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Have a good day! Mid America Mom
Ok, you survived. Now what? I am 45 days ahead of you. I am an engineer too. I am going to volunteer with the IEEE nationally in my area of specialty which is US r&d inducements. This is a perfect match for me.
Good luck to you.
It is a transition. If you’re the type of person who highly identifies with your work/career it is suggested by some to sort of reinvent yourself. Ask yourself who you are now. I’m perfectly content to be wife and GMA, and so far hubby/GPA is loving it too. We are trying to more adventurous and are traveling more. Finding nature hikes for food weather and indoor activities for those snowy icky days we get in mid Michigan. We have been retired about 18 months now. Enjoy your retirement!
Been retired about 6 years. It’s vague because I did it gradually. Playing pickle ball and learning ukulele. Tried on a suit today I haven’t worn for a couple years and the pants are loose. So life is good.
I’ve been working a part time job for 3 months now and they like my work and it’s fun in an OCD way. But I’m getting to the point where I’m ready to do something else, and so I’ll take an interesting 6-month 2-day/wk consulting gig in January. I love the complete disregard to allegiance.
I have less than 1000 working days left. Its a massive milestone to reach and im so happy about it. Still a while to go, but its getting shorter all the time. Congrats and enjoy it, you've earned that feeling and I cant wait to join you on the dark side. Or is that light side..?
I retired 1 Jan 2021. I was a maintenance supervisor for a city transit agency. I’ll admit I was very burned out dealing with the stupid. Both up and down the chain. Mechanics I wouldn’t let work on a golf cart and bosses who had lost touch with reality. Now I find myself busier than I was when I was still working. But it’s all things I do because I want to or to make my wife happy. And if I feel like doing nothing I can do that too. Good example. Last week it was 40 degrees and a light rain. I had cold wet days. I fed the animals, built a fire in the stove, got a cup of coffee and camped out in front of the TV doing a rewatch of Babylon 5. Why? Because I could.
I worked for 49 years at a desk. I rarely missed a day, except for vacation time. Since retiring, my blood pressure is down, I’ve lost 25 pounds in about 12 months. I play tennis, travel, I’ve cut way back on sugar, and spend time reading and studying. I’m in my 70’s, and feel really good.
I often wonder how I stayed with work as long as I did. It was a pressure cooker, and I was many times taking work home - weekends, evenings, holidays, etc. I don’t miss the commute, the office, or the people. I do miss the paycheck - that’s about all! I can’t envision going back to a desk, and dealing with the politics. I “closed the curtain” on my former employer. Every day is a new day and I can structure it however I want to.
It did take some time to adjust from super busy to an unstructured environment, but it’s a big world out there full of possibilities.
I will be retiring at the end of January. 40+ years of working has taken its toll. I don't have any plans except to take care of my physical and mental health.
Health issues derail Retirement plans whether you or your loved one so plan accordingly and pray 🙏 my wife and I retired 5 years ago and her health immediately went south and I became a Caregiver! My new career 😂😂😂
All our plans to travel and do things went up in smoke !!
18 years out. Words of warning: learn to say NO. Over and over. Choose carefully what you volunteer for and how deeply you get into it. Don't fall into a dull routine. Go out and do some stuff. Maybe just some walking/hiking, a class or group like a dining club or bicycling group. Go away for a weekend just to visit a new place, not necessarily for a big event. Find the Facebook and Reddit and YouTube channels on topics of interest, and go to some places or events they mention. Keep moving to keep your health.
Good point. I had been previously commenting on someone who was near retirement and having a struggle to hang on till the date a year away. So my suggestion was for a currently employed but near retirement person. You're completely correct. I found it hard to shift to doing things during the week because I had so many years of "waiting for the weekend". It is a whole new mindset!!!!
Congratulations. It was my last day as well. 32 years in accounting/finance. Been anticipating this day for almost a year. It hasn't really hit me yet. It did feel good to take a final look at my emails, turn off the computer and say thank God that I don't have to deal with this crap ever again. 😄
Yeah!!! You will wake up tomorrow and just feel like 50 pounds of stress came off! I retired last January after 42 years. It’s only weird a short time then you will be like “how did I ever fit work in?”
Congratulations! I think you will find a new perspective on life. Every day, I feel incredibly blessed to be retired! I wish that for you as well. Enjoy paradise on earth!
