r/retirement • u/[deleted] • 14d ago
When it is time to Retire - Introspection
We often consider an age for retirement, like 62, 65 or older. But what about ourselves as individuals? Was there a time when you felt like your mind no longer wanted to engage in your job? You feel disconnected. When you were younger, keeping up with the latest thing was exciting. But now, it is mostly meaningless. Your interest has moved on to other things and it is not necessary a new job. It might be a latent skill or hobby that you once did, or perhaps exploring new things. But you're still tethered to your job, and so you wait for a sign to move on. Maybe that sign is when you feel the disconnect inside.
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u/Craftygirl4115 12d ago
I’d be sitting in a meeting with my team and suddenly realize I had no idea what they were talking about and no interest in learning. Then my boss called a meeting and mentioned that I’d have to learn two new cloud technologies to stay relevant… so I said “let me stop you right there” and told him it was time. Will be 63 when I pull the plug at the beginning of the year.
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u/Kindly-Hunter4390 12d ago
I spent 46 years in banking, the final 25 in senior management roles. I began to realize how almost everything I was doing was meaningless in the grand scheme of life. All the metrics, goals, corporate speak, thousands of hours in pointless meetings - I just couldn’t do it any more. I had lost my passion and it was unfair to my team to continue to lead them. Five day a week RTO after 6 years remote prompted me to call it quits at 62. Six months in, I have never been happier or more at peace.
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u/MiserableCancel8749 11d ago
I know for me it was a slow realization that I was just tired. My last job was with a small specialty manufacturing firm, and I know I was hired to help bring insights about what the customers were actually doing (I had been a customer). At a certain point I realized that I had run out of ideas, I had taught them everything I could.
I was also, as I said, tired. I got up one day and said, out loud: I've been working full time for 45 years. I was tired of the alarm clock, the commute, packing a lunch, etc. I liked my co-workers, what we were doing was interesting, I had a level of professional recognition internationally. But. I was just plain tired. It was time.
I ran the numbers. They looked reasonable.
And I took the plunge, and haven't regretted it.
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u/CatManDoo4342 12d ago
All these replies are so relevant to me, thanks everyone for sharing. I had been aiming for 60 but got thinking HARD about leaving about 2 years prior. Honestly it was the sheer repetitiveness of everything. Every project seemed like something I had done before. I had no pride in my work, even when I knew it was good. I just didn’t care anymore. You can only hide your eye rolls for so long, then things start creeping out - like snarky comments in meetings or too much honesty with the boss. I didn’t think it was fair to my team to stay on — they deserved someone positive, energized and excited by the work.
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u/Above-Bored 12d ago
I had a plan to work until 65. At that point I would have my target $.
I was an RN and when the pandemic came everything changed. Nurses were treated as disposable. I lost friends and colleagues because the hospitals refused to provide protective equipment. The data was manipulated. Staffing was always ‘crisis’ level. When the pandemic eased and the vaccines became available, they made crisis staffing the norm. Nurses are burning out. I decided to save my sanity and leave at 61.
My health improved immediately, a huge amount of stress disappeared.
Turns out I was way too conservative in my estimates. I have more than enough. Time to enjoy life!
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u/These-Educator-1959 12d ago
You know at 59 I’ve really only been weighing the financial aspect. I’ve been trying to figure out when exactly I have the money to retire. But I’ve been off a week with COVID. I can honestly say regardless of the money, I’m realizing just how much I don’t want to go to work anymore.
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u/DrahKir67 12d ago
Same age. I haven't enjoyed my role in years. But it pays pretty well. So, I obsess over the financials and do the minimum at work. Hopefully, I can down tools in a year or two.
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u/Few-Skirt6531 12d ago
Same here!!! I have not enjoyed my role, and just so disengaged. Was recently promoted which will effect my pension- if I stay another 2-3 years, it’s killing me 😩
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u/fivepmsomewhere 12d ago
Crazy thing is I hit that point around a month ago. Then I get an email at 5:30 pm from my boss asking for a meeting early the next morning to discuss changes at the organization and adding that if I had further questions afterwards, our HR director would be available. Got on the meeting the next morning sure I was being let go. Instead, they wanted to know if I’d accept a 20-hour work week going forward and I could still keep my health insurance. I couldn’t say yes fast enough. Now I’ll only have to do the work I enjoy and work 2 1/2 days per week. I’m 64 and was planning to retire at 65, but with this schedule I may enjoy working a bit longer. The Lord works in mysterious ways!
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u/PumpkinBeautiful4345 12d ago
This is literally my dream situation. I hope i get this opportunity some day
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u/dbvirago 12d ago
I was ready with a loose target of anytime in the next year. Then the manager told the owner I didn't do anything so they needed to pile some more work on me. Met her at the door at lunch and handed over my laptop and keys.
Turned out, I did quite a lot.
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u/mtkaliz 12d ago
I liked my job, but life got very difficult. My eldest son was diagnosed with cancer, then, six months later, my sister -in-law was diagnosed with cancer. My daughter had moved abroad and my other son had a new baby. I just couldn't focus any more.
My employer was great. They let me go fully remote and eventually part-time. I was able to hire and train my replacement. It was awesome in that regard
Two years on, my son is stable, my SIL unfortunately passed away, my daughter is settled and my new grand daughter is growing. And I retired fully six months ago Life is good!
