Published on 12, July, 2020
I have recently retired from work. It was long awaited and I have not missed the job at all ( the people I worked with were nice, but the job itself had become a mixture of stressful and tedious)
I have never particularly enjoyed working. I have got some sense of satisfaction from doing a job well during certain periods of my working life, but in most jobs I had there were people - mostly managers - who I really did not enjoy spending my days with. I get bored quickly and so jobs became mundane in a short period of time, and if I put myself forward to do higher level tasks (that I was capable of) I was either refused the role or ended up doing the higher level stuff without getting the extra pay for it. And I've suffered burn out from time to time due to the stress of work making me exhausted.
I know that a lot of autistic people are unable to work but would like to, and that many people get a sense of self worth from working and a better lifestyle (due to having wages) But I feel that society may over value work in some ways, and that maybe it programmes us to think that not working is lazy or unproductive? However there are some wealthy people who do little to no work and nobody calls them lazy. I heard a saying somewhere that I like: "we're human beings, not human doings". Perhaps that's a good answer next time someone asks - "so, what do you do?"
I just wondered what everyone's views were about working?
If you currently work, would you give up working if you became financially independent?
If you do not work but would like to, or want a career change, what would your dream job be?
If you do not work and have no wish to, or are retired or cannot work due to health reasons, how do you structure your days?
Pixiefox said:I feel that society may over value work in some ways, and that maybe it programmes us to think that not working is lazy or unproductive?
There is a degree of you being expected to work - everyone contributing to the tax pool in order for things like the NHS, pensions and PIP to exist. Those that need ot use these services are a net drain on the pool so it probably needs the majority to work to cover those who cannot.
That is a huge simplification of course.
I worked for 32 years, paid a huge amount of tax along the way from income and capital gains, stamp duty, fuel tax etc so I feel I've more than done my share.
The work was mostly for big corporates where I was a small cog in a small part of the machine, making sure everything else had the IT systems working they needed for their jobs - far from satisfying.
For my generation (Gen X), work was pretty much considered something to be endured to pay for your quality of life so you were expected to suck it up and deal with it - everyone was much the same. Not working was never really an option unless you got rich, got ill or found some loophole in the matrix to get out.
Now I retired in my mid 50s after making some very successful renovation projects and can persue a comfortable life in a cheaper place (Brazil in my case) while doing the things I want to do.
I'm renovating properties, hiring some people who really need the work and teaching myself to master some skills I need to improve (plumbing and plastering mostly) and am doing some charity work by saving derelict property and making it into affordable housing.
I also do some project work for a few people in need, train skills for some looking for a way out of poverty and even labour for others who cannot aford it themselves on occasion - cheaper than the gym.
At other times in the year I teach school leaving age autistic kids about how to navigate the life changes coming their way - this is the most rewarding thing at the moment although it is only a few dozen hours a year.
I always looked at retirement (as in not working while you are able to) as giving up. I would always want to be active doing something, helping others or having some side hussle or other on the go.
Part of the reason for this is I have seen so many of my parents age go through the retirement thing, just sitting about, pottering in the gardern etc and seen their cognetive abilities decline rapidly compared to those who kept active mentally and/or physically.
Sorry for the ramble but I had a few thoughts to get out there.
Hi Iain, thanks for your input.
Me and my husband each worked 39 years before retiring, so we have also paid a lot of our income into the public coffers. Like you, we were expected to work and had little choice, but we managed. However not everyone is able to do that, and as you say, some.of those funds are to support those who cannot work and I wholeheartedly support that. I do worry that people who have real issues are told by government employees that they should be working when they really cannot cope.
You say you are retired, and I'm glad to hear of your success gaining a comfortable life in a cheaper place, and admire your energy and commitment to charity work and helping others. It hardly sounds like "retirement" to me though! Probably it's different to work in that you choose what you do & when you do it though, rather than being told.
I'm around 10 years older than you I believe, and most people find they need to slow down after they get into their sixties. I was working part time in my last job and even that had started to exhaust me in the last 9 months. I do need to set up a structure, but I don't want to mix with people much. I like reading and playing games, which keeps the mind active, and I'm thinking of doing some online learning. Hope you continue to enjoy your retirement.