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?

@PrioritisePleasure24- if someone has health conditions or mobility issues then of course they’re more restricted in what they can do. @PhaseFour’s disappointment at her Mum’s lack of activity suggested her Mum was physically capable of more. Still doesn’t mean she has to do anything if she chooses not to. But at that age, her choice will mean she loses mobility and strength quite quickly. (Then is more likely to need care sooner).

I'm mid forties and in a pretty decent job and am astounded by all these people who were able to afford to retire at 55. Guess that is the last gasp of boomers and theor better pensions/lack of student loans.

My wife and I (same-sex relationship) were Social Workers. We loved our jobs. My wife was about 7 years older than me. We had great plans for the retirement we would enjoy together and which would start when we were in our 60s.

My wife’s pancreatic cancer changed all that and she died at 58. She got NO retirement other than the months following diagnosis, when our world became terrifying and small, and the things we could do became severely restricted. The world of work gave zero fucks, although they did send her a bunch of flowers when she was diagnosed, and apparently after her death the office held a minute’s silence. So that was nice.

When I hit 58 (the age my wife was when she died), I had a consultation with a Financial Adviser who was able to demonstrate that I could afford to retire. Any time I have left, be it 6 months or 30+ years, is time my wife didn’t get and I intend to spend it doing the things we ran out of time to do together. The OP on this thread talks about the things they ‘thought perhaps’ people who retired early would do, and seems to judge them for not doing, suggesting instead that they are choosing ‘30 years of idleness’ - to whom is 30 years post-retirement guaranteed? And if people choose to stop working when they can afford to, what business is it of anyone else how they choose to spend their time?

I retired at 56 after 30 years of fulltime teaching, bringing up 2 boys on my own and then a breast cancer diagnosis at aged 52. Sod work. I've been retired 7 months and I haven't been bored yet.

I think this is a failure on your part to empathise with other people’s lives. You have your perspective ok. Personally I struggle to understand people who say ‘I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t work’. I can fill my life 10 x over with non-work stuff. The key point you are missing I think is that people are usually leaving jobs they don’t enjoy. Why spend 5 days/wk doing something you don’t like if you can afford not to? Of course they will leave.

Oh god, I’m your age, retiring at end of the year, I can’t bloody wait. Fortunately will be able to maintain lifestyle and enjoy myself. I also don’t intend to volunteer, or work again, I want to enjoy myself. Long lie ins, lunches out with my husband or friends, days out to London, or national trust properties, long weekends away but done mon to Thursday, lol. Doing exercise classes, Pilates, yoga, swimming, no stress, just enjoying my life.

If I could afford to, is retire now at 36! I have more than enough in my life to feel I could do so.
I might retrain if funds allowed, and I'd definitely be doing some volunteering so I had some structure to my life but otherwise I'd be very happy.
Unfortunately it's likely I'll be working until the day I drop so this will remain a pipe dream!

If your friends are happy OP then good on them. You do you, if you're happy still working then do so.

YABU to think that working = 'interested and interesting'. Many people who work a lot are extremely dull because they've made work their personality.

Conversely, many people who no longer work are more interesting to talk to because they've explored the world outside the office.

God, I'd love to retire

You can't guarantee you'll live the same age as your parents. My great grandparents lived to their 90s, my nan who was their child, passed away at 83 from natural causes. This has happened on my husbands side of the family too, 3 generations passing away younger than their parents.

I think yabu

I would love to retire now but I'm only in my 40's.

I have many hobbies and things that I would love to learn and I am confident that I could easily fill my time and feel fulfilled.

Maybe I would choose to volunteer in time, but at the moment, my job, which I like but is very people -focused and stressful , exhausts me and I would love to think that I could take years to focus on myself.

The thought of working in my current career (mental health nurse) until I'm into my 60s scares me a bit...its so full on and mentally draining. Its all I've ever done though and I'm not in a position to retrain so I have to plan retirement dreams and hope to win the lottery I don't play

But no, I don't think retiring early would be boring.