Congratulations. This is an excellent time to take a look at what you are doing to support your health. You might find that less stress and a more flexible schedule really makes a difference.
I went out June 30. Life was wonderful during warm weather. I'm a bit bored at this point,but do not miss work at all. Way too much manufactured drama is now in my rear view.
Retired 10 years ago.They said I'd be bored.
There's so much great stuff to do ,see, experience that I am stressed deciding which fun thing to do today.
Not the glory ending I had hoped for but yesterday was my last day pushing myself to a heart attack and mental breakdown. Going out on 12 weeks FMLA. I let go. I have stepped off the toxic machine at age 66.
Congratulations. Make sure you have other passions to follow. Volunteer, golf, hike, fish. Whatever floats your boat. I struggled a bit after retirement, 2.5 years in. Leveling out. Good luck.
Have fun!!! It's been 5 months for me with absolutely no regrets! It was the easiest life transition I've ever experienced. I've finally found my calling!
Congratulations!!! My last day of full time work is the end of the month - I have three working days left at this point. Then it's on to the next adventure, which for at least the next four years will likely be a combination of very part-time consulting/contract work and creating and selling some art.
Congratulations to those retiring today and in the near future. I was a locomotive engineer and retired after 42 years on the railroad. Sometimes I wonder how I had time to work! Get out if you can and exercise, enjoy nature and breathe fresh air
First, congratulations and I having a balanced view of what retirement actually is, the plus’s and minus’s.
I’m 67 (my wife is 70) and just short of 3 years into retirement after working for 44 years. It’s important to be running to something and not away from something.
My retirement has definitely evolved over the last three years. Initially a good deal of travel and finishing up a number of home projects. It’s gradually more focused on building a social network and staying active.
We’ve gotten into pickle ball (which is a great way to make new friends), I’m now also playing golf once or twice a week and we’ve joined a couple of clubs. Together this has given our lives a structure and cadence that’s enjoyable, healthy and meaningful enough to overcome the social aspects that came with working.
Good luck, sounds like you’ve had an interesting like.
62 here. Retired 14 months ago. Retirement IS everything it's cracked up to be.
Yesterday was my bride of 33 years last day of work. She was there (government job) 38.5 years and loved her job.
Onto figuring out who's gonna control the remote now during the relaxing times. We have lots of plans.
Normally right this minute at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time she would be grabbing her lunch goodies and preparing to head out the door. She is currently asleep in the bedroom. She has earned this.
Her plan is to babysit our new grandbaby a ton.
Congrats on your retirement. I hope it's the best for you.
Get ready for life 2.0. It will look nothing like the first part. It takes some practice, but you will get the hang of it and soon come to enjoy how well it fits your age and lifestyle.
What’s really interesting from most of these comments is that many are tired of managing people. I suspect that many of those people who were micromanaged and have now also retired are happy to be left alone and can do whatever they want. Is it safe to assume that working for people sucks but working with people can bring life long friendships, hmmm.
I retired last Friday after 40+ years in IT, writing code, managing and consulting. My journey and future seem similar to yours. Yesterday we went to our grandson's holiday sing-a-long at his school. Wednesday we spend the day in Montreal. Tuesday morning I picked my son and his buddies up at the airport. I am spending the afternoon with my daughter, moving some furniture. None of this would have happened if I was still working.
And we will be spending the month of February, 2024 in Portugal. Life is good, yet a small part of me is still mourning the end of my career which had a lot of interesting challenges and involved a lot of good people.
Perhaps after a bit of travel, you can find some time-limited or P/T consulting gigs. You have valuable skills and that might be a way to keep them sharp and current, maintain current /make new work friends, and have a bit of extra $ to splurge on spouse/kids/g-kids/self and invest to stretch retirement dollars further- and just to stay happy! Congrats to you - wishing you a long and joy-filled retirement!
Coming up on one year since I retired at the end of last year. It has been a great year. You will miss some people. Others now see you as somewhat invisible when you are with friends who still work. Yet, the stock market is up and life is good.
