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?

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?

I wouldn’t make a generalisation based on your lack of imagination, though. What it comes down to is this: If you’ve nothing else you want to do with your life than work, then keep on working.

Idleness is very much underrated.

Should read my time NOT working really narrowed my life.

I think doing nothing and being idle isn’t good for your mind and leads to a terrible retirement later on.

Id love to retire early and do a bunch of volunteering, study and exercise every day but alas, money…..

@ForCosyLionI only posted the positives, there! What I didn't say is that the pay is piss poor!

My father died at 63. Assuming you will live to around 85 is arrogant.

Hmmm, the humble brag…

I’m just not that busy now my children are older and I only have two high level positions and property portfolio to run…

…How on earth do people who only walk the dog and spend time with friends enjoy themselves without feeling pointless - I would be so bored…

You do you and be happy, we are clearly not all the same and feel validated (if necessary) in different ways.

Very different situation as I was retired out due to significant disability, but I became 'retired' at 42....now that's young! I have a teachers enhanced pension & PIP so not exactly flush BUT I'm busy- I volunteer, I cross stitch, my cooking game has improved, I'm a massive advocate of life long learning & am currently learning about China under the different dynasties- because I can! I'm also raising my 15 Yr old as a single parent, and I love how I can be absolutely present for her.
I'm not going to be taking up an extreme sport any time soon and yes, it can be strange as all my wonderful friends work full time, we are all late 40s/early 50s but life is what you make it & despite some significant physical limitations I feel I have a full and worthwhile life xx

Hell, I’d retire now if I could and I’m not even in my 40s.

There’s many things I’d love to do, learn and volunteer for that don’t involve me being stuck in an office 8 hours a day.

I am 42 and would 'retire' tomorrow if I could.
I wouldn't be volunteering.
I have plenty of ideas to fill my time and none of them are particularly community minded (why when people finally finish with work are they expected to continue working for free?🤷‍♀️ it just doesn't give me warm, fuzzy feelings at all).
I feel sorry for people that can only live a life as a cog in a machine, if work is all that keeps you interesting you really are not as interesting as you think.

It seems very young to me. For me if I retired at 55, I'd still have teenage children living at home. At 50 it's not unusual to still be doing the school run and still trying to get career back in track after kids.

I guess everyone's 50 looks different, and got some is the ETA of grandchildren, whilst for others it's still the era of your own children!

It's not so much the retirement, it's the stopping of everything.

My PIL both retired at 55 and just... stopped. Their lives grew small and slow and they very quickly became older than they were. They've now been in the same stasis for 20 years doing absolutely nothing with the brains and the skills they once had. I totally accept that is their choice but it doesn't suit me and it just feels quite wasteful.

I would like to keep active and 'young' for as long as I can. Doesn't need to be paid work necessarily but it needs to be something satisfying and challenging.

My dad is 75, has health conditions that mean he can’t do many things including walking very far even aided so yeah he is sat in front of his tv in his lovely sheltered accom flat. You know what, he is still with us so if that’s how he wants to spend his last years. Who am i to tell different. There are activities downstairs in communal rooms but he doesn’t want to do knitting 😂

I should add tv doesn’t have to be mindless: he watches educational documentaries as well as sports and films.

For many people their work is not being a cog in a machine! Far from it.

You are enjoying your work and you have your social catch ups and friends.

Just keep contributing to your work places and being yourself.
I don't know anyone who has retired younger than 65.

I do know people who, in their fifties, are tweeking their lives to include more weekends away, meals out with their kids, time with grandchildren and more holidays.

YABU, I “retired” at 57. The reality is, my job was really stressful, I was looking after elderlies and couldn’t manage both, voluntary redundancy reared its head and I grabbed it with both hands.

I do volunteer, but I started that a year before I gave up my job, I still spend a significant number of hours looking after the elderlies and running them to endless medical appointments, I also walk adult DCs dog and have their DGC one day a week.

Many people imagine retirement is lunching with friends, hours on the golf course, pottering round garden centres. The reality is, for many of us, it’s the same daily grind, just unpaid!

I’m in a stressful executive position (like yours OP maybe) and I’d love to retire now (I’m 52). It would certainly not be boring and I would spend the time doing things I love. I just don’t care enough about my career anymore. I’m over it. I honestly want to laugh when I read half the crap I see on LinkedIn. There’s no joy in performative corporate excellence like there is in art, playing music or your garden.
You do you OP. They can live their lives too. I’m pretty sure your life doesn’t make you more interesting than them.

Working doesn’t make anyone more interesting.

You are clearly a very driven person who is defined by achievement. That's great but not everyone is made the same way

I really couldn't be arsed dealing with all the stress and politics of work anymore as I had started to find it soul destroying. I'd rather have fun.

It’s being optimistic. That’s all. Unlike being judgmental.

I think it’s a very personal choice. we all know someone who has worked until 70+ then died shortly after retirement, we also probably know people who died too early before retirement.

You also need money to retire early. Those of us on lower wages can’t stash loads of money just for retirement. I save but currently for house refurb and life. I have an NHS pension but can’t get that early. Also im a lower band so while i’m grateful for the generous scheme it isn’t the gold plated mega pension people think it is. There’s no inheritance .

When the mortgage is done in a few years i’ll be able to save more so i can go part time and maybe fully retire a little earlier than 67. I’ll likely be knackered after possibly 35+ years in healthcare and maybe won’t want to do much!
.

Exercising really doesn't cost much, a pair of trainers maybe.

I admire anyone who has the balls to retire early and if they can afford it why not.
It is up to each individual what they choose to during their retirement even if that means taking their time to do things and even doing nothing. They have no one to answer to and don’t feel they have to prove themselves.
So good luck to them I say and for anyone that thinks different I can only imagine a bit of jealousy is what it’s all about.