of part time work and prioritising the mortgage over contributing in the days when not all employers offered a workplace pension).
I am sick of it all. I manage people which I no longer enjoy but when I think about changing jobs I'm not sure how I would fell not being in a leadership role and being managed more closely myself.
I'm doing the lottery a lot!!

55 and feel exactly the same - will have to leave this job at 60 and live frugally as my mind and body are done

62 and the end is in sight thank goodness.

I’m well into perimenopause and I feel the same. For the last two days I’ve been awake by 5am, and I’m concerned I might make a mistake at work due to this. I so wish that they’d put women;s retirement back to 60, I’m sure it was that for a reason.

If you can’t afford to retire early you haven’t got much choice but to suck it up.

I’m 47 and feel the same.

i’ve got a new manager who openly admits that they’ve moved into management after feeling completely fed up and burnt out of being in a public facing role.

They seem much happier, however they’re inept as a manager. Lots of changes have been made and I’ve not been informed which has left me looking unprofessional on a couple of occasions. I really resent this new manager for that. My job is ideal hours and in an ideal location so I’m in the biting my tongue phase but not sure how much longer I can keep it up for!

Any new job would make home / school runs etc more complicated so I’m loathe to do that.

I’d love to retire early but can’t see it happening before 62.