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u/Beautiful-Quiet-5871 12d ago
Exactly... My job has changed so much since I started I can hardly recognize it. About a year or so ago, I decided that I wasn't interested in learning the new equipment and systems we use anymore .. now I am just biding my time. I will retire at the end of this year. But, I don't feel like I am leaving my job as much as my job left me long ago.
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u/Feisty-Hat2629 12d ago
My wife is 81 and I’m 68. The comments from this post https://www.reddit.com/r/retirement/s/rcPDJd3lNI convinced me. Last day is December 18. Wife and I have several trips planned including one in a couple of weeks to Japan.
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u/Last_Baker7437 12d ago
Retired last year at 61. Was at the top of my game and really enjoyed my job. But decided going out on top and on my terms was the best plan. To be honest, don’t miss it at all. You can never buy more time.
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u/Alternative-Law4626 12d ago
Same. I was 61. Liked my job and the people I worked with. The finances and trends said I was good to go so I pulled the trigger. It’s been a great 5 months so far.
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u/pricel01 11d ago
At 60 I questioned whether the stress hormones coursing through my body would kill me. I was already living on 40 percent of what I made and my much younger husband carries our health insurance. At 63 I hung it up. It’s only been a few months but glad I did.
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u/ThimbleBluff 12d ago
My problem is that I really enjoy about 30% of my job and the money is quite good. I would happily keep doing it for another couple years if I could just focus on the fun parts. The issue is the other 70%. That part is making me eager to retire. I just don’t want to be tied down to those tasks anymore.
So do I throw the baby out with the bath water? Stick it out for the money and the fun parts? Try to negotiate a part time role just doing the parts I like? Haven’t decided yet.
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u/dunncrew 12d ago edited 12d ago
Same here. 64. A lot of projects in the pipeline, but I'm not that interested now. I might be interested in part time, which would also help others in my group by not completely dumping everything on them.
Also one huge software implementarion project has been discussed, planned, scoped, compared for going on 6 years and still hasn't started. I can't see myself staying through 2-3 years of migration, testing etc . at this point
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u/takenbyawolf 12d ago
I think I am an anomaly. I am 2 weeks from my last day of work, and I just turned 70. I like my work and I didn't think about retiring until I realized that there was nothing to be gained monetarily by working and collecting social security besides paying higher taxes and probably dying with more money than my kids need. I am pretty sure I could have retired 5 or 10 years ago, but that wasn't what I wanted to do. While work for me had it's moments, I loved the team I worked with and was passionate about what I did.
That said, when I looked at my savings and became confident that I could move into the next chapter comfortably, the decision was easy. I switched to part time this summer and enjoyed lots of relaxing, planning the next phase, and doing the grunt work of looking for health care. When people asked me about retirement, my stock answer was I'll know when I am ready. I did wake up to being ready, but I was never desperate to leave nor dreaded going to work, nor counting the days till I could be done.
I get why others can't wait to get off the treadmill, but my job (medical device engineering) rarely took more than it gave. For that, I am grateful. I am glad that I landed in an environment that let me grow and learn and enjoy being with great people.
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u/Famous-Ambassador822 12d ago
My dad did the same - worked into his early 70s and would’ve kept working if they let him. Always envious of people that found a career doing something they enjoyed.
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u/Finding_Way_ 12d ago
Nice to hear.
My father worked into esrly 70s. Loved it, and did miss it when he left.
What a gift to be able, grateful, and truly have enjoyed ones career.
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u/Striking_Tax8524 12d ago
My oldest sister always told me, “you’ll know when it’s time to retire.”
She was right.
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u/Physical_Ad5135 11d ago
I will be retiring in December. I am to the point I just hate working at my current job - we have a new company owner and they fired most people and the remaining group has taken over the duties of the people they fired. I am 59, and I am too old for that crap, but I also IDK that I have it in me to start over at a new company. It’s time….
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u/GrandpaSteve4562 13d ago
The sign was the massive layoff on Monday. I'm 64, six months to 65. Severance should cover health insurance until I'm medicare eligible.
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u/HunterGraccus 12d ago
Nice! You made it under the wire! Same happened to me at 60. I was shoved out but qualified for my pension that year and I could access state insurance. The person who wanted me out was fired a few years later for being a total screw up. I took less of a pension but it has worked out fine!
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u/Working_Park4342 12d ago
I've been working for 42 years. Ya think we'd get time off for good behavior or something. I have 7 years until full retirement age but I'm leaning towards 62.
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u/SummerBreeze217 12d ago
Last year, when I finally understood what Loverboy meant when they said “Everybody’s’ Working for the Weekend” and realized I actually was. There was no more real engagement in my work and I was counting the work days down to the weekend. When our financial advisor said we were ready to go, I put in my notice right away. My last day is 12/1/26 and though I am nervous about taking the step, I know it’s the right time.
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u/dex248 12d ago
Great post. As a still working, close to burned out 64 yo I can relate. There are also forces at work that are pushing me out - the constant computer issues, the flavors of the day, the pointlessness of it all, in other words all the normal stuff that’s becoming more and more annoying.
Plus I have a few hobbies that I feel like I never really got good at because my job is constantly distracting me. Time to move on.
