WORK TO LIVE or LIVE TO WORK

I am 60 in September and have decided to leave work early. I have just had enough and not enjoying it anymore. I am working for a lad who has never been out of the education system (school, college, uni, school) and wouldn't know his @rse from his elbow.

I am sure he is thinking 'I can't wait for that old git to go.'
 
I have always worked to live. Since Covid I have almost strayed into living to work, albeit without much choice because there were large spells where there was no real 'living' to be done apart from take my son to the park, but I've found the lines between business and leisure have become very blurred and am very keen for some kind of 'office normality' to return soon.
 
I am 60 in September and have decided to leave work early. I have just had enough and not enjoying it anymore. I am working for a lad who has never been out of the education system (school, college, uni, school) and wouldn't know his @rse from his elbow.

I am sure he is thinking 'I can't wait for that old git to go.'
More time to watch football now Norm! ;-)
 
I am 60 in September and have decided to leave work early. I have just had enough and not enjoying it anymore. I am working for a lad who has never been out of the education system (school, college, uni, school) and wouldn't know his @rse from his elbow.

I am sure he is thinking 'I can't wait for that old git to go.'
Enjoy your well earned rest and don't waste a drop of energy ' missing' work.
 
More time to watch football now Norm! ;-)
I've slipped, I watched Sunderland in the pizza cup final due to our Chaz playing and my dad coming round to watch it and the England v Poland game. I fell asleep during the Sunderland game and spent more time on the computer than watching the England game.

I honestly haven's missed it - might be different with fans in the ground though.
 
I work in Switzerland and the Swiss are huge believers in having a positive work / life balance. It’s actually illegal to work more than 45 hours in any week or more than 10 hours on any particular day. If we are caught exceeding this, both the employer and employee are heavily fined.

We don’t even get any special exemption for projects which are classed as a global emergency (I work on the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine). The Swiss authorities said that family time and relaxation is more important than pushing employees to work longer hours.
 
I work in Switzerland and the Swiss are huge believers in having a positive work / life balance. It’s actually illegal to work more than 45 hours in any week or more than 10 hours on any particular day. If we are caught exceeding this, both the employer and employee are heavily fined.

We don’t even get any special exemption for projects which are classed as a global emergency (I work on the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine). The Swiss authorities said that family time and relaxation is more important than pushing employees to work longer hours.
I worked in Norway in the early 80s, the Brits used to mock the Norwegian workers disappearing at 3.30 or 4 every day, mocked their tax laws and their different approach to work.

Yet they were driving round in Mercs and Volvos, lived in beautiful houses and managed a couple of decent holidays a year.

The smallish company I worked for had cabins in the mountains and on the coast for the use of the staff.

I think they had the right approach, less of the macho stupidity that drives so many in the more Americanised nations.
 
I worked in Norway in the early 80s, the Brits used to mock the Norwegian workers disappearing at 3.30 or 4 every day, mocked their tax laws and their different approach to work.

Yet they were driving round in Mercs and Volvos, lived in beautiful houses and managed a couple of decent holidays a year.

The smallish company I worked for had cabins in the mountains and on the coast for the use of the staff.

I think they had the right approach, less of the macho stupidity that drives so many in the more Americanised nations.
Salaries are high in Switzerland and people don’t need to work crazy hours to have a good standard of living. The car parks are full of Mercs and Audis until 5pm and then it’s a mass exodus as people head home to their families. The place is like a ghost town after 5pm regardless of how busy anyone is.
 
Ive realised in the last year that its not worth busting a gut for anyone. Its no longer important to say "I relish a challenge" or "I am prepared to go the extra mile", because Im not. Life experience is not important for some, but being a bearing in a wheel and doing whats expected and no more isnt attractive to me any longer. If you step outside the work bubble and look in, its commical how much people absorb the idea that they couldnt survive without being cannon fodder.
I prefer sunshine, riding across the Moors, painting and engaging with creative people. Money is only important if you make it.
Life is too short to be wasted.
The world is a big place.
I work to live and watch some team in red when I have to!
UTMB!
 
Salaries are high in Switzerland and people don’t need to work crazy hours to have a good standard of living. The car parks are full of Mercs and Audis until 5pm and then it’s a mass exodus as people head home to their families. The place is like a ghost town after 5pm regardless of how busy anyone is.
I worked in Basel for a while, like the Scandinavians they have more time for life.
 
I worked in the City up to last March and I decided to retire early thanks to my work agreeing. It was a little earlier than I’d hoped but pleased I did.
 
