Aibu Retiring at 55 - 30 years of idleness?

[Scotsknowbest]

So this is the thing: so many local friends have given up working in the last few years in their early to mid 50s, aibu to think what on earth are you going to do to stay interested and interesting?
I thought perhaps they would shut the house up and set off on a big trip but holidays have been more like 2 weeks in Greece instead of one.
I thought perhaps they would volunteer but that seems too restrictive for them.
I thought some might use their professional skills to join executive boards as NEDs or in advisory roles. But no.
Some have upped their golf or tennis, some are focusing on the garden (what, every day?) some walk the dog, read the paper.
I just think they will become so boring!
In contrast I caught up with 3 old school friends this evening who I see about once or twice a year. I asked them when they thought they would retire and each thought mid 60s.
Many of my friends have inherited recently and I think this has been the nudge. I have also inherited but I don't feel any different!
Just for context I am 57, work in 2 roles, one executive, board level, one professional but different area (social work) which takes me to about 4 days a week but I also run 4 properties as a landlord and have an aging dad who lives a mile away who I help with admin, appointments, organising stuff. I also have 2 grown kids the youngest at uni, 1st year. So, not as busy as when I worked and had little kids, but pretty busy in a good way. Personally I can't imagine stopping working so aibu, is 50to55 simply too young to be retiring even if the catalyst has been a windfall inheritance?

it was taken from the copy pasted quote in this post. I suspect that the original post has been removed as I can no longer find it.
"many retirees make the stroll to the newsagents and the pot of tea last as long as possible whilst thinking how the hell do I fill the next 5 hours let alone 5 years
Is that true though? Is that actual fact or just a cliché? I can see that it might be true for the lonely elderly who have lost their spouses and friends, but not for people in their 50s & 60s who have made a conscious choice to take early retirement."

How long do you expect the Iran war to last?

I’m a part time student (OU) in my 60s. I’m not working right now and I probably won’t go back to work when I graduate but I could if I choose. I feel like I’ve done enough paid work though and it was taking up too much time. I’m enjoying being a granny, do a lot of exercise, planning travel and I have a lot of interests. None of them involve good works, committees etc. OP, what suits you won’t suit everyone. Busyness isn’t valued by everyone.

I didn't give any statistics though @godmum56 (I'm that poster btw). I said "many." It was anecdotal about people I know or have heard or read about. Next you'll be demanding "source please!" 😊

You are judging people for “idleness” but to them it probably feels like a blessed relief to just do what they want after a lifetime of school, college, work, kids, looking after elders etc. Each to their own!

so no basis in fact at all?

so no basis in fact at all?

I seem to have hit a nerve?

I spent all of my working life (NHS) championing the cause of research based, evidence based information and treatment. I am too old to break the habit now.

I can relate to this.

i can get 20 tasks done at work on a working day but I can list 1-2 take for a non working day and they are listed as afternoon and morning. They take as long as the free time I have to do them generally.

its like most of us didn’t get as much done in lockdown (assuming no kids to home school!) as we thought we would. We got into a slower routine.

But this is a chat forum not a research centre! Surely you have sufficient imagination to realise that lots of people struggle with the lack of routine, structure and social interaction that retirement can bring. If you don't know anyone who fits that description, put your evidence based research to use and Google. If you should wish to do so, of course.

I would like to thank the OP for starting this thread, and every single one of you for your responses, on whichever side of the debate you are sitting. All of it is swimming around in my head and helping me sort out my dilemma about retirement.

I hit 66, my state retirement age, last year and I am still working, albeit in a part-time flexible role. I have been gradually reducing my hours over the last year and am continuing to reduce them over the coming 6 months to a year. I am really, really struggling with the concept of retiring completely and I am driving my (younger) husband, as well as myself mad with my flitting from one decision to another about it.

I do have plenty of free time now, but the job can be all consuming at times and I have to keep up with constant changes in the raw information and the IT I use in my job. It seems to suck out of me all my motivation to pick up the hobbies I used to love. I don't think I'll be bored (or boring) if I stopped working completely.

The main issue for me now is that the work pays very well and we are currently supporting adult children, and probably will continue to do so for the next few years. Housing is a major problem for youngsters in our area and they will not be able to get onto the housing ladder without help. I have friends in exactly the same position and would imagine it is keeping many of us working beyond our state retirement date.

It was the relentless full on nature of lockdown working that prompted my husband to retire earlier than he intended.

However, I agree to a degree, he generally starts work later now he is retired.

its your use of "many" without any validation. I have already said in my other posts that I understand that some people do struggle with lonliness or lack of purpose, maybe because they have disabilities or other issues which limit their choices. ....but "many"? I seriously doubt it

its your use of "many" without any validation

Oh dear god 😂

EES is a one time delay.
Oil supplies will be sorted sooner or later.

Wow. You can’t find interesting things to do for two days? That’s really a shame. Maybe you need to invest some time into finding yhings you enjoy.

Since I retired I've used rail discount to visit all the places in the UK I've never been before. It's been wonderful.