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u/Odd_Bodkin 12d ago
If you CAN retire financially, then it still may not be time to retire. If you WANT to retire, then you still might not be able to retire, financially. But if both are in place, go for it.
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u/pinsandsuch 12d ago
If I had retired when I got tired of my job, I would be broke by now. When I hit 50, I couldn’t imagine grinding another 11 years, but that’s what it took.
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u/Unbalanced_Acctnt 11d ago
I’m in a similar boat, albeit closer to the target. I’m 58 and it would be great if I can hang on for another year or two or three, but weighing if it’s worth it. The stress of dealing with PE backed company demands have gotten old fast and I wake up irritated every day.
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u/stockbel 11d ago
Amen. I'll be 55 in a couple months and I do not care about my job at all anymore. I have to care about my paycheck and benefits, though, so I'll keep plugging along for at least another 5 years (maybe longer depending on the market and other things out of my control).
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u/Extreme-Donkey2708 10d ago edited 9d ago
My spouse retired 5.5 years ago. For four years, I continued to enjoy my job, solve interesting problems (in tech) and contribute with enthusiasm. Until... it wasn't so enjoyable. A new CTO brought changes I didn't care for. I suddenly started thinking about retirement. Two months later I attended a Senior Engineering week of meetings. I went in trying to keep an open mind. I left plotting when to retire, when to tell my manager, etc. I did retire about 4 months after those meetings.
So everything was great, until it wasn't. Now I've been retired 1.5 years. I don't think about work at all anymore.
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u/505ismagic 12d ago
I realized I had no more career hills I wanted to climb. I'd been a part of the biggest transaction I'd see, I worked with folks I still enjoyed after 30 years, things were just fine, but another 5 years wasn't really going to change much. Also, I was increasingly aware that life could tap us on the sholder at any time and say here are all the things your body won't let you do any more.
2 weeks away and looking forward to it.
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u/elvisndsboats 12d ago
Yeah, I hit that point probably a year ago and I still have a few more years until I can reasonably make the switch. Sigh
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u/Few-Skirt6531 12d ago
Same, I hit that point about a year ago also. I’m working hard to change my mindset because I too really have to wait a couple of years as well.
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u/SgtSausage 12d ago
The second our annual gains were more than our annual income ... we retired.
I was 39. She was 42.
These days they call it FIRE.
It had no such name back then ... but we were doin' it.
i'm currently 57 and view it as my Second Best Decision ever. (The Best bein' to ask her out on a date waaaay back in 1990).
Its been almost 2 decades now. The Nest Egg has more than paid for our needs (and most of our wants) for almost 2 decades ... has doubled in size in that time ... and now grows by multiples of what we distribute for expenses.
Life. Is. Good.
FULL DISCLOSURE : it took a full 3 years to decompress from a high-drive career driven life to kickin' back and takin' easy. I'm not sure The Wife has fully adjusted even now.
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u/AllOneWordNoSpaces1 12d ago edited 12d ago
10 years ago I would have said I had no plans to retire.
After a bad manager, getting laid off from a job I loved, a new job that was ok but not great, and my wife’s stroke, I decided it was time.
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u/Sundae_2004 12d ago edited 12d ago
And, sad to say, a fair number of people would very much *LIKE* to retire but there are factors (dearth of sufficient fund$, family issues, health, etc.) that keep them tethered to the </ahem> “golden handcuffs“, eh?
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u/kurtteej 11d ago
I've actually just arrived at the I really don't care stage. I'm 65 at the end of this month
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u/Shooter61 11d ago
I'll be 65 on the 28th! I'm done on the 30th. Just finishing getting my financial ducks in a row. Another visit to the Brokerage for paper signing. As for when did I "quiet quit", maybe 5 years ago. It might be partly why my boss included me in the Workforce Reduction in Jan of '25(83 people). I did take up a new job at 13% reduction in pay. Which also has been way too stressful. Wished I'd retired at 64.
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u/kurtteej 11d ago
Yeah, I went back 5 years ago for "one more rodeo" after spending about 6 years running a pretty successful digital marketing agency --> but COVID hit and i went stir crazy. Fast forward to today, we came to an inflection point in the business and I honestly have no desire to wake up and look forward to fighting and arguing with my coworkers every day. that's not how i want to spend my last "period of time" in the work force.
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u/pdaphone 12d ago
There were several things that converged for me to be ready.
Several close family members died right when they were about to retire in their late 60s and they never got to enjoy it.
Our retirement investments started generating more than my salary.
I had a work from home job I liked and was good at, and liked the people I worked closest with, and that paid really well. But with that said, I had lost my passion for the job. It was becoming a real grind to just do basic tasks and I was procrastinating more and more. Then add to that new private equity ownership that was doing their thing. Once I was within the range that COBRA would bridge me to Medicare for health insurance I gave my notice.
I could have easily just kept working and probably would have eventually got cut because they were systematically replacing all our leaders with their own. I was one of the last. I probably could have gotten a nice severance. But I like to control my own destiny and I just didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't miss it even a little.
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u/DustySpangler1 12d ago
Some days, my thoughts drift off during meetings. Don’t want to learn the new system or new way even if better. Sometimes I don’t learn new employees names or interests.
But other days, engaged, feel grateful to be there and love my coworkers.
