Chickened out of retirement

[PupInAPram]

I was intending to retire this September. Instead I'm going to go part time. I'll be close to 64. I realised when the time came to send the email to HR that I'm terrified of the thought of being 'unemployed'. Anyone else felt this way on retirement? I do think I'll have the best of both worlds, but at some point, I've got to go!

I went down to 3days, intending to do that for a year , but tbh, 6 months in , I realised that in fact I was still doing a whole weeks work in a shorter time .. realised also that two days off just wasnt enough for what I wanted to do with them.. I think the transition period helped though and I was more than ready to go after about 6 months ( but had to give two months notice ). The morning I left I went in, handed back my ID badge, laptop and phone and walked straight back down the stairs and out the door with a total sense of liberation.
Went straight out to a cafe and sat reading the paper with a large coffee and cake, did the supermarket shop on the way home ( surprised it was so empty at that time of day) and was home by lunchtime and out in the garden. Bliss. 40+ years of work finished and never looked back.
Do it!!

Can you afford to retire op? Is that what's causing the anxiety maybe?

Wow 😮 didn't you get a send off after 40 years ?

I feel the same OP, and I am considering reducing my days to help with the transition and mindset. Like @Laska2Meryls I am pretty sure that my workload will remain the same though and I'll end up doing it all in 3 days instead of 5.

I've worked full time since I was 18 and am now in my early 60s, so the change feels huge and I'm worried about how I'll fill my time - I don't have lots of hobbies, but probably should get some...

Oooh @Laska2Meryls I hope I start to feel like that! I've committed to another year, which is long enough to adjust to a new way of thinking. I'll have plenty of holidays in that time too. I think having some really tough financial times in the past makes me feel like giving up my job voluntarily is foolish even though I don't particularly enjoy working.

This is the best thing I have ever read

Yeh it's normal I the civil service. Transition to retirement, aka 80% work share pattern.

I'm hoping to go down to 80% at 60 years old. Maybe 62. Then tolerate that til I'm 67.

Love this!

Also, with only 23 days holiday in a year, I still manage to do a lot of 4 day weeks. I use up 4 days leave with a four day week throughout January. That helps.

@MyLadyTheKingsMother I'll be okay financially, although every year worked is more savings and pension banked. I'm doing something called flexible retirement and taking the part of my pension that won't be reduced, so I won't notice much change. I've been very specific about what bits of my job I can't do after going part time. Yes @ShebaQueen . I need a real hobby. Reading is not a hobby 😂

Nope, the moment I knew I could afford to retire with the aim of drawing down the pension pot at 55 was the moment I decided to go.

I retired at 53. And moved to France 6 months later. My pension was drawn down and put in a SIPP for monthly income, and that plus the house rental in the UK funds the income for visa requirements needed by the French government to get a long stay visa.

I'd never have made it to 60 working, I was utterly broken.

Are you into yoga at all? To me it seems like there are more classes during day time.

I retired 3 years ago, aged 55, from the Nhs.
It was very scarey 🥹
But I now work 2 days a week and it's great! That and my pension are more than my full time salary was!

I was in the civil service for many years and went to 3 days (22 hours) at 62, was still doing almost the same amount of work as I did when full time. Then due to other issues and totally unrealistic expectations in work I left and went to work for a small family firm for 3 mornings a week (16 hours). Best thing ever, no stress. 😊

@gettingolderbutcooler that's very encouraging. Glad to know you can feel the fear but it can still work out ok. @ChanelNo19EDT yoga class sounds good, if I can find a class for absolute beginners. It's a group thing, but I won't need to know anyone.

Wow @ragdoll12345 that's great! Getting a different part time job hadn't even occured to me.

I retired abruptly due to circumstances but never looked back. I absolutely love it. Having time is so precious after three decades plus of working. I don’t have any hobbies as such or lots of friends but I am always occupied and it is true that I don’t know how I had time for work.

My circle of acquaintances has changed as the years have progressed and I now tend to mix with other retired people simply because they are out and about when I am e.g. walking in the park in the morning.

I feel so calm and content. I have lost weight, enjoy meal prep rather than it being a mad rush when I am tired. Our garden is looking good and I take a great deal of pleasure in it.

Of course, this is only possible as I have a good occupational pension. It would be much less calm if I was worrying about money. Having said that we don’t spend a great deal on socialising or holidays so that helps.

