So tired of my job…

[FabulousFreshias]

So ready to retire… anyone else done it at 55?
I’m an SLT in a school and honestly feel completely worn down. The constant parental complaints, second-guessing everything, and the feeling that one tiny mistake could blow up is really getting to me. My anxiety is through the roof at the moment even though, logically, I know I’m doing my job well (and then some… the hours I do are crazy).
I’ll be 55 next year and hope to retire and and find something part-time and not in education. I’m seeing a financial advisor this week and think it might is doable, but it still feels like a huge leap. I think I could manage without a job, but would prefer to have a part-time job just to keep the luxuries going!!
I don’t want to wish my life away, but I also don’t think I can carry on like this much longer.
Has anyone retired (or semi-retired) around this age? What did you move into? Did you regret it or was it a relief?
Would really appreciate hearing others’ experiences.

Just popping on to say that I nearly have another 20 years to go and I already feel like you. Don’t know how I’m going to make it to be honest! Go for it.

Oh no!! Is there any possibility of you changing your job to something you would like doing more? I hope for your sake there is. I’ve only felt like this for the last couple of years and it just seems to be getting worse each day but the thought of 20 more years in a job I wasn’t enjoying would be destroying.

I retired from teaching last year. I was 56 and 6 months and had worked mostly full time in primary for 29 years. I dropped down to 4 days about 18 months before I decided to retire, but even that was too much .

We decided to downsize the house from a large 4 bed town house to a semi, it meant the mortgage was paid off. I also looked at our outgoings and got rid of subscriptions Prime etc we didn't need.

After a number of run ins with parents complaining about really trivial, insignificant things I decided I'd had enough in October '24. I told my head in the New Year of '25 I'd be retiring.

It's honestly been the best thing I've done. I trained as a speed awareness trainer initially but I just didn't like it so decided to join a supply agency. I just do 2-3 days a week and pick my year groups. If I don't want to work I just say I'm not available. I don't love it but it tops up my pension and I've hardly dipped into my lump sum.

I decided I didn't want a boss or an official job that would tie me down so supply suits me. We've had lots of breaks in term time and other holidays planned during cheaper times.

I joined David Fountains retirement group on Facebook as he has a spreadsheet where you can put your figures in and it predicts your pension. It was pretty accurate too. He also has some great YouTube videos.

I did this.
I was a registered nurse of over 25 years and had total burnout and disillusionment. I was in my 50's. I took on different caring roles which held less responsibility.
Before full retirement I had a spell of home based childcare providing wrap around school care after a basic training course.
Good luck in your choice.

BG2015
I’m also in that Facebook group, it’s really helpful. At this point I honestly think it’s the parental complaints that are getting to me the most –. Don’t get me wrong there are some lovely families as well who really appreciate what we do and who want to work in partnership but there seem to be some that are quick to put in a formal complaint and threaten to take us to court over things! They are just really wearing me down and I’m struggling with it at the moment. It’s a shame because I have always absolutely loved my job until the last few years, but I just feel broken… I also feel that 55 is quite young to finish work and just hope I could get a job doing something else but obviously that’s not guaranteed so I need to make sure I can live off my Teachers Pension if necessary. I’m glad to hear you’ve been able to have some time time holidays – that’s definitely something I’m looking forward to!

Thank you for your reply, the burnout and disillusionment do seem to hit women in their 50s. I never thought I would feel this way

@FabulousFreshias life is too short to dread a daily job which you probably once loved and felt dedicated to.
Take a deep breath and consider suitable financial options.

@FabulousFreshias totally get you with the parents. I've never experienced anything like it during the last 2 years of my career.

My lightbulb moment was when I realised I didn't have to totally stop work, I could retire and get a part time job doing something else.

I don't love supply (& the money is rubbish) but it just suits me at the moment. I could manage just about on my pension but the supply work pays for the nice things.

Id look at your expenditure and work out what your bottom line is and go from there.

Could you drop down to 0.8 or 0.6 as then you're showing you can live on less.

Once you start thinking about retirement it's very hard to fight the urge to not act on it.

This was me! At 55 I was assistant head teacher in a big state school and SLT was being run ragged by a head teacher who was only interested in her profile and her ‘academy trust’. I moved to an independent school where I was a class teacher for 5 years and then I knew I was ready to retire.

if you can make the numbers work why not retire.