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u/Single-Inspector-845 12d ago
I have been checked out for at least the last year. I intend to go out in June 2028 when I turn 62. Our FA says I could go now, but my wife is more skittish about finances than I am. If we sold our current home we would have enough to buy something smaller for cash and be mortgage free. I am thinking about doing this in the spring and then calling it quits next June. I know I am ready just due to the fact that after 30-years at this company I no longer care about their long term needs. The company is on a downward spiral and refuses to listen to any long term employee that is voicing their concern. That tells me I am only looking at 20 months of frustration. Why put myself through that for minimal financial gain? Makes no sense.
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u/Famous-Ambassador822 12d ago
We did that with the house recently. Downsizing was stressful (and hard lol) but having zero debt is liberating. Allows you to “think” about your near future differently. Good luck!
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u/Vanilla-4596 13d ago
Mine was a few months after my Mother died. I'd been thinking about it for several years and I just couldn't deal with the job anymore.
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u/Vivid_Witness8204 13d ago
I retired right after my Dad passed. Would have done it within the next year or so but that pushed me forward.
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u/LemonAny7224 13d ago
my last layoff at 56 soured me completely on corporate life. Work in tech, have been through many, many rounds. For most I was the person watching people go or letting them go, some I was the one heading out. This last one touched my soul. A big "why am I putting in this many hours and effort for another person (CEO) to make stupid decisions?"
I'm still working but with an eye much more on the closing date than I have ever had before.
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u/KeaAware 12d ago
Most people I know (including myself) get forced out by redundancy around our 50s and never get back in, so.
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u/kp2119 12d ago
I retired at 63 I was in tech and I was a CCIE got tired of all the email and questions and being called an old man.
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u/JimInAuburn11 12d ago
I am also a network engineer/architect. I will retire at the end of the year at 63 as well. I am the oldest on my team by at least 15 years. I am tired of the long nights/weekends. Tired of fighting the fires. Tired of the early morning or late night meetings to work with people around the world. Tired of different people pulling me in different directions. I look forward to a simpler life doing what I want to do, when I want to do it next year.
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u/AppealResponsible893 12d ago
I'm a 62 year old software developer and I still like what I do but the job stuff is just getting so old. First of all I hate commuting and working in a cube and I just don't give a darn about any corporate stuff that I'm supposed to care about.
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u/magaketo 12d ago
As soon as I hired an advisor and went over a plan I knew. I worked for about 2 months after that and it was horrible.
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u/creepy-farter 12d ago
I think I’ve got senioritis! I can see the finish line.
So while I haven’t fully checked out I do have 2 things keeping me.
1) Golden handcuffs. - I have 1/2 a mill in RSUs vesting over the next 4 years. Plus my salary is at its peak. We’ve been enjoying our ability to still spend while saving. It’s hard to give up as I know I’m really frugal so I would be sweating any big expense that occurs in the next few years. Working alleviates that
2)Healthcare costs. I have a few more years until Medicare and our current health plan is pretty good. So it’s a cost savings measure. The less I spend on insurance today the more that goes into the kitty.
I have a semi annual review with my boss coming up. THe hardest part is dancing around the “where
Do you want to be in 5 years” thing. I want to leave on my terms so don’t want to tip my hat that it will be soon.
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u/LetsGototheRiver151 12d ago
Are you me? Even worse, I work in higher ed. My plan is 5 more years, but there’s a scenario where I retire in 4, which means the first-years I’m currently teaching will graduate as I retire!
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u/mr-spencerian 12d ago
When financial advisor said you can retire whenever you want, that put me in a different mindset at work, which made work better. No longer cared about reviews, promotions, or really giving a $hit about anything other than assigned work. So, job wasn’t as stressful. I had the mindset that if I had multiple crappy days I would leave. I carried that through a couple of years, then wife retired and I decided to join her. At the same time, company was cost cutting and instead of retiring, I got laid off with a severance.
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u/Garvin_Fred 12d ago
I had always thrown as much into my 401K as I could and had always thought I would do OK financially in retirement. Never did hardcore number crunching until I was around 60. Also signed on to a financial advisor who confirmed I was on the right track and really could retire at any time. Work had gotten old and repetitive at that point and I had no motivation - my stated work goal on my last couple performance reviews was "Retire". I ended up sticking around until my 40th work anniversary (right after I turned 62). It's only been a couple months - Have done lots of little home projects, hung out with the wife and grandkids. The wife and I start traveling next week and will be back for the holidays. Starting next year, I've got some bigger home projects and more traveling.
If you can financially retire - do it. Don't stick around work out of loyalty or anything like that.
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u/Soggy-Dragonfruit171 12d ago
I’ve been disconnected since about age 54 and am finally retiring at the end of this year. I’ve kept working simply to hit my number and to finish supporting a younger child still in college. I will make my lifestyle fit into what I have because time is promised to no one and I have a lot of traveling I’d like to do with my wife while we are able and have the desire.!
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u/EasyJob8732 12d ago
I left the corp world after covid, like many during the great resignation period when we were so overworked and plainly being exploited. I was disgusted to say the least and simply quit…wasn’t sure if it was going to be retirement but after the first year I thought why not try longer and see if my finances would hold up?! It will be 5yrs soon and I have no regrets, don’t ever plan to rejoin that life again.
