If you didn't have to work or could reduce your hours, would you?

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'd retire tomorrow. I don't hate work at all, quite enjoy it, but there's a billion other things I could be doing.

Exactly this.

[LaVitaEBella]

It is hard to be an adult, but I enjoy working despite the hardship. I wouldn't want to be unemployed, because I'm passionate about what I do. I find it rewarding when people compliment me on my job.

[dreamingat30fps]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

When we were in Belize we met a couple who had taken off a month of work in Europe to travel Central America. 2 weeks is pushing it and I have to get creative to make it that long. Sometimes, I eat in my car while driving down the road or working on my computer while I'm shoving food down my throat? Why?

I look at my husbands aunt and uncle. His uncle retires and his wife has so many health problems (bad knees, hips, and just had extensive neck surgery). Travel is hard on her. You work all this time looking forward to living life when we should be living life to the fullest while we're younger and can do these things. We've been to Japan twice and we move around a lot. I'm 40 and this last time I felt the walking & hiking more than 3 years prior. I hope I can still move well in my sixties but I want to do the fun strenuous travel stuff now because there is no guarantee I will be in the health to do it later.

My husband works a lot of hours like you and honestly it's sad. He has all these hobbies that he can never get to, tinker with and enjoy because he works so much. He keeps things because he has this idea in his head that one day he will be able to work on his hobbies. He also can't get shit done around the house because when he finally takes a break he wants to relax or hang with friends. My work is a lot more flexible. I look at him and have zero desire to ever work like that.

You've worked hard to set yourself up financially so live a little and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Both my father and my uncle had big retirement plans. Neither made it. I've been self employed since 2016 and I consider this my retirement. Luckily with my business my schedule is very flexible. If the proverbial shit were to hit the fan tomorrow with my business I could live on very little income and have enough saved to last me a while.

I would sell everything and live in my RV before I would even consider going back to a job I hate.

[bayarea328xit]

Originally Posted by dreamingat30fps

I've been self employed since 2016 and I consider this my retirement. Luckily with my business my schedule is very flexible. If the proverbial shit were to hit the fan tomorrow with my business I could live on very little income and have enough saved to last me a while.

I'm with you - I've been self employed since 2016, too. I work exactly as hard as I want, on what I want. As long as this remains the case, no need to retire. I love what I do.

[VeloF1]

This!

[King Rudi]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'd retire tomorrow. I don't hate work at all, quite enjoy it, but there's a billion other things I could be doing.

This. I wish that I could explain to my employer to pay me a flat rate annually, versus trading my hours for dollars. I am extremely efficient at what I do. I could do my job in 20-25 hours a week and still have the same end result. I live alone and a home owner. 55-60 hour work week, plus gym time, plus girlfriend, then home type work, leaves me no time for anything. At the same time, I'm not willing to budge on any of the aforementioned. Each has a special place in my heart. I could work less hours, but I'm allowed to work as much overtime as I want....and I like money. Had a side hustle for a while, but my OT money is greater than what I made on the side gig (and less physical work), so work is my side gig at the moment.

[Alfisti]

Gotta admit I am less interested in "saving for retirement" than i "outta" be, so to speak. I mean we are OK, worse case we sell and downsize but I am not busting my chops just to put the kids through private school and guarantee a healthy retirement income. We put in a pool, i am buying a toy car and continue to travel (once covid is done) 'cos you never know what tomorrow brings.

[Gregrobin]

Originally Posted by rebekahb

When we were in Belize we met a couple who had taken off a month of work in Europe to travel Central America. 2 weeks is pushing it and I have to get creative to make it that long. Sometimes, I eat in my car while driving down the road or working on my computer while I'm shoving food down my throat? Why?

I look at my husbands aunt and uncle. His uncle retires and his wife has so many health problems (bad knees, hips, and just had extensive neck surgery). Travel is hard on her. You work all this time looking forward to living life when we should be living life to the fullest while we're younger and can do these things. We've been to Japan twice and we move around a lot. I'm 40 and this last time I felt the walking & hiking more than 3 years prior. I hope I can still move well in my sixties but I want to do the fun strenuous travel stuff now because there is no guarantee I will be in the health to do it later.

My husband works a lot of hours like you and honestly it's sad. He has all these hobbies that he can never get to, tinker with and enjoy because he works so much. He keeps things because he has this idea in his head that one day he will be able to work on his hobbies. He also can't get shit done around the house because when he finally takes a break he wants to relax or hang with friends. My work is a lot more flexible. I look at him and have zero desire to ever work like that.

You've worked hard to set yourself up financially so live a little and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

This!

My step dad, who worked in heavy equipment excavation his entire life, and when I say worked I mean 10+ hours a day Monday thru Saturday and sometimes on Sunday, had to retire earlier than he had planned due to an injury. 5 - 6 months later, after sitting in an apartment all day watching TV, he developed dementia. 3 months later he was in a memory care home, 3 years later he died.

We never took vacations as a family, we could not afford to. He worked HARD, all day, usually every day. He left the house at 6AM, got home after 7PM sometimes later depending on where the job site was. Most of my memories are of him eating dinner (that my mom kept in the oven to stay warm) sitting in his recliner, than he fell asleep. I'd hear him get up at 5AM to go to work. He's the one who taught me how to work on cars, boats, my house, etc. I hated it as a kid because I was stuck working with him instead of playing with my friends. As an adult now though I am grateful. But, I am sad he could not enjoy his retirement.

