Are you in your retirement Job?

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
So Retirement Job
  1. job you think you will be in when you retire ... whenever that may be
  2. you are no longer interested in changing roles so may as well be the retirement job.
  3. your age doesn’t really matter ... but be interesting to see how long you think you will be in this role for.

I remember my first management role ... I was about 32 ... and my team comprised of an actuary (older than Moses) an Analyst ( 25ish) and an Accountant (25ish) Being Asian, I treated the Actuary (who was effectively my predecessor in the role) like my grandad or respected elder. I deferred to him whenever I didn’t care enough what the outcome of a decision was ... so we all got along. That said, It stuck with me that he was in his retirement role ... when I left for another company. He eventually retired and within weeks died.

the death part isn’t a focus of this discussion ... but I have met several people like this ... work defined them, gave them purpose ... retirement was the end, not the start. Sad but understandable.

I’ve been focused on the future for sometime now and I see I’ll be working for another 15 to 20years.
I’d like to keep working in some capacity (more mental less physical) until I can no longer move. (Be interesting to look back at this if still around in +10years).

I don’t think I’m in my retirement job as I know it will change several times prior to retirement ... but I think this is what I want to do until I retire.

What about you?
 

cokeonspecialtwodollars

Fartes of Portingale
I swing between "fuck I hope so" and "fuck I hope not" several times over the course of a month. Fuck I hope so because I'd like to be retired within the next five-ish years, fuck I hope not because I don't think I can do this for another 35.
 

downunderdallas

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Retirement job no, unless I win lotto! I'm curious as to how many people really enjoy their job. I don't particularly but never really have and I've skipped around design/construction/development (as that is my area of expertise) trying to find something I enjoy. I would like to try something different again to find an elusive job that makes me happy but making money is an allure that is hard to move away from.
 

Miguel75

Likes Dirt
Absolutely love my job! I’ve been in the role 10 years and am hoping I have another 10-15 years on the operational side of my role. After that I’d really like to move into a training role or maybe a specialist department and learn new things while I share what I’ve learnt with the next generation.

After I retire I’m excited to hopefully hang with the grandkids and teach them how to skate, ride and surf:)
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Yes... I think... in 2018 when I restructured myself out of a role I decided to have a gap year and not worry about being in the workforce for a while. Years of sometimes 7 day weeks, 72 hour weeks etc when I was younger and silly hours as a CEO meant there was lots to catch up on. I was asked to do some consulting so set that up. That year rolled on and all was good. Turned down a couple of opportunities in Asia and one in Europe, site roles in the middle of nowhere, I am too old for that shit now. Then covid. 2020 was very quiet. Not much happening. But that was everyone and we could weather that and better to let those who couldn't get what work there was. End of last year I worked out while I was doing bugger all it was covering my toy expenditure thus plan changed to "this will do". I should point out I thought I was in line for a nice Directorship but that went away. So as I have way too much going on to work full time or part time or any time not of my choosing this is it. Mind you if a juicy role appeared, maybe.
 

frenchman

Eats cheese. Sells crack.
I’m pretty much in it right now. I don’t want to go back to full time work, as I’ve been able to do all the fun things in the last 12 months, part time or casual would be ideal. Covid cost me my job and the one day of work I’ve done since then as a contractor was great fun. It’s great when it’s not busy and a massive drag when it is, being tired sucks the enjoyment out of everything.
@Nerf Herder have you considered doing some Volunteering if doing nothing is a concern? I’ve been keeping busy as a bike mechanic for the local community centre. Yeah it’s working on shit bikes but teaching kids how to do a proper cutty is priceless and it has at allowed me to get wholesale on some parts at least :D
I’m probably too young to be posting in vets, but I’m as cranky as you guys so I recon I can get away with it.
 
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Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
@frenchman
Yeah. I’m pro-volunteerism. Prior to small business and during last few years of corporate, this is how I got my sense of community and purpose. Probably tells you how lost I was the last 5yrs of corporate.

