Dealing With Retirement

[Retired]

Many people reaching the age of retirement feel they have many more years to be productive at their profession and are not prepared to stop working. Even more traumatic is forced retirement in people whose employer suddenly decides to cut back on employees over a certain age.

On the other hand there are people whose only purpose in working is to prepare for retirement and can't wait to stop working.

Which group do you identify with and what are your retirement plans? Do you feel ready to quit and pursue other interests? How do you feel about spending more time with your spouse?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Definitely this one:

feel they have many more years to be productive at their profession and are not prepared to stop working

I like what I do and I'm in no hurry to stop doing it. Sometimes i think 3 or 4 days a week instead of 5 would be nice but not zero. I expect I'll just slowly taper down when the time comes.

 

[Holly]

If I win the lottery, retirement and retirement permanently! To someplace with less taxes and great drinks! :bubbly:

 

[ThatLady]

Like David, I enjoy what I do and have no desire to stop doing it. It's great to have a few days off once in awhile, just to muck about doing the things I enjoy, but I can't imagine life without my work. It's important to me, and helps give me a wider perspective on life and living it. It also makes me feel useful, and I think that's important.

 

[Steph]

I am just starting my career and I love it.

I feel worthwhile at work and even if I won the lottery, then I would still work.

Steph

 

[Retired]

Many people in professions such as the medical or legal professions feel they have invested so much of their lives in their training, plus their love and dedication to their work they are hesitant to walk away from their work.

What is it about the personality and psychological make up of professionals that ties them so closely to their work?

Having worked in the private sector as a paid employee, though I enjoyed my work, I did not feel a personal need to remain in my work and welcomed the opportunity to stop working.

What's the difference in the way we both perceive our work?

 

[Halo]

I thought that I would join in on this conversation and state that I work in the private sector but it is also a law firm. I see what TSOW is saying by lawyers having invested so much time, money and energy into their schooling that they don't want to give it up. We actually have people in our office that are in their 80s and 90s. I think that it is great that they still want to come to work and how much they actually do is beside the point.

While I do absolutely love my job, I would also like to win the lottery (besides for financial reasons) but the feeling of not "having" to work anymore. Of course I would just love to volunteer with the elderly people in a nursing home (visit them, play cards with them, take them for walks etc.) I would like that I have the freedom to travel and volunteer whenever I felt like it.

Anyway sorry I was fftopic:

I think that this is a great topic.

Nancy

 

[Retired]

but the feeling of not "having" to work anymore. Of course I would just love to volunteer

Nancy,

Your comments are not off topic at all and are very relevant.

What you are saying is that financial independence would permit you to explore other specific interests. Having a specific plan to accompany financial independence, in my view results in successful retirement.

 

[Steph]

Well I figure by the time I retire, I will just have my student load paid off!! :rant:

I have spent years studying to become what I really want to do in life.

What is it about the personality and psychological make up of professionals that ties them so closely to their work?

I don't know? I am passionate about helping people.

What do you think? What makes us different?

Steph

 

[Retired]

What makes us different?

It will be interesting in better understanding how different people are motivated in their life's work.

I know many people who planned for so called early retirement very early in their careers. Every career move, relocation decision, purchase options and even family decisions were made with the long term goal in mind. These people, very early in their lives, calculated how much money they needed to accumulate in order to achieve financial independence to be able to stop working.

Therefore their motivation to work, was inspired by their long term goal. It's not to say they were any less passionate or devoted to their jobs, but their short tern decisions were made to support the ultimate long term goal.

Does it have something to do with how one identifies themselves?

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Perhaps. But it also has a lot to do with how you view the work you do, I think.

One of my brothers likes what he does but always worked for other people and always planned for Freedom 55 (at least until about a year ago - then he started a partnership so I don't know if he's changed his mind or not). Another has also always worked for other people (he's a mechanic) and I think he'll be happy to retire when the time comes. From the time I decided what i wanted to do and started doing it, even back in my late 20s or early 30s I was saying i couldn't see me retiring at 65 if I stayed healthy.

 

[Steph]

how one identifies themselves?

I work really hard at everything I do especially my volunteer work and my studies for my career.

I work really hard so that I known as someone who works really hard.

I don't know why that is so important to me, but it is.

I hope I don't sound silly. :huh:

Steph

 

[ThatLady]

I think the fact that I get so much back from my work is what drives me to continue until I drop. The touch of a hand, the look in a person's eyes that says: "Thanks for being here and for understanding.", those are the things that draw me in.

Feeling a family rally together, despite their grief and fear, to be of support to one member who is beginning that "last mile". Watching them draw on each other for strength and courage. Watching the dying member give them that strength and courage, and feeling the love fill the air around me. Leave that? What kind of fool would I be to leave that? Nah. I think they'll have to drag me out in a body bag. Heck, I won't even give up the field work!

 

[Steph]

ThatLady,

the field work

Do you mean community work?

Steph

 

[ThatLady]

ThatLady,

the field work

Do you mean community work?

Steph

I mean working personally with the patients and their families. As a director, it's sometimes difficult to get all the meetings and paperwork done and still find the time to be with those your organization is serving. Yet, to me, that's the most important and rewarding part of what I do, so I work hard to make the time to do so.

 

[Steph]

I didn't realize you are a director! Congratulations, that is impressive.

Where did you work before?

Steph

 

[ThatLady]

I've been in my present position for nearly nine years. Before that, I went back to school for my Master's degree while working as a nurse part-time in a local hospital.

 

[HA]

I will be 50 next year and would love to retire (in NFLD). I really enjoy my work but I love my volunteer work more. I want to retire so I can work at what I want to do not what I need to do.

I will always be busy doing something and want to paint and draw before my hands shake too much. Maybe by the time my hands shake that much they will have an anti-shake medication.

 

[ThatLady]

I will be 50 next year and would love to retire (in NFLD). I really enjoy my work but I love my volunteer work more. I want to retire so I can work at what I want to do not what I need to do.

I will always be busy doing something and want to paint and draw before my hands shake too much. Maybe by the time my hands shake that much they will have an anti-shake medication.

There are a couple of medication out there now that help some people. I have a congenital condition (essential tremor). Mine isn't as bad as my father's was, nor as my brother's is, but it can be a real pain in the backside. Sometimes, it's worse than at other times.

Inderal ( a beta-blocker) has been found to help some, while small doses of a benzodiazepine, as needed, can also be effective. 0.5mg of Xanax helps me, and I don't have to take it all the time. Just when the tremors are giving me fits.

You might check with your doctor about possible medications that will help you!

 

[just mary]

To me it all depends on how much you like your job. I really don't like mine but I've grown comfortable with the salary and benefits. So, if retirement age arrives, I'll definitely leave. I've done all the financial stuff so economically I'll be sound.

I also guess that there are some people out there who feel they have to work. Their job is their identity. If they're not a lawyer, what are they?? I've heard that from men more often than women. Probably because women tend to be caregivers to someone, so even if they're not working they'll always be so and so's mom or daughter.