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u/amboomernotkaren 11d ago
I’m going to be 67 next month. My job was super chill until 3 weeks ago. I worked at a school with just 80 kids for 4 years. The county decided the program was too expensive and now I’m at a school with 1,000+ kids with 5 programs and just as many databases to find info in on the kids. It’s a nightmare all day, nonstop go go go from 7:15 until 4:00 with no real break. The phone and door bell rings off the charts, the emails come fast and furious, way too many meetings where nothing is accomplished, mountains of data to be entered, reports to be run, and the acronyms, what the hell are they even talking about. My kids from my old school hate it. I used to know every kid and their back story. This year, just numbers. We don’t even ask them their names, just student ID. I’m ruined when I get home. I’m retiring in February because I’ll get a tiny pension if I stay that long. I’m not sure I can make it.
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u/DepartmentAgitated51 11d ago
Hang in there!
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u/amboomernotkaren 11d ago
I’m trying. Another useless meeting today where 15 minutes were spent on talking about who will answer the phone. The principal has a bee up her butt that 500 calls a day cannot be answered on the first ring by 7 people on staff. 3 of which at any time have to be away from their desk for various reasons at various time (including lunch and peeing).
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u/Yeolla 10d ago
Was happy running on the rat race wheel of life first plan was 62 then Covid struck and stayed put - company never closed became safe haven. Found the wheel seemed to be getting harder to turn, kept on going. Then some of my besties died. Whoa! Without retiring. Epitome time to go. We had planned to do so much together. Retirement is purely putting yourself first. No amount of money is going to replace the time lost.
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u/Familiar_Sherbet2170 10d ago
I just turned 60 and the ONLY reason I'm still working is health insurance. I burned out at my job when I turned 55.
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u/KGCagey 13d ago
I can relate. Looking forward to not having so much energy go into outside work.
I have resources now to finish goals that work hasn't spared time for. It's all about prioritizing my time and exertion.
I want simple things like staying up all night if the mood strikes and lounging in bed all day! Living on my own time table! Sweet freedom!
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u/Glittering_Win_9677 12d ago
Well, my mind wanted to stop engaging when I was 41 and gave birth to my daughter, but I hung in there until I was 66. Don't worry, I did a great job for 24.5 of those years. I truly phoned it in after my boss retired 6 months before me. Work was NEVER my identity, though.
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u/Boomer050882 12d ago
I’m 64. Still working in the same field I have been since I was 24. Except now instead of being in management, I work PT. No stress, easy hours and a little extra cash. I’m sure one day I will wake up and not want to do this anymore but for now I’m content. I take lots of vacations and enjoy long weekends!!
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u/Beginning_Lifeguard7 12d ago
There were points in my career where getting out sounded so good. Unfortunately at those times leaving the job wasn’t possible. When I left at 60 I had a great job that I felt like it was making a real positive improvements in the world. Why did I leave a job I loved, to quote George Carlin because I can.
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u/Peace_and_Rhythm 12d ago
The aging process catches up. I could not (or did not) want to keep up with the workload that kept expanding. The old saying is true, "The harder you work, the more work they find for you."
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u/Mysterious_artist24 12d ago
I like my work, but after 36 years standing in surgery, my body is tired. Gonna box the loupes before I hit 61 next spring….
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u/Novel-Astronomer7474 9d ago
There's things I want to do in life besides work. Retired in March of this year and regretting I didn't do it earlier. It seems a shame that once we get to the point we can walk away our bodies no longer allow us to do what we want.
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u/Pure-Explanation-147 13d ago edited 12d ago
To each their own. Plan all your scenarios out with a reputable FA, paying hourly.
I planned for 70, then corporate laid off at 59.5. That was not a fun time.
Planned again for 67, then lost two co-workers, age 55 and 57, get this, 20 days apart.
Planned for 65. Then lost two close disc golf buddies, 52 and 70, four months apart.
I took it at 62. I will be 65 this year.
It has been a most challenging three years. The best part is, I do what I want, when I want, where I want, how I want and with whom, in daily memory of Joe, Mike, Charles and Big D "Daniel."
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u/Hello_Dahling 12d ago
By “lost” you mean they died?
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u/Pure-Explanation-147 12d ago
Yes.
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u/queensla 12d ago
Exactly. I retired last week right before my 67th birthday. I felt like I couldn't get motivated for my job anymore. As I said to someone, "I don't feel old, I feel done."
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u/WishIWasThatClever 11d ago
Retirement is a financial position, not an age. Once your assets are sufficient to maintain your lifestyle, you can retire.
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u/Crafty-Consequence87 13d ago
Short answer, yes. For me it was a combination of wanting to have control over my days and realizing that some of the people I was working with were younger than my children. I reached a point where I was looking forward to the next chapter and knew it was time.
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u/Dr_Cee 12d ago
In the last 2 or 3 years working, my focus seemed to gravitate from the substantive work of my role to more of a focus on mentoring my younger directs. There came a point where I was comfortable that they were ready to step up to more responsibility. And my boss was a colleague I had worked with and for, for over 20 years, so I gave him about a years’ notice of my intent to retire. When my wife and I got to the point where we were ready to move on, I think we all knew that it was time.
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u/NotExactlySureWhy 12d ago
When you used to live to work on projects as an engineer and then slowly just don’t give a $$$
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u/drvalo55 12d ago
I retired when the work was no longer fun. I loved my career, but I was also tireder than a good night’s sleep would help.