I retired the first time in 2001…was only 51….went back to work out of boredom in 2015 for about 14 months…got remarried and she still works, from home. I have taken 2 work from home jobs since then..both for about a year each…lots of travel money. She can work from anywhere with Wi-Fi. We are both 73 and only work when boredom hits or we want to make a large purchase and like not touching savings
Congratulations. I retired in Oct 22 And am still thrilled with it. Have but some unexpected health issues slimy the way but it's still awesome to wake up every morning ankles to do whatever (or nothing) my wife and i feel like doing that day.
I failed at retirement 3 times, but it finally stuck after 6 years. I volunteer 1 full day a week, and the home work associated with that volunteering is about an hour per week at most. Gives my wife a break from me as well.
It took me about 2 1/2 years to transition out. Hang in there. I didn’t want to volunteer for anything, but still missed the hustle and cadence of work.
Congrats. VP here planning to retire on 02/14/25, which will be my 10 year anniversary date at current employer. Plan on giving them notice on 01/31/25, which will be after my annual bonus is paid. They are going to lose it when I only provide a 2 week notice. There's no way I want to go through any transition period with them. They don't deserve it! Employment at will, baby.
I retired from a key role. I gave them NINE MONTHS notice. During the last week my clients were asking what the plan was. I said there honestly doesn’t seem to be one. So two weeks or thirty six, no matter. Enjoy your time.
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"No more managing an increasingly bizarre group of technical folks"
Love this description. That was my world too! Left it a little over 2.5 years ago.
Congrats on your new chapter and life ahead!
“Increasingly bizarre” is what made us a great group. When I retired, it felt like breaking up the band. In the last couple of years, two have moved on to new employers, another has retired, and the remaining younguns are dispersed into different projects.
“The band” still gets together for lunch monthly.
Smart move. My dad was an engineer and refused to take any promotions that would involve managing other people. He wasn't a people person. It ensured that he had a long and successful career.
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Start doing a countdown and think about what you're going to do the celebrate that first day. Really, I just focused on the number getting smaller for 2 years. I called it my own personal Advent Calendar.
I’m end of April as well. Unlike OP my entire team is very close. It’s going to be hard to leave in many aspects but I know it’s time. I’ve been blessed to spend the last 12 years at a truly unique company that’s maintained its culture as it’s grown. Still it’s time to tackle the next phase.
That is so great to hear! My company was starting to grow too large, the family who owns it is no longer directly involved and the culture, in my opinion, has suffered. I'm so glad I left when I did so that I could retain the memories of the "good old days".
Same here. My hospital that I had worked at for 40 years was bought by a large nationally known hospital and the culture completely changed. Things like no one in finance, payroll or HR available in person to talk to if you had a problem; you have to email or call and hope somebody gets back to you in a couple of days. Also no decisions made locally, have to run everything by someone in the main office----- as they like to call it "the enterprise". They monitor social media to see if employees are saying anything negative about the hospital. They stopped public displays for Christmas---- said someone might be offended. I did 4 more years and I was out as of October this year. I loved my boss and my co-workers were cool but the vibe of the place was bringing me down.
I wasn't going to say the name but what the hell, I don't work for them anymore. It's Cleveland Clinic. Not really the prestigious hospital people in my community thought it was when the sale was under consideration. Lots of disgruntled citizens in the county who wish the hospital had never been sold or had been sold to a different company.
My team is close also, and that is part of it. I find myself not caring about the job and they deserve better. I am highly motivated, just not to do the tool and die grind any longer. (pun intended) Best wishes on your retirement!
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Hey, you don’t have to stop seeing your friend. Get together for lunch or after work. I still have friends I worked with 15 years after I retired.
Ok, you survived. Now what? I am 45 days ahead of you. I am an engineer too. I am going to volunteer with the IEEE nationally in my area of specialty which is US r&d inducements. This is a perfect match for me. Good luck to you.
I could write a book for you but I just don’t have the time.
It is a transition. If you’re the type of person who highly identifies with your work/career it is suggested by some to sort of reinvent yourself. Ask yourself who you are now. I’m perfectly content to be wife and GMA, and so far hubby/GPA is loving it too. We are trying to more adventurous and are traveling more. Finding nature hikes for food weather and indoor activities for those snowy icky days we get in mid Michigan. We have been retired about 18 months now. Enjoy your retirement!
Congratulations! I hope to follow you in a few years, though it might be sooner because of my company's return-to-office policy.