I’ve got squat time and energy now days, which is somewhat connected to the retirement job theme. Definitely agree tiredness affects my contentment with the job though. But I don’t suffer Monday-itis anymore. Was always a bad sign when in corporate ... that and buying Lotto tickets ... both were always triggers to look for a new job lolololz.

anyway, I need to learn how to cutty
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
Email development has another 5 years left in it I reckon so I'm pretty sure that bar a Lotto win, this won't be my retirement job!

I'm 44 and we're 12 years away from paying off our house so I need to start thinking of a different business to run.
 

Alexxx

Likes Dirt
Hopefully I'm in my retirement job now but I have grand plans of retiring in 10 years (I'm in my early 30s now) and don't really want to move much if I'm working with a good team. The really hard part is deciding how much income will be enough during retirement.
 

Halo1

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My work is pretty good at the moment but very demanding. It is cutting into my mid week riding time and I want to get it back to a more normal pace. I still have about 20 years of work in me.
I know I won’t be as mentally sharp as I am now and once people become less capable in my area they are shoved off to a corner and given less to do. Knowledge and experience is a bit of an asset in our area so that will keep me safe until I am absolutely useless. at that stage I can see my self in future running the office book club to keep busy even though no one reads books any more.
The other option is a promotion so I am so far above the work I get to put unrealistic pressure of people underneath me because I no longer understand the work.
i don’t think people get that work is a also social structure that enables people to make a contribution to something. when work ends people have need transitioned this to something else or there is little self purpose.
There are 65 year olds at the gym I got to that are pretty fit and Ihave learnt from them that old age is something to fight off as much as you can to stay active.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
Hopefully I'm in my retirement job now but I have grand plans of retiring in 10 years (I'm in my early 30s now) and don't really want to move much if I'm working with a good team. The really hard part is deciding how much income will be enough during retirement.
This is always the question. As usual it depends on your lifestyle and wants. Basic concept is work out how much you need to live each year and then allow for inflation and add up the numbers until you die. You are going to be retired longer than you worked... Watch out for mental health and stay engaged somehow. I know too many who lost purpose after retirement and shall we say faded away. Good thing is we all have at least one hobby / passion and that is a good start.
 

Minlak

custom titis
It's fine not to have purpose as long as you can find lots of interesting things along the way.
So you can kick back under the bridge late at night shivering against the cold and thinking if only I had a purpose and was more dedicated I might have a tent now instead?
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
So you can kick back under the bridge late at night shivering against the cold and thinking if only I had a purpose and was more dedicated I might have a tent now instead?
Does purpose equate to income at any time let alone retirement?
 

Minlak

custom titis
Does purpose equate to income at any time let alone retirement?
Easy answer yes - this is the English language nothing has one meaning ( Well except "Doing a Hambo")

"Purpose : The reason for which something is done or created or or which something exists"

My purpose for doing paid work is to get money - My purpose to get out of bed is to not shit the bed - My purpose to do paid work is to pay my bills.

376408
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
Easy answer yes - this is the English language nothing has one meaning ( Well except "Doing a Hambo")

"Purpose : The reason for which something is done or created or or which something exists"

My purpose for doing paid work is to get money - My purpose to get out of bed is to not shit the bed - My purpose to do paid work is to pay my bills.

View attachment 376408
I'd argue that's not purpose that's avoidance. You get out of bed to avoid getting fired and avoid not being able to pay the mortgage.

Purpose is something higher than that. If your job fulfils you and you do it for a reason other than getting paid then that's purpose.

On a very basic level of course.
 

Minlak

custom titis
I'd argue that's not purpose that's avoidance. You get out of bed to avoid getting fired and avoid not being able to pay the mortgage.

Purpose is something higher than that. If your job fulfils you and you do it for a reason other than getting paid then that's purpose.

On a very basic level of course.
So your purpose is to avoid shitting the bed?
 
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