I have been at my current job for 22-1/2 years and seen a lot of changes there with the business and the employees. I guess there was something good about it or I wouldn't have stayed this long, but mostly I have not liked it much for a long time now. Some of that may just be that I'm tired of working period, but I truly believe that the company has beat me down.

At the end of January I told my boss that for my birthday this year (in May) I was giving myself a special present: resigning from the company. Three months notice. It is taking forever to come. I thought they might tell me to leave sooner but I guess I am stuck there until the end of April.

The bad part is that I will not have any income since I will not be old enough for social security for another 2 years but I still feel it is worth it to take the risk. Lot's of gaming time to come.

I am so happy for you, oldbroad. Maybe what you are experiencing with your company is burnout. I know that's what happened to me when I resigned from my last job, and burnout is the best way to describe it. It also felt like the company I worked for did everything possible to make employees feel more demoralized than they already did.

I think it's definitely worth the risk if it is going to have a positive effect on your emotional health.

Thanks Marian, and yes, burnout is exactly right! I see it currently happening to another person there. Also, there was a guy that had been there about 1 year longer than me and he quit earlier this year which is part of what gave me the strength to do it.

Definitely burnout! Add me to the list that just can't set foot in an office again after my last office I worked in. You can always find something part time if you want that is fun to do.
Congrats!

I dearly loved my job... I didn't work in an office, but was an Environmental Specialist doing inspections of facilities subject to the Clean Water and Clear Air Laws. But after nearly 20 years, I got burned out on a job I loved. So, it happens. I made it until age 62, and retired. Best decision I ever made and I haven't looked back since! Health Insurance was an issue and I paid out the wazoo for it, but I made it until Medicare and all is good now!

Thanks Ana. I've been thinking that too about something part time and closer to home. We'll see.

Draclvr, the insurance is one of the expenses I'm worried about. It's such a waste of money, unless and until you need to use it of course.

I was trying so hard to make it until 62. I have been on a 4 day week for about 2 years now and considered going down to 3 days but didn't think I could even stomach that now. After I gave my notice, my other boss (husband and wife owners) suggested 3 or even 2 days or even doing what work I can at home, but I know it won't help me to feel any better, so I declined.

Congratulations on getting out of a bad situation and doing what was right and healthy for you, oldbroad! Enjoy all of your upcoming gaming time.

I know it feels that way with the insurance. But one thing is guaranteed - it you don't have it, something will happen and you will need it. Sort of like a Murphy's Law or something!

I know how you feel and I don't think I could have forced myself to keep working for any reason. I was just going through the motions and that wasn't good for my employer - the State - or me.

Thanks venus. I plan to!

Exactly Drac!

Well done, oldbroad !!

I retired "early" because of health problems and it was a bit of a struggle financially for a while.

But I've never regretted that decision

Fantastic! You made a hard decision that will be a good one. Hard to make that "I'm retiring" choice at an earlier age, but it can be done AND you get to de-stress and keep your sanity in the bargain. I retired at age 58 when both my parents needed total care. Couldn't keep rushing home from work to handle the crises, so I finally decided to quit and made a pact with myself that if I could make it TWO years without working I'd be fine. So 14 years later, I'm still doing OK. Barely surviving money-wise, but not unhappy with all my 'little' daily problems.

Happiness to you, lots of time for getting rid of all that stress and nobody to tell you what to do. When my teacher friends and I get together once a month for lunch, it's always fun to see the broad smiles on the newest retirees. Hope your smile develops in May! Will be thinking about you at that time.

And like Ana says, you can always do something part time if you get bored. I was offered a job just a few weeks ago, back in the classroom, doing annual state mandated testing for the next 2 months. I turned it down. Promised myself I was never going back to the classroom. My friend, who offered to bring me in, did it for 2 weeks, and quit. Ha. We are laughing about how nice it is not to have to do that even if the money is good.

Hope all works out for you too!

Thanks Mad and Sorta!

I'm glad I posted. I don't feel as worried about the decision now.

Congrats on making the decision that's right for you! I'm loving retirement! You will be surprised at how busy you still can be!

If you have your house paid off,(or are very close), you will not have any problems at all.

Yeah, that was my main thing - to get my property paid off first. I had put extra away every month to pay down my principle by $3.000 every year and paid it off 6 months before I retired. So when I retired I had zero debt - what a good feeling! That was why I could afford the health card even though it was pretty tight for a few years.

For me, the problem is that I didn't keep my house in good shape. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I would not be able to get anything for it if I ever have to sell it and I really should do some fixing up to keep living comfortably in it. I inherited some money when my dad died back in 2001 and I used that to eventually pay the house off. Unfortunately, I should have then gone back to the saving plan I used before I bought the house, but I didn't. Again ! I have savings, but it's so hard to know how much you'll end up needing.

But - I feel pretty certain that I will be OK!!

And once you are retired, you will be able to pick a single project that needs fixing and do it at your leisure. I did a lot of that too... my house is a 100+ year farmhouse that I was remodeling/restoring and I never had time to do a lot of the projects before. So, I just did it one little job at a time!

No matter what, you are going to be just fine and a LOT happier!

Well done OldBroad. I took early retirement in 1996 and was able to pay off the Mortgage. The ONLY thing I missed about working was the morning "chat around the coffee machine" and I covered that by joining various Forums like Gameboomers and emailing friends around the World.

Twenty-two years later I am as happy as ever. A few health problems but that is normal with "age".

Best wishes.

Thank you Mystic Falls!

So, it has been 5 months now and I am SO happy not going to work!! I am still in "doing nothing mode" and every night I am wondering where the heck did the day go. They are flying by.

My former co-worker who still works there, calls me every day with the news. Today my second replacement quit. The first one lasted 3 months, the second less than 2 months. Both left for different reasons.

Is it petty for me to be smiling about this and wanting to say to them "if only you had appreciated me more all these years"?

Petty it may be, but I would be feeling exactly the same way.

When I left my last job from Hades, I remember they called me six months later, saying they would love to have me back. I never returned their call. It would have been nice knowing that they were glad I was there when I was there, but nope!

I'm so glad to hear you are happy with your decision.

Hooray for you oldbroad! Enjoy your retirement and resist the urge to go back to help out, fill in, train, support, or any other thing they want. They probably will never be able to find anyone who can do what you did. My school kept begging me to come back and substitute in our 'alternative programs'. I just smiled and said not in a million years. I would become a street person before I would go back. Ha.

I would have the same reaction, oldbroad! I don't think its petty at all, it's human!