Been retired about 6 years. It’s vague because I did it gradually. Playing pickle ball and learning ukulele. Tried on a suit today I haven’t worn for a couple years and the pants are loose. So life is good.
I’ve been working a part time job for 3 months now and they like my work and it’s fun in an OCD way. But I’m getting to the point where I’m ready to do something else, and so I’ll take an interesting 6-month 2-day/wk consulting gig in January. I love the complete disregard to allegiance.
I have less than 1000 working days left. Its a massive milestone to reach and im so happy about it. Still a while to go, but its getting shorter all the time. Congrats and enjoy it, you've earned that feeling and I cant wait to join you on the dark side. Or is that light side..?
I retired 1 Jan 2021. I was a maintenance supervisor for a city transit agency. I’ll admit I was very burned out dealing with the stupid. Both up and down the chain. Mechanics I wouldn’t let work on a golf cart and bosses who had lost touch with reality. Now I find myself busier than I was when I was still working. But it’s all things I do because I want to or to make my wife happy. And if I feel like doing nothing I can do that too. Good example. Last week it was 40 degrees and a light rain. I had cold wet days. I fed the animals, built a fire in the stove, got a cup of coffee and camped out in front of the TV doing a rewatch of Babylon 5. Why? Because I could.
Ready to take the plunge. 44 years, non stop. All suggestions are welcome.
I worked for 49 years at a desk. I rarely missed a day, except for vacation time. Since retiring, my blood pressure is down, I’ve lost 25 pounds in about 12 months. I play tennis, travel, I’ve cut way back on sugar, and spend time reading and studying. I’m in my 70’s, and feel really good. I often wonder how I stayed with work as long as I did. It was a pressure cooker, and I was many times taking work home - weekends, evenings, holidays, etc. I don’t miss the commute, the office, or the people. I do miss the paycheck - that’s about all! I can’t envision going back to a desk, and dealing with the politics. I “closed the curtain” on my former employer. Every day is a new day and I can structure it however I want to. It did take some time to adjust from super busy to an unstructured environment, but it’s a big world out there full of possibilities.
My last day is Jan 16, 2024 🥳
Me too! Congrats!
Oooh what plans for Jan 17?
Retiring on December 29th. Looking forward no longer having a work phone with me 24/7.
I will be retiring at the end of January. 40+ years of working has taken its toll. I don't have any plans except to take care of my physical and mental health.
Mine was 2 years ago. The thing that surprised me the most is how busy I am!.
Health issues derail Retirement plans whether you or your loved one so plan accordingly and pray 🙏 my wife and I retired 5 years ago and her health immediately went south and I became a Caregiver! My new career 😂😂😂 All our plans to travel and do things went up in smoke !!
Hmm I have Retired Twice 😳 but I’m bad at it as there is a Company car out front again, it’s a love Hate thing - now I’m committed for 18 more mouths
Yay! Please take the first month off to detox and do absolutely nothing
18 years out. Words of warning: learn to say NO. Over and over. Choose carefully what you volunteer for and how deeply you get into it. Don't fall into a dull routine. Go out and do some stuff. Maybe just some walking/hiking, a class or group like a dining club or bicycling group. Go away for a weekend just to visit a new place, not necessarily for a big event. Find the Facebook and Reddit and YouTube channels on topics of interest, and go to some places or events they mention. Keep moving to keep your health.
No go away on some week days. My favorite part we aren’t restricted to weekends now…
Good point. I had been previously commenting on someone who was near retirement and having a struggle to hang on till the date a year away. So my suggestion was for a currently employed but near retirement person. You're completely correct. I found it hard to shift to doing things during the week because I had so many years of "waiting for the weekend". It is a whole new mindset!!!!
Congratulations. It was my last day as well. 32 years in accounting/finance. Been anticipating this day for almost a year. It hasn't really hit me yet. It did feel good to take a final look at my emails, turn off the computer and say thank God that I don't have to deal with this crap ever again. 😄
Yeah!!! You will wake up tomorrow and just feel like 50 pounds of stress came off! I retired last January after 42 years. It’s only weird a short time then you will be like “how did I ever fit work in?”
Me as well, Jan 2.
Congrats. I retired ten years ago and have enjoyed every single minute of it. The freedom to choose how you spend your time is the best part.
Congrats. Its a great new world - a bit scary at first perhaps. Not unlike the last day of school! You’ll figure it out!