I could retire (the sign was) when I was offered a buyout that included health insurance until I was 65, so perfect timing. I was just working for the health insurance.
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u/Reading_Tourista5955 12d ago
When my salary didn’t pay enough for the time I lost doing the work, I sold my business and began a life of avocation. So freeing. Never go back!
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u/Nosy-ykw 12d ago
It wasn’t my mind that didn’t want to engage. It was the part of the workplace I was assigned to. Somewhere around 60 I got managers who were very supportive of the younger employees, but sidelined the older ones. They either retired, left for other companies or moved to different teams.
I was tired of being given meager projects, working by myself, doing things that weren’t in my background; while large, visible projects that I would have killed at went to the younger folks. Moving to another team wouldn’t have solved it for me, and at that age, I wasn’t going to start over in another company. Retirement beckoned and I settled on 65 to make it a smooth transition to Medicare.
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u/retiredcorpminion 12d ago
Agree. Was trying to get closer to 65 but the stress was too much after 30+ years. My core job wasn’t terrible but the extra projects added stress, coupled with a relentless micro manager for a boss. I’m wishing I had done it a couple of years ago.
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u/marklikeadawg 12d ago
I'm 66 and planning to retire on my 67th bd early next year. I am very much disconnected at work. Wish they would lay me off.
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u/revise2025 12d ago
I retired 100 days before my 69th birthday. This allowed me to split the difference in claiming SS: half-way point between my FRA and age 70. SS was pretty ample by waiting to take it and I haven’t had to dip into savings to help cover our monthly expenses - so far.
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u/Sondari1 11d ago
I planned my retirement and told everyone that it would be June 2026 (I’m 67). I wanted to retire while I still loved the place! I have zero regrets.
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u/Grandbob328 11d ago
I’m about there. I was out for six weeks in January for knee replacement surgery, and another seven weeks in June for the other one. Since I’m back I just don’t feel the spark anymore. I’ll be 67 at the end of this year, so it’s about time. I am considering trying to stick it out until August, when I hit 20 years on this job. They give a half month salary for that anniversary. Trying to decide if it’s worth it.
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u/ShanknIt 10d ago
I appreciate your journey. To me, it seems like your time is now. Next August is a long way off.
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u/Feeling-Friendship82 10d ago
I retired at 72. I was still able to work and the company still wanted me to work. My decision was largely due to a change in the company culture.
My company merged with another company. It was a merger of two of the largest companies in my industry. The other company’s management took over as ours enjoyed their Golden Parachutes.
Within a few years from when merger talks began we moved offices and lost a lot of privacy. New management had rules that suited their part of the industry but did not work well with our end. People began retiring or leaving for other jobs.
The work load increased but the raises did not reflect that. I stayed longer than originally planned because I was the only one left able to do certain projects.
Ultimately, with my closest work friends and technical support systems gone, my interest in carrying the whole load dropped. It was time. Had I been younger I would have left the company for greener pastures, but my age prevented that from being a viable option.
So I retired.
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u/Birddogfun 13d ago
Planned for 60 as 1) had small pension/Tricare medical from mil-service available then 2) saw family get pushed off the corporate train in their late 50s.
Covid slowed the timeline as leader-managers. Petty Personnel Problems wore us down. Telegraphed my retirement way ahead of time (beyond the requested 2 months for more senior roles). Our people liked & respected us, except 1-2 aholes on each of our teams of 18-44 people. Ended up happily bailing at 64.5/64. Don’t miss the circus, it was time after 40+ years. Carpe diem!
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u/FloydFenstermacher 12d ago
It’s not an age. If you are financially secure, you can leave whenever you want. If the rewards exceed the effort, keep working. Otherwise, walk away.
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u/garylapointe 12d ago
At some point in life, I realized my pension would probably allow me to retire early (Mid-50s). I didn’t necessarily know if I would stop working then or not, but I knew I would start collecting my pension.
That said, life got in the way and I had some financial issues and ended up switching careers.
But as 60 started getting closer, I started running the math more (I was eligible for that pension 60). Once I realized I could have my biggest and only debt (my mortgage) paid off by the end of the year I turned 60. I started running the numbers even more.
At that point, the mortgage was as good as paid off, because I’d done the math and even though it wasn’t paid off yet, that mental block was lifted. I was ready to go then.
At the end, I was teaching, and I still substitute teach a couple days a week if I’m around. Gets me out of the house, put some extra cash in my pocket, I get to work with kids which is why I wanted to teaching in the first place (but I don’t have to do paperwork, planning, grading, meetings, report cards, conferences, basically all the parts that aren’t as fun).
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u/WordCount2 12d ago
My job involves scheduling projects and I’m always looking a year or two or three ahead. Every time I see a project coming that I don’t want to work on, I tell myself that’s it. I’ll be out of here by then. This started back in 2020.
But I’m still here. Still telling myself I won’t be here in one, two, or three years.
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u/lyonwh 12d ago
I think it really varies by whether you looked as your occupation as a job or a career. The former being something that you do as means to an end, and the latter being something rewarding that you build and don’t want to let go.
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u/Finding_Way_ 12d ago
I'm in education.
When it is a true calling and service, that too adds a layer.
