I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about how retirement will play out. I am starting the process, even though I know that I'm still a couple of years out from making big changes.
Having my own desk at work feels unusual for me but I kinda love it
Over 30 years, more or less, I have worked hard to get to get to where I am right now with a great shift (Saturday through Monday), a boss who values me, an easier workday, increased pay, and maximized benefits. And work provides me with intangibles, too, like socialization and a sense of purpose. My weekends bookend my days off, which are easier traffic-wise and in setting appointments. Those four days off provide me with lots of rest, free time to work on my hobbies or my home, and time to meet up with friends and family. There are several reasons for me to keep working, and not one I can think of right now to stop.
This was an epiphany of sorts to me.
I can plan for retirement in the future, but I will continue working this job and this schedule until I am ready to pull back. A lot of what feels unlikeable about my day-to-day living is like burnout, and I can take steps to improve that. In every job, no matter how much you love or value it, there are going to be challenges.
Anyway, that's where my head is today. The week ahead holds a book club meeting, starting a new book (The Frozen River), continuing the photo project, getting my desk organized, and doing a bit of yardwork. Missing from the list will be worrying about the future!
Gina
9 comments:
Good for you having made your mind up about working!
I'm very much ready for retirement with several reasons for it.
I think about the happy day when I will retire, but there are still years in from of me till I retire. I dream of it.
What a great realization about your work situation vs retirement.
I love that you have a 4 day weekend! That sounds like a great schedule. But I am sure that downtime is fabulous for helping to fight off burnout as I know your job is NOT an easy one.
My second oldest daughter has been working in the hospital for 30 years and is thinking of retiring. She worked first as a medical stenographer and these last years in Release of Information dept.
The pay is the same as it is for those in housekeeping and this doesn't seem fair. She's hoping to get a part time work when she 'retires' which will be in the next few years.
There's no way she can retired and " do nothing" because she worked so many years raising her son at the same time. It's a question, isn't it? What exactly to do?
You seem to have figured it out.
I love retirement, but I still trying to find a way to maintain structure to my days...I tend to not get things done since I have 'unlimited' time to do it. I'm working on it.
I love your last line...that's awesome!
One thing I found bizarre about not having to go into work every day was that I wasn’t exactly sure what to do with myself. Not that I don’t always have a lot of irons in the fire and things going, I just had a hard time organizing that. I think it took me two years before I finally developed a routine that I was comfortable with.
That sounds like a perfect schedule for right now! I really liked The Frozen River!
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