How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

I am asking because I retired finally in 2015 after working non-stop for 52 years apart from a couple of weeks each time to welcome my gorillas into the world. (My undying gratitude to both sets of parents xx).

At first, it took me a long time to even relax. The last day at work was especially strange. Just knowing it was to be the very last time as I stepped onto my commuter train and greeted by all those lovely friends I had been travelling with for years, the same crowd that I knew so well over the years that we met up for dinner once a month, there they were, cheering me, giving me cards, flowers and chocs, it was rather surreal. When the noise subsided, I just wanted to weep, What was I doing being in the position of the person never again to share a laugh with them, never going to have a salary paid into my bank account ever again, never look forward to the weeks and days to my always looked forward to two week annual holiday twice a year, or loving the relief of coming out of the office on a Friday evening, knowing that I had two lovely days off at the weekend. All gone after today, Finished. Finito, No more, Ever!
Truth be told, I didn’t even want to think about it, but I did, I sat there thinking “How has this come about, I had always been one of the crowd on the train who was the first to cheer and give a hug to others in our group who were retiring. I never imagined that my turn would ever come! And yet here it was. My last day. It was such a mixture of emotions.
I’ve always been a confident person when it comes to work. I cannot think of any work position that I have ever applied for, that I haven’t been successful in getting. But the horrible knowledge that after that day, should the need ever arise where I needed money to survive, was quite frightening as I had to finally admit to myself that I would never have a cat in hell’s chance of ever being offered a job again at the age of 67 That really hurt! I now saw myself as deadwood!! Surplus to requirement, past it, application form screwed up and binned!
I know, I shouldn’t have been thinking that way, but that’s exactly how I felt on that last day.

The first Monday after that Friday was also very strange. After kissing he who must obey as he went happily off to work (my toyboy, 4 years younger than me) I turned into a tornado, starting in the first bedroom, with black binbags aplenty, polish, dusters etc, I tackled every single job that I had always meant to do but never seemed to find the time to do so. I emptied every single drawer, chucking away everything that I had been meaning to chuck away for years but always hoarded as sure would need again. Then I tackled the wardrobe, out, out, out. Once all that was done, I cleaned and hoovered that room within an inch of it’s life! Tuesday, Wednesday it was the other rooms, then it was downstairs. My home was a spick and span palace.
Then I thought of the garden and the deck, lots of which needed doing, so I set to. It took me the rest of the remaining summer months to get it just how I wanted, (credit card was screaming!) but the end results were beautiful.

The problem was that every time I sat down for longer than 30 minutes, I felt damn guilty, as though I shouldn’t be sitting there doing nothing and feeling like a slob. One day, the tv was on and Jeremy Kyle happened to come on. OMG! No way, I had to switch it off quickly. I often laughed with others at people who just slobbed about at home watching this programme, I just didn’t want to be one of them.

God, it was hard to adjust after a lifetime of working. It is only now, almost 2 years later, that I have finally learned to relax, take things easy without feeling so guilty, enjoy waking up in the morning, knowing that I can do whatever I want to do without worrying about time. I am finally enjoying my retirement.

After that bloomin long saga, I would be really interested in knowing how anyone else felt on their last day before retiring and how they adjusted to their new way of life in the days, weeks and months after? Were you happy? Sad? Glad?

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

Cannot afford to retire.

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

I would have continued to work til I dropped Purwell, unfortunately, health issues and Doc's advice to not continue commuting every day, put the kibosh on it.
I loved working and still miss it. but that's life.

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

Not got there yet but we have plans if we do that if they work out will take up all that extra time we are thinking we will have.

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

I adjusted very easily.

The end of my last day of work was filled with relief, primarily at the thought of no more whingeing parents. God knows what some of their children will be like now as they approach the end of their secondary education.

There was a minority, thankfully, who knew how to bring up children and I expect that they will have a successful life ahead of them.

No, retirement was a very easy choice and I don't regret taking it. Even now, I could have still been working for another six months. The thought fills me with dread!

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

Shroppy, I must say I went like a bat out of hell on my last day at work, couldn't wait.

I did miss the comradery of the girls I worked with, they were a good bunch of people. I also missed some of the residents (old folks home), but on the whole, I have loved every minute of retirement.

It may be because I live on my own and haven't a large family, no grandkids or anything, that life seemed quiet without the daily company all of a sudden, but I joined different groups and soon met people again. I can now be with people from choice, instead of having to.

I have thought of volunteering somewhere a couple of days a week, maybe 'befriending' lonely or elderly people, but undecided at the mo.

On the whole, I love being home and free nowadays, especially in the summer.

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

Physically it is brilliant - I still leap out of bed at 5:30am - do all the necessary (boring) housework stuff, then shower, have breakfast - and the rest of the day is mine to play with ! I love it!!

Finacially - took a little while longer to learn how to live on less than half my accustomed income - but - I drew up a cashflow forecast chart and learned how to budget. I may not be rich but I live well, am happy, healthy and have peace of mind.


Psst ... don't tell those cats I have retired - they think I am still working - for them!!

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

Good for you Julie, I hope retirement comes easily for you both.
I'm not sure how I will cope when the time comes for he who must obey to retire. Love him to bits but not sure how being with him 24 hours a day is going to work. Gulp! we are both set in our ways so it might be a bit of a hassle to begin with. Oh well, still got a little while yet.

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

I'm glad to hear you're finally at easy enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle.
I also find de cluttering very satisfying.
Well I married at 16 and retired that sounds outrageous I was still a child.
I suppose I might of missed out on a lot . There have been times mostly at parties I've gone into porky mode given myself a career to stop the .....oh what do you do all day comments. I can honestly say I've enjoyed my life most of the time.
Would I do it again , I might a year or two before saying I do.

Re: How Easily Did You Adjust To Your Retirement?

You've probably gained as much as you missed ripple, as long as you were/are happy that's all that counts IMO