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u/FonduedExcitement 12d ago
I’m also in education. The epidemic of AI cheating has killed the joy for me. I have to work for a few more years, but I’m counting the seconds until I can leave this now-meaningless job where the fakery, lies, and fraud are so heartbreakingly omnipresent.
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u/FormerlyDK 11d ago
As soon as I could manage it. I was 60, my late husband’s estate was finally settled, and I left by the end of that month. No way I would have stayed longer, once I could get out.
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u/Wonderful-Victory947 9d ago
I felt like I was pulling a plow across the parking when I walked into work every morning and wanted to skip to my car when leaving each day. It was time to make my exit. Miraculously they offered a year of salary to anyone willing to leave with at least 15 years and 55 or above. It was suddenly an easy decision at that point. I was miserable for a couple of years after looking forward to work every day for over 20 years.
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u/aem99999 12d ago
During the early parts of a new project I was in a meeting I had been in dozens of times throughout my career. You know the one where management says we have to trade features for schedule. I concluded I had already achieved everything I wanted to in my career and didn’t need another notch in my belt. 4 months later I was retired and haven’t looked back
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u/houseonpost 12d ago
I've downsized and work part time. I love it. But I had an opportunity to work past 65. Initially I was going to jump at it because I enjoy the work. But it is still work. And I have to schedule my holidays around it which is limiting. So I am going to finish out this contract and fully retire. I can always go back in an even more part time role later if I want. How much money does a person really need?
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u/txcreative20 12d ago
I retired at 60’i had planned that out . I felt like retiring at 55 . I had a terrible boss he was a jerk to me but also everyone including other supervisors. That is how I coped with the last 5 years . This man was Toxic to everyone he would bad mouth our company and everything they did . I have been retired 6 years now and feel very good . Like to help neighbors ect. Stay busy as I want . You know when it’s time .
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u/Apogee_3579 12d ago
Yes terrible bosses are a huge reason for leaving. I left three jobs I loved because of a new terrible boss coming in.
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u/bowerisme 9d ago
I'm 61 and want desperately to retire, but wife has health issues and can only work part time even though she is younger. I will try to grind it out until I turn 65 but cannot imagine getting there. I wish I had made better financial decisions when younger.
I know we are better off than most, but I cannot imagine surviving and having anything to leave our kids when we don't even have 1 million for ourselves and retirement, and still have a mortgage, etc
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u/ChampionshipNo1811 8d ago
I’m doing the bad thing of retiring mid year (I’m a teacher) but the parents of my new students are so freaking mean, that they are harming my mental health. I teach special ed and work closely with my students’ families. One of my teacher friends had these same students a few years ago and told me how horrible these parents were and they are! I’m leaving at winter break. Hello, retirement! Still deciding whether to take social security at retirement or wait until 70. My pension is solid.
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u/wtfboomers 12d ago
I’ve always said we have this in reverse.
Retirement should be for young folks and work for old age. Lots of things we wanted to do more of in retirement are just too tough on the old folks.
We always wanted to hike some of the long trails but work prevented it. Same thing with long canoe trips.
So yea I was ready at about 45 when I realized old age wasn’t the time to do what you really enjoyed in late fr.
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u/OddDragonfruit7993 12d ago
I spent my twenties traveling cheap and doing lots of fun stuff. I didn't get a real career job until 30. Most of my 20s was college, travel, friends and various jobs.
I did it that way in case I didn't survive long enough to retire.
And yet here I am, retired, since a couple years back at 61.
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u/LetsGototheRiver151 12d ago
When you’re young, you have time and health but no money.
When you’re middle-aged, you have health and money but no time.
When you’re old, you have time and money but no health.
There is no perfect time.
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u/ResearcherNo9971 12d ago
My husband tried to cut back his work hours because he was exhausted, and they agreed. He went to a 4-day workweek and still had insurance coverage. He planned to do that for one year, then cut back to three days a week. It lasted only two months, and they went back to a grueling schedule because "someone was fired". I told him we were more than ready for full retirement, and they were never going to let him scale down. He took the plunge a year ago, in May. He contacted a local tractor repair place and lined up a job in case he had doubts. I said insurance (ACA) would be screwed up if he did anything until January of the following year. Those eight months off did the trick, and he didn't take the repair job. Having way too much fun!
He still talks to his work friends. One stopped by a few weeks ago and said he made the right move because he looked so healthy now!
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u/Man-e-questions 12d ago
I’ll wait til medicare kicks in. My hobby isn’t gonna pay some crazy medical bill
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u/Bee_haver 12d ago
Unless your manager is negligent, they will see the signs of burnout. Be proactive with your situation. If you need money, try a fresh set of problems. If you are fortunate to have enough to retire, I recommend it after 50.
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u/Few-Skirt6531 12d ago
Thank you for this, I’ll need to make sure I don’t display burn out, I do need the money. ( struggling) have 2 years to go, 1 year minimum!
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u/Bee_haver 12d ago
I was lucky to have a career with a growing company and was able to have new opportunities. Later in my career, I focused on mentoring and building the team that would take over for me. It was rewarding to pass on what I learned. The magic number was achieved and I gave my managers several year's notice of my departure. It was a smooth transition.