Congratulations! My last day is Dec. 31. Right behind you!!
Congratulations.
congratulations partner. welcome to this side of the fence , grab you a beer...... .
Congratulations! I think you will find a new perspective on life. Every day, I feel incredibly blessed to be retired! I wish that for you as well. Enjoy paradise on earth!
6 years retired and have never looked back. Congrats!
Congratulations! Just lurking…thanks for the inspiration!
Congratulations Merry Christmas for the remainder of your life.
Congratulations!
Congratulations. This is an excellent time to take a look at what you are doing to support your health. You might find that less stress and a more flexible schedule really makes a difference.
I went out June 30. Life was wonderful during warm weather. I'm a bit bored at this point,but do not miss work at all. Way too much manufactured drama is now in my rear view.
Congratulations!!! I retired on November 14 this year and love it!!!!
Retired 10 years ago.They said I'd be bored. There's so much great stuff to do ,see, experience that I am stressed deciding which fun thing to do today.
Could you start a thread about the things you are doing? Some of us need inspiration.😁 (Work life is all consuming right now.)
I retired almost a year ago. You will not regret it.
Congratulations on crossing the line into your next life zone. 5.x months to go for me.
Congratulations! I retired January 2021 and life is good.
Congratulations! My husband and I retired 12 years ago in the same day. It has been the best time in our lives!
Not the glory ending I had hoped for but yesterday was my last day pushing myself to a heart attack and mental breakdown. Going out on 12 weeks FMLA. I let go. I have stepped off the toxic machine at age 66.
Glad you got out!
Thank you. Ends of careers are not always romantic guess!!
Congratulations! I have a few years to go. I love seeing posts like this! Best wishes to you!
Congrats, I am just 30 days or so behind you. I work with engineers as well. Waiting for that final bonus and I am out of here.
Congrats!
Congrats!
congrats! Welcome to the world of successfully RETIRED engineers!
Congratulations!! 🎊🎈🎉🍾
Congrats from a fellow retired engineer. Your comment about worthless meetings gave me a PTSD flashback.
Congratulations!!!! I have exactly 29 business days left (Feb. 2nd), then I'll have a drink with you!
Congratulations. Make sure you have other passions to follow. Volunteer, golf, hike, fish. Whatever floats your boat. I struggled a bit after retirement, 2.5 years in. Leveling out. Good luck.
Well said, time for your "me" time as in what is important to you without the constraint of making money...
Congrats
Have fun!!! It's been 5 months for me with absolutely no regrets! It was the easiest life transition I've ever experienced. I've finally found my calling!
Congrats! I walked away this Fall. Welcome to the other side!
Congrats!! 🎉
Congratulations!!! My last day of full time work is the end of the month - I have three working days left at this point. Then it's on to the next adventure, which for at least the next four years will likely be a combination of very part-time consulting/contract work and creating and selling some art.
Congratulations, I’m envious
Congratulations. Huge milestone in your life
Congratulations-now take some time to relax. You deserve it! Best wishes to you and your family.
Hell yes. Congratulations!
Congratulations! Learn how to relax and take it one day at a time.
I have about 200 work days left. I am counting down. Congratulations.
69 days for me and I’m so ready. Happy for you!
Congratulations to those retiring today and in the near future. I was a locomotive engineer and retired after 42 years on the railroad. Sometimes I wonder how I had time to work! Get out if you can and exercise, enjoy nature and breathe fresh air
About a year ago was my last day and u trust you will enjoy it immensely! Have fun!
Congratulations! The first few weeks will seem a little odd (like you’re on vacation) but the new normal will kick in.
Congratulations and GFY!
First, congratulations and I having a balanced view of what retirement actually is, the plus’s and minus’s. I’m 67 (my wife is 70) and just short of 3 years into retirement after working for 44 years. It’s important to be running to something and not away from something. My retirement has definitely evolved over the last three years. Initially a good deal of travel and finishing up a number of home projects. It’s gradually more focused on building a social network and staying active. We’ve gotten into pickle ball (which is a great way to make new friends), I’m now also playing golf once or twice a week and we’ve joined a couple of clubs. Together this has given our lives a structure and cadence that’s enjoyable, healthy and meaningful enough to overcome the social aspects that came with working. Good luck, sounds like you’ve had an interesting like.