I'm a teacher and work to live. I've been in the game a long time now and the best part is the teaching. I've avoided extra responsibility meaning I only need to turn up and teach which I have a very good reputation for.

I finish at 3pm each day and go straight home. Unlike my colleagues I NEVER work at home - if it's not done by 3pm it's done the next day. My expertise and reputation mean this is never an issue as I'm always fully prepared for excellent teaching the next day. Others see my ability to do this as something to admire and not to question because I'm always delivering top teaching the next day. They know me and they know my priorities.

I spend my time at home with my family and experience none of the stress and hardships the same colleagues seem to suffer but also perform and deliver far better too. It's a state of mind really.

If I was to take any extra responsibility it would mean far more work, far less home-time in exchange for a little bit extra money that I don't need.

If I won the lottery I'd retire in a heartbeat and miss the students - which I'd soon get over.
 
I think a lot of people are driven by the "Fear of Missing Out" - ie, having enough cash for retirement. We build up this mental image of how retirement will be - it might be on th e golf course, endless cruises, classic cars etc etc. In reality, retirement could last either 1 day or 30+ years. We do this instead of living for the day and doing things we enjoy right now.

I once heard a story about someone that worked in industry from 16-65, the same company, hard graft all of his working life. On his first day of retirement he went on a day trip and dropped down dead.
 
I have often contemplated retirement but after working since 16 1/2 and now closing in to 60 rapidly I find it hard just to stop completely. I work for a driver agency and work as and when I want. Recently been doing a full 40 hour week and hardly spending much money. I have a RAF pension to pay off the monthly bills and without a mortgage we are in a great position with regards to finances. The beauty is that we can just spend a week away without a major impact on the bank balance. I feel sorry for the younger generation busting a gut to make ends meet and struggling to get on the housing ladder.
 
I've very fortunate to have a career that I really enjoy, so as mentioned on this thread don't think of it as "work".

It's about perspective too I suppose. Having worked offshore doing 13 hour days for 19 days (arrival and departure days discounted) starting at 8am and finishing at 4pm feels almost part time.
 
Lockdown has brought out a different perspective. My business is being managed by someone else, I have had to cash in my pension to be able to get through the last few months. However I am aware that my pension will only last about 15 years.
I have worked hard and led a relatively clean life, dont drink, smoke or do drugs, however I do have a few of these underlying health conditions.
My parents lived fairly long lives but died of cancer and dementia, both were horrible endings where the quality of life had gone.
So I will have a bit more free time now that I have reached my mid fifties, I will be take up a more adventurous life, involving motorbikes, drinking and experimenting with all the things that have been forbidden before. I am sure I wont last long but will have a blast doing it.
 
Lockdown has brought out a different perspective. My business is being managed by someone else, I have had to cash in my pension to be able to get through the last few months. However I am aware that my pension will only last about 15 years.
I have worked hard and led a relatively clean life, dont drink, smoke or do drugs, however I do have a few of these underlying health conditions.
My parents lived fairly long lives but died of cancer and dementia, both were horrible endings where the quality of life had gone.
So I will have a bit more free time now that I have reached my mid fifties, I will be take up a more adventurous life, involving motorbikes, drinking and experimenting with all the things that have been forbidden before. I am sure I wont last long but will have a blast doing it.
Motorcycles are very therapeutic and liberating!
 
No one should work more than four days a week, ideally only three - it’s not natural, there’s so much more to life



🐔
 
I worked in Norway in the early 80s, the Brits used to mock the Norwegian workers disappearing at 3.30 or 4 every day, mocked their tax laws and their different approach to work.

Yet they were driving round in Mercs and Volvos, lived in beautiful houses and managed a couple of decent holidays a year.

The smallish company I worked for had cabins in the mountains and on the coast for the use of the staff.

I think they had the right approach, less of the macho stupidity that drives so many in the more Americanised nations.
That’s why the Scandinavian countries are always top of the lists for happiest places to live



🐔
 
I worked in Norway in the early 80s, the Brits used to mock the Norwegian workers disappearing at 3.30 or 4 every day, mocked their tax laws and their different approach to work.

Yet they were driving round in Mercs and Volvos, lived in beautiful houses and managed a couple of decent holidays a year.

The smallish company I worked for had cabins in the mountains and on the coast for the use of the staff.

I think they had the right approach, less of the macho stupidity that drives so many in the more Americanised nations.
Yet the first thing we ask is 'is there any overtime on the job.'

My sons just been round and he's moving from one site to another with the company he works for and he's whinging because there is more hours on the site he's moving off.
 
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