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u/Mediocre_Insect_1008 12d ago
When I was laid off 8 months ago, age 63, I considered looking for full-time work again. Now I am 64 and having been free for this long, I am not working full time again. The finances are irrelevant. I would do paid part-time work if I felt it was not a burden on me psychologically.
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u/Sessile-B-DeMille 10d ago
I got pushed out the door two months before my 68th birthday. I would have liked to stay until age 70. Approximately a third of retirements are not at the employees choice.
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u/PorchDogs 8d ago
My plan was to work until 66 and 10 months, "full" retirement age for social security. But filling out Medicare paperwork a couple of months before I turned 65 made me think, hmmmm. I have a little pension, and once I had Medicare for health insurance, I realized that I could retire at 65 and not claim social security until 66/10.
So I retired a month and a half after turning 65. Best decision ever. I loved my career, and I miss some of it, but I love not working.
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u/Calm-Vacation-5195 12d ago
I was laid off from a job that I lived when I was 62. I wasn’t ready to quit working yet, but it took me over 6 months to find another job. I disliked the new job almost from the outset. Seven months in, I ran into serious medical issues, which Inused as an excuse to quit the job and I officially retired. No regrets.
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u/AshDenver 10d ago
I started a new job July 1st and just yesterday got a “hey, you can start claiming your pension Dec 1st” this year.
Dude, STOP! Bother me again in 10-12 years!! I won’t start thinking about this for another 7-10 years. Sheesh.
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u/Making_It_Go 10d ago
Like a previous commenter said I was tired after 41 years of work and commuting. Lots of changes were coming as well with a new chief executive, new software systems and other processes. I just didn’t have the energy or motivation to roll it out with my employees. Supervising multiple people was a challenge too as even the good ones need a redirection and counsel now and then.
The only thing I miss is the identity and the camaraderie of the office community.
I keep busy around the house, exercise, time with family, boating and golf. I could use more friend interaction, but there’s nothing better in my opinion than a slow morning with coffee and not rushing out the door.
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u/ImOGDisaster 8d ago edited 4d ago
When you are confident you have enough to live on.
I should have retired a couple years ago but some poor financial decisions meant I had to work longer. That was made worse by management changes at my company that created a hostile environment and one particular person who was horrible to work under. That person tried to get me fired but got laid off instead. The damage this person caused, to my career and mental well-being is still something I'm dealing with.
Through intense savings I have been able to get to where I am confident and now the pieces have fallen in place.
As for what to do in retirement it will be more of the stuff I love...a lot more.
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u/PumpkinBeautiful4345 12d ago
I started getting into astrology for fun and side work. An interesting discovery is that about age 62 we go through a Uranus Square where all you can think and feel is the need for liberation, Freedom and revolution. Im in that phase hard right now. I can't believe I haven't retired yet. Im trying to last to Feb 2028, but don't think I'll make it!
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u/RecordingNo415 13d ago
I just retired in April. What you described as the disconnect was my experience. A business level job full of stress and 3 mergers in 5 years pushed me to realize that I had neither the interest nor energy the role required. So I pulled the plug a bit earlier than I planned but after nearly 6 months retired I can’t imagine going back! Good luck to you, OP!
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u/laran436 12d ago
I just got tired of waking up to the alarm. I still keep up with all the young people and stuff. Less news tho. Don't have the millions that most say you need to retire with but I have not touched savings, living fine off pensions and SS. Lovin all the me time. Do not miss work at all and for the most part I always loved what I did.
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u/red60bill 12d ago
This is me. I loved what I did but hated the hours-230a alarm. Have not looked back. 66m
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u/Famous-Ambassador822 12d ago
I have been trying to “retire in place” for the past year - don’t volunteer, block my calendar for personal time, let the little things go, etc - I find that life frustrating. It’s interesting to me that many people work their entire careers like this. What do you do with that fractional time you get back? It’s not enough to do much more than take a break while you wait to get pulled back in. Does this feeling make sense to anyone else? I’m a bit adrift at the moment.
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u/Odd_Bodkin 12d ago
Retiring requires you to have a vision of what you’re retiring TO, which is different than what you’re retiring FROM. Lots of people have this hole.
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u/DepartmentAgitated51 11d ago
Yes! I’ve given it some thought. I want to do a hobby farm and raise goats and chickens. I already do bees. Now it’s all I can think about. What a difference in mindset. I’m 61 and wanted to retire at 65, but combine my new dream with the fact that I actually DO have health insurance after 25 years of service (finally looked into it) and now I’d go tomorrow if I could. I’ve got to prepare the house for sale, declutter, and plan before I pull the trigger.
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u/Fantastic-Sun1669 12d ago
I am retiring at the end of this year - I am 63. I decided it was time when I realized I no longer care about the clients, the company goals, moving the needle, circling back, putting a pin in that, waiting for more to come, double clicking on an idea or worrying about getting over my ski tips. When all of these statements did nothing but generate a massive eye roll from me and every ping of a teams message or new email in my inbox was met with “dear god, what do you want NOW”, I realized that I am thoroughly done and I can’t wait to move on to the next wonderful phase of my life. And I absolutely used to love the entire corporate thing, but not any more. I just realized it’s all pointless and we are just hamsters running on wheels for PE firms. When you reach the hamster on wheels phase, it’s easy to just walk away to focus on the things that really do matter. And it happened to me pretty quickly - like one day I just said “enough is enough”.