Work / Life balance

[Mike Walker]

Tomorrow will be the end of my last ever 5 day working week - at least that is the plan.

I will be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from now until next March and then that will be it. :bannana:

Really struggling to think of things to do with all this extra time so have decided to buy a W14 Estate, rent an allotment, polish the SLK again, go to the Nurburgring, MB museum, Porsche museum, Le Mans 24 Hours, Tekno Classica next year and paint the house, build an extension, refurbish our daughters house........

Any other suggestions for filling up the spare hours welcomed!

 

[Mrhanky]

Congrats on getting you time and no doubt it's been hard earned. As far as your list is concerned I think you have it covered at least for the next year or so.

 

[tombo5609]

Travel,see the world, it is a big friendly place.
I retired in 1997 and have not spent a winter in cold grey UK.

 

[Mike Walker]

Having thought about it further I started work full time in 1966 and was also cleaning a supermarket each morning before the day job, and working at Tescos Friday night/Saturday am too.

Made redundant once, by the Consulting Engineer I was working for, although that was the only time I have been out of work - must have done something right along the way I think.

Worked overseas for a while and also had my own Consultancy when I worked on Terminal 5 at Heathrow. The largest construction Project in Europe at the time.

Finish my involvement in the redevelopment of London Bridge Station tomorrow and then to Cross Rail.

Where did the time go?

 

[Sp!ke]

My father in law retired a few years ago and he says that having retired, he is now so busy that he can't understand how he ever found time to work prior.

I can see this being a problem for you also having looked at your growing 'to do' list.

 

[moonloops]

Any other suggestions for filling up the spare hours welcomed!

I've got some ironing needs doing, house needs a clean - bring your own vacuum cleaner - I charge a reasonable rate for using my electricity

 

[Charles Morgan]

Take up singing, great relaxant and very good for stimulating the grey matter.

 

[Chrishazle]

Having a hobby, especially a practical one, is a big help. I took up carpentry / cabinet making, bought some decent tools and a workshop shed, work almost exclusively with solid wood. Came in very handy when we downsized - things like mirror doors for herself's built in wardrobe, could not find doors with solid wood frames so built them myself. Equally, could not find suitable sized dressing table, bedside tables, hallway settle, TV stand, currently replacing horrible serving hatch between dining room and kitchen with solid oak. Also means I can hide in the workshop away from SWMBO!!

 

[Wheelsnuts]

Congratulations on being organised and planning a wind-down to retirement. With the to-do list you have in mind, I doubt if you will have much time for anything else! I am now 9 years into retirement and, if anything, my list just gets longer. The best advice I was given was to enjoy my free time and be assertive when folks place unnecessary demands on your time because they think you have nothing better to do. I only wish I had followed that advice! :fail

 

[Mike Walker]

Take up singing, great relaxant and very good for stimulating the grey matter.

Charles - you have touched a nerve there. My music teacher asked me to sing before I joined the choir. Voice was breaking and sounded awful. No choir and have never really sung again.

 

[Charles Morgan]

It's amazing how traumatic the voice breaking can be. I rarely sang for 30 plus years after mine changed, now all the joy is flooding back. The great thing is you will have a far better voice for it, oddly!

 

[C240Sport97]

Any other suggestions for filling up the spare hours welcomed!

I can let you polish my CLS

 

[brucemillar]

Mike

You are in North Kent. So am I (Stockbury). Get yourself up here and practice 124 restoration on my 300te Estate.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I took early retirement at 50, having been offered my full pension from then. As has been mentioned earlier, it's difficult to understand how I managed to find the time to do things before retirement, because I've certainly not been bored for a minute in the 18 years so far.

I did some short consultancy projects during the first couple of years (basically my old job but for far more money!), then I managed to get some part-time work with a local prestige/sports car company that mainly consisted of driving some fantastic cars. Crap money (below NMW) but well worth it.

My wife is still working full time at her own business so we've not been able to spend all the winters overseas, but we've enjoyed lots of holidays taken when we want to. And all those small jobs: they can wait until tomorrow if necessary because I'll have time then too!

 

[Mike Walker]

Mike

You are in North Kent. So am I (Stockbury). Get yourself up here and practice 124 restoration on my 300te Estate.

Bruce - be careful what you wish for! I find car cleaning , polishing etc really relaxing. Restoration now that is something else.

 

[brucemillar]

Bruce - be careful what you wish for! I find car cleaning , polishing etc really relaxing. Restoration now that is something else.

Kettles on Mike. Pop round anytime. Pm me if you fancy it. I am on long term sick leave. I am up and about.

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[del320]

Another one here who retired early - at 52. I was always an idle bugger who aimed to retire at 50 and work tended to be secondary to other ploys - notably "doing up" property.

Like others, I still don't know how I ever found time to work. Running two houses and the rest of my life is a full-time occupation.

All our close circle of friends are now retired - except one who, at the age of 66, just can't let go. His primary concern is that he can't visualise himself as a "nobody" after an impressive career travelling the world hiring and firing. Relaxation is just not part of his vocabulary.

 

[IanA2]

We used to be cash rich and time poor, now it's the opposite, quite nice actually.

 

[BTB 500]

Unfortunately the days of being offered full pension at 50ish seem to be largely gone now (I am 54 and working for a major multinational that used to do this a lot in the past).

I have a 6 year old son so not having an 11 hour working day would be rather nice ...

 

[artyman]

I'm another who wonders how I ever managed to find time to go to work, I always thought it was odd when my grandfather said that all those years ago, but I can now see what he meant. It's a total mystery as to where the time goes! one thing for sure I don't have enough time to do all I want to do. I've recently taken up playing the guitar again and singing, must be something in this singing lark and MB's