I think it's different for everyone. If you can retire earlier I would say go for it, as I've seen so many people working until late 60s then dying a year or so later. My mum worked until 67 and now at 68 has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She can't walk very far and relies on a wheelchair with a family member when trying to leave the house. We have no idea what will happen in later life, nothing is guaranteed.

If by 'remaining interesting' op you mean you talk about your job and how important you are all day every day.....it actually makes you desperately dull.My brother and SIL don't do anything except work. They are both employed at our local uni. They are so stressed and exhausted by the weekend that they lock the front door and do absolutely nothing for 2 days. Then back to work on Monday. On paper they are very busy/ important/ prodictive/ useful...in reality the stress is probably killing them. I retired at 55. One of us is amazing a ball. The other, not so much

My parents both died in their early 70s, my sister at 65. None of my grandparents were long lived either, only one made it to 70. I had three first cousins, two of whom are deceased, one was in their 50s, one in their 60s. I am now 60 and semi retired, I don’t intend to work too much longer. I could buck the family trend and live another 30 years, but I wouldn’t put money on it! There are things I want to do that I can’t do whilst I’m working and I feel that I have waited long enough.

I am deeply deeply bone weary. I love my job but I am 49 and exhausted. My hips, shoulder & back are bad from long hours desk surfing. I am hoping to at least cut down my hours at 55 but with an ASD child who may never work I suspect full retirement may be a long way off. I want to do yoga, long walks and baking every day instead of herding angry corporate cats!

You are getting a hard time on here OP, but I agree with you.

I credit the fact that I met ILs shortly after they both retired in their early/mid 50s, with few plans about what they were actually going to do, as part of the reason we no longer have much to do with each other.

They were isolated, doddery old people when I met them, and none of my peers quite got it.

To completely withdraw from normal life at that age (which is what they did) is an absolutely terrible idea. Worse than marrying the wrong person or having children when you don't really want them imo.

I’m really sorry.

I’m 58, hoping to retire at 60, and I’m definitely ready to finish. I’m slightly wary of the loss of identity that comes with retirement, but I’m also exhausted from working, running around after a teenager and uni student, as well as helping my elderly Mum. I’m just so so tired, and my to-do list is never ending. I can feel my multitasking abilities diminishing.

For many people perhaps, good for them. For the majority work is something that pays the ever increasing bills. Looking down on people that do want to retire and implying they will have 30 years of idleness is just disingenuous and rude.
Most people working in lower paid (often manual jobs) in more deprived areas will be lucky if they get 3-5 years of retirement.

I would prefer to talk about gardening, tennis, holidays and reading with my friends than work. much more interesting conversation and not boring at all imo.

Quite a judgemental post, OP. Seems clear to me that your sense of worth comes from being seen to be busy, useful and successful. I wonder where that comes from?

I know a couple of people who feel they retired too early, it’s definitely possible especially if you’re bothered by how people perceive your status or you’re driven by a need for achievement. Not everyone is.

I retired last year at 56 and my husband 4 years ago at 55.

I bloody hope I have another 30 years to read, go on holidays, eat out, walk the dogs, do the garden, have an afternoon nap if I feel like it. I’m really not going to worry if that makes me less interesting to others.

Poster mentioned many had inherited recently. They have plenty of money so can

I retired from a desk job at 55. I now walk a min of 12000 steps a day around lovely countryside, deal with elderly parents without time stress, cook nice meals, volunteer, visit places, travel. The best part? I CHOOSE what I want to do.

I was lucky enough to be able to retire at 58, voluntary early exit scheme and yes, an inheritance meant applying for the scheme was a no brainer, together with the fact I’d had some physical and mental health issues and my job was disappearing because of a restructure. I’m nearly 65 now and still absolutely loving it. No regrets. I just love having the time and the mind space to look around and take things in.