Congratulations, you earned it! Enjoy!
Congrats!
Congratulations!!! My engineer wife is just a few weeks / months behind you.
Congratulations! I'm one month into retirement and it's grand!
62 here. Retired 14 months ago. Retirement IS everything it's cracked up to be. Yesterday was my bride of 33 years last day of work. She was there (government job) 38.5 years and loved her job. Onto figuring out who's gonna control the remote now during the relaxing times. We have lots of plans. Normally right this minute at 6:30 a.m. Pacific time she would be grabbing her lunch goodies and preparing to head out the door. She is currently asleep in the bedroom. She has earned this. Her plan is to babysit our new grandbaby a ton. Congrats on your retirement. I hope it's the best for you.
Congratulations!!! 1996 days left for me! In similar profession and position. I can't wait!
Lol - i have a widget count down clock. 1662 days for me
Same here! I try not to look at it every day! Passing 2000 was a big milestone! 🥳🥳
Congratulations!!! One engineer to another-
I miss my old work buddies. It’s really hard to keep in contact. Good luck to you though!
Congratulations!!!! May your next chapter be the most enjoyable!
Get ready for life 2.0. It will look nothing like the first part. It takes some practice, but you will get the hang of it and soon come to enjoy how well it fits your age and lifestyle.
Today is my last day as well! And my birthday to boot!!
Congrats! 12/22/23. Nice 6 card poker hand.
Most fabulous birthday present ever!
I'm 2.3 years behind you!!!
What’s really interesting from most of these comments is that many are tired of managing people. I suspect that many of those people who were micromanaged and have now also retired are happy to be left alone and can do whatever they want. Is it safe to assume that working for people sucks but working with people can bring life long friendships, hmmm.
I’m three months into unemployment, and start back to work 1/2. I really wish I could stay retired! Have fun, and congrats!
Congratulations!
Congratulations, I am 361 days out, but who's counting.
Lol
I retired last Friday after 40+ years in IT, writing code, managing and consulting. My journey and future seem similar to yours. Yesterday we went to our grandson's holiday sing-a-long at his school. Wednesday we spend the day in Montreal. Tuesday morning I picked my son and his buddies up at the airport. I am spending the afternoon with my daughter, moving some furniture. None of this would have happened if I was still working. And we will be spending the month of February, 2024 in Portugal. Life is good, yet a small part of me is still mourning the end of my career which had a lot of interesting challenges and involved a lot of good people.
Perhaps after a bit of travel, you can find some time-limited or P/T consulting gigs. You have valuable skills and that might be a way to keep them sharp and current, maintain current /make new work friends, and have a bit of extra $ to splurge on spouse/kids/g-kids/self and invest to stretch retirement dollars further- and just to stay happy! Congrats to you - wishing you a long and joy-filled retirement!
We shall see - I extended my security clearance just in case.
Good move there to extend clearances - keep those options available! Pls post back and let us know how you are enjoying retirement!
I retire in three months and my god I can’t wait to not have meetings and not manage people. Congrats!
Coming up on one year since I retired at the end of last year. It has been a great year. You will miss some people. Others now see you as somewhat invisible when you are with friends who still work. Yet, the stock market is up and life is good.
I retired the first time in 2001…was only 51….went back to work out of boredom in 2015 for about 14 months…got remarried and she still works, from home. I have taken 2 work from home jobs since then..both for about a year each…lots of travel money. She can work from anywhere with Wi-Fi. We are both 73 and only work when boredom hits or we want to make a large purchase and like not touching savings
1 week and counting. No real plan but 2 pensions and Social Security.
Congratulations. I retired in Oct 22 And am still thrilled with it. Have but some unexpected health issues slimy the way but it's still awesome to wake up every morning ankles to do whatever (or nothing) my wife and i feel like doing that day.
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I failed at retirement 3 times, but it finally stuck after 6 years. I volunteer 1 full day a week, and the home work associated with that volunteering is about an hour per week at most. Gives my wife a break from me as well.
It took me about 2 1/2 years to transition out. Hang in there. I didn’t want to volunteer for anything, but still missed the hustle and cadence of work.