Can you actually afford to retire?

If you can then leave and get another job doing something that you would enjoy to supplement your income. Even if you only earn 20k pa it will help.

@BG2015do you have a link to that fb group please? Can’t seem to find it

You’re all lovely! I’m actually crying here about how kind a bunch of strangers are being to me. I feel so reassured that other people have had the same thoughts and that things have worked out for you all, thank you!

I’m nearly 53 and although I’m not a teacher I have a busy stressful job but I have no wish to retire. I moan about it but fundamentally I love my job, I might look to cut my days in years to come, especially as we are about to clear our mortgage, but no desire whatsoever to retire. This may change of course!

I'm 55 this year and work in school. They early 6am wake ups are too much. I loved my job but, this year its broken me. I'm exhausted by Friday's, literally wiped out.
Your post really resonated.

I am nearly 52 and only think I can carry on if I reduce my hours a bit. Menopause fatigue doesn’t help.

I also felt like that 20 years ago and longer but I've had the same job for about 15 years now and will be 70 next year and I'm ready to retire now but only because the job satisfaction. Isn't there any more. My job has changed over the years and is now quite boring and repetitive work. So I'm ready to retire.

I am almost 58 and so so tired of my job. It is coming to an end soon ( fixed term contract ) but at the moment every day feels like a huge chore to get through. I've worked continuously for 40 years in difficult jobs and just feel like I am so done with people. Today has been one entitled grumpy client after another and I feel like I just don't want to interact with people anymore. I'm finding I'm having to bite my tongue more and more. My colleagues feel the same, we are all late fifties/ early sixties. Some are just hanging on to see if they can get made redundant.
I can't really afford to retire completely but hoping my next job will be with dogs or just stacking shelves or something ( if these jobs still exist ).

Can't link it but this is what it looks like.

I was Deputy H/T in a primary school and retired aged 57 fed up.of being told what and how to teach, regardless of what the children needed. I was intending to do some supply but was then asked to support my union branch secretary p/t. That worked out very well, because I was able to cover for her when she needed an extended time off. I enjoyed the casework and working with adults, rather than children. I finally retired completely after paying off the mortgage with an inheritance when I was able to draw my State Pension.

I'm 40 and feel the same. I'm planning early retirement ASAP.

A couple if years back, a friend of mine (early 50s) took redundancy from a corporate role, had a year off and got herself a part-time, entry-level, school-leaver job in a call centre 😂 She loves it - easy work, no stress, she clocks off at 5pm, and it covers her luxury spends.

She started at the same time as four other people - tow graduates and two women roughly the same age who'd also took redundancy. Two graduates crashed out, the three 50-something ladies are still there!

It’s so interesting how many of us at a similar age feel the same. Obviously I realise this isn’t an exclusive problem to teaching! It just makes me sad because I loved my job for so many years but it is really the parental complaints that are getting me down. A lot seems to have changed since Covid? I’m not sure if people in other professions find that as well. I try to get outside every morning when the children are coming in to greet them and their families because that’s when I get the positive interactions and I remember that actually the vast majority of families like the school and value what we do it’s just that we hear from the vociferous minority!

How about giving up your SLT and being a teacher without all the extra hassle. You would probably enjoy that again.

It is going through my mind to do that. If I stay in the same school, I obviously need to wait for a teacher to leave before I can put that suggestion forwards but there are a couple of young ambitious ones who are hoping to move onto middle leader roles so maybe that would be a possibility. It would be strange to be on the other side of SLT!!

I’m 55 this year and have decided to slide disgracefully into retirement. I’m support staff in a school and it’s just got ridiculous what they are expecting us to do, so I feel your pain!
I decided last week I’d had enough, got on to indeed and already have three interviews for part time work lined up this week. My IFA is quietly rejoicing. Money is saved to spend, not for people to fight over in a will.
Honestly if you can, go for it. The relief I feel at making the decision is immense. Just make sure you can financially support yourself - an IFA can help with this and give advice specific to your own circumstances.

I did it last year- I was 53- I wasn't a teacher and I'm now living off an absolute pittance of a pension whereas previously I had £1K per month disposable income; but it's the best thing I've ever done.
I was sick with stress.
I now have peace of mind which is the most precious commodity anyone can have.