[Alfisti]

Europeans seem to have a different attitude for the most part than north americans/aussies/etc, they don't seem to be too phased by retirement and are happy to live in a small apartment when the time comes and spend all day people watching in the town square. They tend to work a lot less as a result and go AWOL in August.

[TheWatchGuy]

I know quite a few people that retired early, and then went back after a couple years doing what they were before, but more as a consultant than an employee, because they got bored of not having anything to do. Some people need that structure of going to work or having some kind of responsibilities. If you think you wont get bored with the reduced hours and the company isnt going to have you still work your normal hours, might as well go for it if you can make it work financially.

For me, im no where near a point where I could retire soon (in my earlyish 30s) but the thought of not working isnt appealing to me right now. We get a couple weeks off during xmas/new years, and after a week of not having to do anything, I get bored and eventually find myself in the office, or at least working from home. But I also love what I do (water infrastructure construction) and enjoy it and the stress/excitement. Im also not someone who wants to go on long vacations or just sit around all day or golf every day or anything like that, so if im not working on work, Im working on the house or cars or something to keep me busy.

[stevenc]

I could potentially retire early but i would be bored quickly. I'm a partner in a national CPA firm and when i retire from public accounting i expect i will take up a part time CFO role for one of my clients just to give me something to do.

I do like the part time idea. Working 6-8 hours a day and still having time in the day to do other things.

[Alfisti]

On what planet do you guys get bored? Like really?

Things I would rather be doing than working even though i quite enjoy my job;

- Spend more time with kids helping them with school work
- Coach a kids sports team
- Million odd jobs around the house
- Cook trickier meals
- Exercise more
- Gran Turismo Sport
- Get back into photography
- Go for more fun drives when i buy my sports car
- More time with my mother as she ages
- More time teaching kids useful shit like how to change a tyre
- Get in some track time, never formally done it but would like to find the time

I can fill a year without even thinking.

[The Libertine]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'd retire tomorrow. I don't hate work at all, quite enjoy it, but there's a billion other things I could be doing.

Damn straight!

[jimbobiggens]

Originally Posted by Patrick303

... grinding your whole life to be comfortable in your twilight years when you're too old, tired, and frail to do anything.

That, my good sir, is called hitting the nail on the head! I'm 60 and retiring this year exactly because of what you said. It doesn't matter how much money you have if you can't enjoy spending it. I've been somewhat smart about my money and I could work another ten years in my field but in doing so, I would be robbing myself of ten years of a physically active retirement. I work in a college and in the seven years here I have seen three people leave on a stretcher, never to return. They worked their life away. I love my job but that's not happening to me.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

On what planet do you guys get bored? Like really?

Things I would rather be doing than working even though i quite enjoy my job;

- Spend more time with kids helping them with school work
- Coach a kids sports team
- Million odd jobs around the house
- Cook trickier meals
- Exercise more
- Gran Turismo Sport
- Get back into photography
- Go for more fun drives when i buy my sports car
- More time with my mother as she ages
- More time teaching kids useful shit like how to change a tyre
- Get in some track time, never formally done it but would like to find the time

I can fill a year without even thinking.

some people get bored easy. it is what it is.

Personally, I dont have kids so those activities are out. I do pretty much all of the rest in a day already as well. From the time i get up (5ish during the week) to the time i go to bed (10ish during the week) I stay active all day between work, working out, cooking, house projects, misc. hobbies and spending time with family.

[Alfisti]

No kids is huge, changes a lot, the little fuckers suck up a lot of time.

[Mein11]

Originally Posted by TheWatchGuy

some people get bored easy. it is what it is.

Personally, I dont have kids so those activities are out. I do pretty much all of the rest in a day already as well. From the time i get up (5ish during the week) to the time i go to bed (10ish during the week) I stay active all day between work, working out, cooking, house projects, misc. hobbies and spending time with family.

Our level 3 NDT technician retired about two years ago, dude would go deep sea fishing and all kinds of stuff. Still got bored and now he's back in the plant working 2nd shift.

I wouldn't mind a "part time" job of sorts post retirement, something that wouldn't take up too much time but would finance some of the outside activities.

[TheWatchGuy]

Originally Posted by Mein11

Our level 3 NDT technician retired about two years ago, dude would go deep sea fishing and all kinds of stuff. Still got bored and now he's back in the plant working 2nd shift.

I wouldn't mind a "part time" job of sorts post retirement, something that wouldn't take up too much time but would finance some of the outside activities.

the people i know that are happiest shortly after retirement are all working part time somewhere.

my neighbors sold their business last year and are working retail so they can stay busy and get a good discount

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I'd retire tomorrow. I don't hate work at all, quite enjoy it, but there's a billion other things I could be doing.

Exactly. If you can afford to retire. Do it. I say do it with a caveat: Make sure you have some activities and hobbies lined up that will keep your grey matter stimulated.

I know some retired folks who did not have hobbies before they retired, or after. All the do is watch TV all day. That is not a life.

[Mein11]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

I know some retired folks who did not have hobbies before they retired, or after. All the do is watch TV all day. That is not a life.

This is my father. Yeah we will go golfing a good bit, but other than that, he won't/can't because of bad knees and shoulders from years of manual labor. Granted could be fixed if he'd just get some elective surgery done, but that's another set of recurring arguments.

[Alfisti]

LOL TV not my fear but I could sim race for hours.

[Gregrobin]

I want to work at Home Depot/Lowes in retirement, in the garden area. Or something similar, 2-3 days a week.