Retirement - when to take that step (leap?)

[ebastler]

What problems do you experience with that Youtube video? It is really just an audio track with a still image, but playing that works fine here.

[thermistor-guy]

I don't think there are ways to prevent a stroke but being fit sure helps to get through it better ...

Some of us hold winning tickets in the genetic lottery. Some of us don't. Either way, your way of life can increase your healthspan
(Peter Attia's term).

One of the benefits of heavy exercise - exercise that pushes your body and metabolism to adapt to it - is that it is anti-inflammatory.
Exercise has a long-term effect of lowering inflammation. One mechanism is via inteleukin-6 (IL-6), emitted by muscle cells. The literature
on this is recent. Older IL-6 literature focuses on IL-6 emitted by immune cells, which has a completely different, pro-inflammatory effect.
Recent example: https://www.cell.com/trends/endocrinology-metabolism/fulltext/S1043-2760(23)00154-6

So in my retirement spreadsheet, on my "medical expenses" tab, I include gym membership, personal trainer sessions, and similar costs.
thermistor-gal and I want to be as fit/strong/healthy as possible for as long as possible, so we don't need hospitals and doctors. My
spreadsheet has relatively large expense items for good home-cooked food, for the same reasons. Good food costs money.

[aargee]

OP here.

Well, I did it. Nearly one year ago to the day.
I never think about the old job and the MBA-driven admin KPIs associated with it. I do miss the workplace colleagues from time to time, that technical interaction with other humans, the 'Mens Shed' doesn't quite cut it with me - yet.
I never realised (OK, yes I did) that there were so many outstanding jobs to do around the house or things I wanted to get to on the workbench!
I have tried my hand at volunteering, Repair Cafes, etc and enjoyed it.
I have not felt the need to scramble back to the regular workplace.
As pointed out back in the thread, you don't know what life will throw at you to shorten 'quality' time.

From my point of view, I recommend the move.

- Rob.

[EPAIII]

I was 66 or 67 and was called into a small room with the CEO, the personnel person, and my boss. I knew what was going to happen before a single word was spoken. I didn't "take the leap", they tossed me out.

OK, to be fair, I knew it was coming and they were as nice as they could be about it. And I got a nice severance payment. So I really can't complain.

My first thoughts were how I was going to pay all the bills. I wasn't at all sure I was financially ready for it. The company had no pension plan so my own savings and SS were what I had to work with. But, it has been about 13 or 14 years now and everything worked out. Still in the same house and haven't missed a single mortgage or tax payment. No credit card dept other than this month's bills. All in all, I am doing OK. So, do I wish I had done it sooner. Well, I don't know. I could answer both ways. I liked working too.

As for keeping busy, that is the only way. I now have time for my personal projects and can't keep up with them. I occasionally earn some extra money by writing about my projects and getting it published. That's nice, but I don't really need it. So, retirement has been OK. And if I can do it, anybody can. Well, almost anybody.

[wofritz]

When I decided to retire at 60, my HR boss said "If you did your math and it works out for you, do it. We had people leave at 65 [standard retirement age] and sent flowers to their funeral six months later." I'm 65 now and not dead yet, but in cancer treatment.

So if you have post retirement plans, start as early as you can. Things might go downhill faster than you expect.
 

[coppice]

I was 66 or 67 and was called into a small room with the CEO, the personnel person, and my boss. I knew what was going to happen before a single word was spoken. I didn't "take the leap", they tossed me out.

OK, to be fair, I knew it was coming and they were as nice as they could be about it. And I got a nice severance payment. So I really can't complain.

Well, that should have been basically OK. You were at the normal retirement age anyway. I don't know that many people who were able to work to 65 or so before a major market downturn lead to them being tossed out, a few years before they were financially prepared. Governments are starting to push up the standard retirement age, for very good reasons, but how many people get to continue to work in their career until that date?

[BILLPOD]

What problems do you experience with that Youtube video? It is really just an audio track with a still image, but playing that works fine here.

The sign on the square where the video says:  Video unavailable.

[dietert1]

The song "Mr. Bones" is by the artist Steve Strauss and i have it on the CD "Closer to the music" by Stockfish Records. It's easy to find on youtube. Sometimes arts can provide new insights.
In the Leipzig book fair a book about "Radical Universalism" by Omri Boehm won a price last week. I think universalism also means that we should retire in respect for the next generation - in an orderly fashion as far as possible.

Regards, Dieter