Go for it, in a year’s time you will look back and think why did I wait so long, it really is a wonderful stage of life if you can fund it and fortunate enough to have reasonable health. My best wishes to you.

Like another poster, I decided to retire a year ago 6 months before my state pension kicked in. Went back part time immediately and gradually eased off. Finished completely in September - best decision I have ever made. I was so scared about not working but it has been brilliant - no clock watching, no stress and time to do exactly what I want, when I want and with who I want. I’ve recently been asked to do 1 day a week in a similar role - not decided yet if I will though - I love not working!

I’m a little you OP. We are moving to another area (nearer family) and hope to pay off the mortgage.

I swing between wanting to retire right now to perhaps in a year or so.

I’ve gone down to a 4 day week and have to be very firm about the workload and expected hours (lots of work travel required which often exceeds my working day).

Friends and family who are excited about our move nearer are planning all sorts once I’m not working so perhaps it’ll be more obvious that it’s time to drop the work rope once we’ve moved.

Perhaps a clear plan for what you can do if you leave your current employment, including a part time job or regular volunteering, will help with your decision?

Also agree that retirement is also only going to be good if you are financially ok.

Not uncommon in some organisations.

I did 42yrs and just slipped away.
Some people arrange their own leaving do's but most of us just liked to leave with no fuss or bother.
Some apprentices I had under my wing gave me a gift card (which was lovely) but that was it.

When I had decided to go (a decision that took me all of 10-seconds to make!) I was a different person with all the weight lifted from my shoulders. I was only 57 but the retirement plans I already had came into effect immediately and I never looked back.
I know some people feel differently (on the scrapheap, worried about money, getting bored etc) and slip into it gradually by going PT, a sort of comfort blanket in effect.

I can’t wait to retire. If you can afford it, just do it. Life is short & you don’t know what’s around the corner. Two of my friends/colleagues were diagnosed with cancer last year & both died within 7 months of their diagnosis.

@MachineBee Yes, a plan would be a good idea. When I think about being retired I do worry about what I would do with my days. I need to be more proactive about that.

You need to find a few new hobbies to fill some of your newly gained time. I learned to crochet which I do mainly in the winter. I've started to do proper gardening, planting and growing things not just mowing lawn and made some lovely flowers borders mainly for spring and summer. I go to gym sometimes I do a bit of gentle exercise and sometimes I just lie in the jacuzzi and have coffee with a few gym mates I've made. I've been to classes on cup cake decorating and now I can make a cake with a flower top in butter icing that looks like a rose which is good for gifting for birthdays. I walk my dogs later in the morning instead of having to get up really early to do it before work. I can go around the shops during the week, when it's not so busy instead of having to go on Saturday when they are rammed. I cook more from scratch but eat out midweek lunch too. Crosswords and Suduko keep my mind active. This year my DH will be 60 in September and he's retiring at the end of March. We've both bought cricket membership to Edgbaston for 2024 as we both love to watch cricket. We'll go out for day trips to NT properties and gardens and I'm really excited he will finally be home with me more. He's already said he will redecorate the entire house room by room. He did consider going part time but said unless he was replaced, which was not going to happen he'd still be expected to get all work tasks done so decided on just retiring. He said let a younger person have his job. He offered to train someone but they haven't recruited yet. He says once he breaks up on March 28th for Easter that's it. No good his employer asking him to stay to train someone.

I never went back after covid, which meant I could slip away without fuss.
Work had been such an all encompassing and stressful part of my life that I didn’t do anything much for about a year, just enjoyed spending time in my house and garden, reading and pottering.
It felt like recovering after a long illness.

Now I am a casual Registrar, so have a few weddings a month. I have a couple of weekly classes, one online and one in the village hall.
My coven meets fortnightly and I have a loose monthly arrangement to meet up with friends for lunch.

That is about all the structure I want at this time in my life, because it is so nice to have the time to “just stand and stare”.
I sort of remembered who I am after retirement and so I can follow my inclinations. Mine are going to pagan/hippy camps, science fiction conventions, watching the Snooker, doing my dolls houses, gardening and reading tons.
I have less income, but more than I'd anticipated, and some of the things I like to do don't cost much. I get oldie rates at the theatre and cinema, which is pretty good (plus we smuggle in a glass of cava each in the cinema)

I found that work doesn’t define me and I never give my 37 year career a thought, don't dream about it and only think about it when safeguarding children comes up in a thread on Mumsnet!
I wish I'd retired earlier still.
I hope you have a fabulous retirement, too.