Over 60 - still working?

I turn 60 in a couple of weeks and still going strong self employed. I get bored really quickly if I take time off so no sign of me packing in yet. I'll keep going until my body says otherwise 😁
 
I was, but now retired. Last several years I ditched all my managerial responsibilities and went back to being the "IT guy that fixes stuff" and enjoyed it. It's good to have a job that you don't take home with you. And once I had told them my retirement date my workload went down as they didn't give me any project work and I sort of drifted into retirement. It also helped that post COVID I was working from home and never went back to the office full time.
 
NorthumberlandBoro said:
If you enjoy your job keep working it you wish.
If find working stressful,and have the finances in order to retire, get the hell out and enjoy life while you have your health.
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This last post sums me up perfectly. Thinking of doing one more year and then stopping. As I'll only be 58 then I'm not sure if it'll be the end of my working life, or just a break before doing something new. My job is very stressful and all-consuming and I am beginning to resent that (where I used to thrive off the pressure before).

I think I have the finances to retire, but I'm not sure I have the finances to continue to travel like I have done, so that's the one thing that might keep me on the treadmill for longer.

I have to give 12 months notice, so decision D-day is looming!
 
NorthumberlandBoro said:
If you enjoy your job keep working it you wish.
If find working stressful,and have the finances in order to retire, get the hell out and enjoy life while you have your health.
Click to expand...
Good simple answer, but not so simple to execute. I'm 70 self-employed and struggling to make the transition to full blown retirement. You have to take on other considerations, such as I am fit and mobile, my wife isn't she has a couple of knackered knees making decision's on the future lifestyle difficult. I can't let go until we work out what we can do together.
 
goalscrounger said:
This last post sums me up perfectly. Thinking of doing one more year and then stopping. As I'll only be 58 then I'm not sure if it'll be the end of my working life, or just a break before doing something new. My job is very stressful and all-consuming and I am beginning to resent that (where I used to thrive off the pressure before).

I think I have the finances to retire, but I'm not sure I have the finances to continue to travel like I have done, so that's the one thing that might keep me on the treadmill for longer.

I have to give 12 months notice, so decision D-day is looming!
Click to expand...
A GP told me that the sooner you retire this side of 60, the longer you generally get the other side of it. He said there is good medical evidence of teachers dropping down dead within 18-24 months of retiring post-60.

And you are no ordinary teacher either; looking after two schools must be hellish stressful.
 
Just turned 65 and I'm already down to 3 days a week. Next step is to reduce even further to 16 hours pw before the end of the year. Then I'll decide whether I want to pack it in altogether. Like many on here, I'm lucky to have (just) enough in a pension pot to get by.
For some of us, there's the expectation that we'll become regular unpaid childminders for grandchildren. We don't mind helping out, but we do have our own lives to lead.
 
67 in October and still working 4 days a week. Fortunate to work in a small company run by 2 good lads so no bullsh!t like you get in big organisations. Going down to 3 days but can't decide whether to be a T.W.A.T or a W.T.A.F.
As well as my salary I'm receiving 2 company pensions and state pension, the HMRC absolutely love me.
 
guisborough_rob said:
A GP told me that the sooner you retire this side of 60, the longer you generally get the other side of it. He said there is good medical evidence of teachers dropping down dead within 18-24 months of retiring post-60.

And you are no ordinary teacher either; looking after two schools must be hellish stressful.
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I'm sure I've read similar in the past. Linked to the decreasing ability of the body to deal with stress as you move further beyond 60.
 
allied_assault said:
Life’s too short so I’m downsizing to be closer to the two daughters and their families
Then going to see more of the world
Travel round Europe with the Mrs
I’m 63 and will retire in 3 years maybe going down to 3 working days from home
You can’t take it with you!!
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I can recommend Inter railing
 
Yep 61 here still working full time.
I'm a chef so I'm on my feet the whole of every shift.
Trying to get down to 4 days but atm 4 and a half is the least I can do with staff shortages in this trade.
As soon as I can gonna go to 3 days hopefully before Xmas.
Tbh I hate it now and could do with getting out and trying something else.
 
I went at 61 last year. I’d had a DVT, 2 pulmonary embolisms and then a cracking dose of pneumonia in my late 50’s. Thankfully I’ve come out the other side relatively unscathed, although it made me reassess my life. I do some voluntary work at least one day a week, which I massively enjoy and involves no stress whatsoever.
If you enjoy working and happy to continue then fair play. My pension is modest but there’s more to my life now than money.
 
redcarbob said:
I went at 61 last year. I’d had a DVT, 2 pulmonary embolisms and then a cracking dose of pneumonia in my late 50’s. Thankfully I’ve come out the other side relatively unscathed, although it made me reassess my life. I do some voluntary work at least one day a week, which I massively enjoy and involves no stress whatsoever.
If you enjoy working and happy to continue then fair play. My pension is modest but there’s more to my life now than money.
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There's nothing like a serious illness to trigger a reassessment of your priorities.
I had a major scare at the end of last year.
It really does focus the mind.
 
Good thread this with some good advice.

I’m coming up 64 and still full on in a job role I enjoy but getting less tolerant about the nonsense you get at work. Reading this thread I think it’s time to quit.

I’ve never met anybody who has regretted retiring, a few who have had a new part time job doing something else but nobody hankering after their old job.
 
I'm planning for just under 6 years time when I'll be 58.

After seeing my parents and in laws struggle with ill health from 60 onwards I want to have some time doing a lot more of the things I do now whilst I still can.

I'll have an ok pension at that point, with some savings and lump sum the plan is to travel the world. I've actually got a rough plan of holidays and itineraries mapped out for the first 7 years, the wife thinks I'm mad.

Once out son settles somewhere we'll also look to move near him provided he doesn't mind and we are allowed to given he's likely to be outside of the UK.

Feel lucky to be in a position where such choices are available.
 
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