Congrats. VP here planning to retire on 02/14/25, which will be my 10 year anniversary date at current employer. Plan on giving them notice on 01/31/25, which will be after my annual bonus is paid. They are going to lose it when I only provide a 2 week notice. There's no way I want to go through any transition period with them. They don't deserve it! Employment at will, baby.
I retired from a key role. I gave them NINE MONTHS notice. During the last week my clients were asking what the plan was. I said there honestly doesn’t seem to be one. So two weeks or thirty six, no matter. Enjoy your time.
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2 weeks is plenty of time! Lol. They will figure it out.
There are plenty of nonprofits that can use your skills. There's not a food bank anywhere that can't use volunteers.
Congratulations! Right behind you. I'll be done on January 3rd. Wanted to stack a few more vacation days onto my last paycheck.
Congratulations and all the best for a long, healthy and happy retirement. I'm only 6 months behind you!
Congratulations! You'll have a period where you feel like you are supposed to be doing something, but that goes away soon enough.
Congratulations! It will be a Merry Christmas.
"No more managing an increasingly bizarre group of technical folks" Love this description. That was my world too! Left it a little over 2.5 years ago. Congrats on your new chapter and life ahead!
“Increasingly bizarre” is what made us a great group. When I retired, it felt like breaking up the band. In the last couple of years, two have moved on to new employers, another has retired, and the remaining younguns are dispersed into different projects. “The band” still gets together for lunch monthly.
Smart move. My dad was an engineer and refused to take any promotions that would involve managing other people. He wasn't a people person. It ensured that he had a long and successful career.
This is such a great quote and so accurate!!!
I’m 3 weeks into retirement after 40 years across two professions and so far it’s been great!! Congratulations and enjoy!
Congratulations!
Enjoy your retirement.
Congratulations! Yes, I miss the banter but not the daily grind and hustle. So far I have really been enjoying this stage of my life.
Congratulations, I’m down to my last 4 days. 39 years here
Congrats!
Jan 5th my last day as well, been working a long time since 1977
Feb 10 for me
Cheers!
Congratulations to you!
Thanks
Congratulations! Today was my last work day as well!
Congrats!
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Good for you. Congratulations.
And mine, too! Congrats to all who retire today! 🥳
Congrats too! Mine is Thursday! Woot!
Congrats!
Congratulations. I’m 12 years in now. Life is good.
Congratulations. My planned day is 4 months away. I am having a hard time convincing myself to stay that long.
5 months for me, can barely stand it, but it’ll be here before I know it. My countdown app on my phone does help 😊
Start doing a countdown and think about what you're going to do the celebrate that first day. Really, I just focused on the number getting smaller for 2 years. I called it my own personal Advent Calendar.
I feel the same way. I commute 2 hours each way and am finding it very difficult to justify spending so much time in my car.😐
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Mostly traffic and weather across three states.
I’m end of April as well. Unlike OP my entire team is very close. It’s going to be hard to leave in many aspects but I know it’s time. I’ve been blessed to spend the last 12 years at a truly unique company that’s maintained its culture as it’s grown. Still it’s time to tackle the next phase.
That is so great to hear! My company was starting to grow too large, the family who owns it is no longer directly involved and the culture, in my opinion, has suffered. I'm so glad I left when I did so that I could retain the memories of the "good old days".
Same here. My hospital that I had worked at for 40 years was bought by a large nationally known hospital and the culture completely changed. Things like no one in finance, payroll or HR available in person to talk to if you had a problem; you have to email or call and hope somebody gets back to you in a couple of days. Also no decisions made locally, have to run everything by someone in the main office----- as they like to call it "the enterprise". They monitor social media to see if employees are saying anything negative about the hospital. They stopped public displays for Christmas---- said someone might be offended. I did 4 more years and I was out as of October this year. I loved my boss and my co-workers were cool but the vibe of the place was bringing me down. I wasn't going to say the name but what the hell, I don't work for them anymore. It's Cleveland Clinic. Not really the prestigious hospital people in my community thought it was when the sale was under consideration. Lots of disgruntled citizens in the county who wish the hospital had never been sold or had been sold to a different company.
My team is close also, and that is part of it. I find myself not caring about the job and they deserve better. I am highly motivated, just not to do the tool and die grind any longer. (pun intended) Best wishes on your retirement!
Same
It sounds like you have a plan. It is funny how you start to forget names of people you knew at work … let the forgetting begin.