I'm burned out and want to retire early, reality check? (pension, physically)

[judd2401]

I've practiced for 30 years, I'm burned out, I feel like a rusty robot, it's no longer a career, it's a pay check and saving as much as I can for retirement. How much money is enough? Who knows. All the regulations, mandates, insurance games, documentation requirements, goals, incentives, my life has turned into one big game, taking care of people is no longer the focus, satisfaction surveys and 5 star ratings are center stage. Feel trapped, don't appreciate my ability to work however, and I am probably pounding sand and need a reality check. No job change anticipated, it's the same everywhere. I'm going to be 59 shortly, need benefits for me and my spouse. Anybody else feel this way? Is this how it gets towards the end of full time employment? If my father were alive he would tell me to stop whining, be glad I can get up, walk, talk, and if nothing else, go to work, keep your nose to the grindstone until you can't do it anymore, don't dig holes for other people, they'll dig their own and eventually fall in, and consider yourself working for God. [maybe I answered my own dilemma] But I want to walk out of there, wipe my hands and feet clean and be done with it, do something totally different but I see no options. I don't want to take a financial risk investing in a new business, I don't have that kind of brain. Trapped and burned out, what a way to wind things down. Anyone want to take me on? Anyone with similar thoughts/feelings? Any thoughts on coping when you're stuck and have to work for benefits and a paycheck? Any feedback appreciated. Thanks.

[Bideshi]

It's small comfort I know, but many are in the same box. I am and I'm 70. BTW, your father was right.

[Garthur]

I spent 30 years with the same company. The first 25 years were enjoyable, but the last 5 were miserable. With 25 years, I had reached the point in the company that I knew everything about the business and could have run it by myself. All my bosses retired and the company hired new bosses directly from college (some had never had a job before). I spent 50% of my time with the bosses explaining how things worked like the paper work, union regulations, where the bathrooms were, etc.

As soon as I could retire with full benefits, I did. One of the best 3 decisions of my life.

BTW the location that I worked at had always made money when I was there. A year after I left, they had to close shop.

[StealthRabbit]

Do you have a skill set?

Burned out? BTDT. You MUST get to Library and grab a copy of 'Dying Broke' and read the chapters about taking control of your employment destiny. 10 second version.. "YOU decide if you are gonna put up with employment / managers anymore (and stay), or YOU execute plan B!" Leave on Your terms, or Plan C... Quit, but don't tell your boss (I.e. stay at work, but emotionally detach and do just what they ask / pay you for NO MORE, and realize YOU have a choice everyday you show up. Ironically I had 2 co-workers do Plan C, and it was the final best yrs of their employment. The boss loved them cuz they quit causing trouble, and did ONLY what was expected and were not concerned about over achieving or career path. Quite honestly, I think the boss was relieved that they were not at all interested in taking HIS J-O-B. (He had falsely surmised this.)

I pulled the plug at age 49 (But currently working a PT 'retirement gig' (working Thailand for PAID travel and CHEAP HC)

I had 32 yrs in and missed retirement benefits by 6 wks, been beating the bushes for HC ever since, But I have survived (so far) hence I am working for HC for a terminally ill spouse, BUT working for my original company, So...next golden parachute (Oct 2014), I will get a 'bridge' HC for 24 months, and I get 7 weeks paid vacation for when I have to leave the Thailand 'resort'.

On a serious note... run the numbers and consider ALL your options. If you are making BIG bucks in a tolerable job with excellent benefits... consider Option C. 'forget the JOB daily grind' and just Do it and LEAVE (everyday). Change positions, change to weekend or night shift, work from home a few days / week, take on a whole new role, renew your life by taking classes, try PT gigs. PRIMARY... focus on getting ready to REALLY retire... fix up house / downsize / buy your FINAL cars, get your teeth and body tuned up, polish your silver and your resume. After age 50, It is VERY hard to replace your current LT employment with an equal job / pay / benefits. (No paid vacation after retirement, unless you are getting a pension... as are 60% of those who have time to be on this forum)

My motto...
Retire Early, retire often --- it is too much fun to retire only ONCE and then die.

You can Probably afford to 'retire'. You can always buy and flip houses and pocket $500k of gains TAX FREE every 24 months... WHO needs a J-O-B?
I will try many options in my 40 - 50 yrs of retirement...
Skill... I keep several current skills and certifications. They are all in enough demand to get me a job if I HAVE to work (All work is still optional for me, but I do like to have fun doing it... sometimes...). I have bought and fixed 5 homes / properties since I retired... all are doing well at cash flowing (~10% Net), so... eventually I will sell them on contract and carry the paper (at 5+%)

practiced for 30 years,

Practice this David Allan Coe song! But sing it ONLY when you have 100% of your Heart Bought into your decision! Then you can perform it with PASSION. BTDT. My son just sang it (again). He was in the middle of an annual evaluation, the boss asked for his comments, and... it just 'popped out' kids these days Where did he ever get this idea


Johnny Paycheck - You can take this job and shove it - YouTube

[katie45]

The last 5 yrs of my job were the most stressful (emotionally and physically) because I made a huge mistake: I wanted my boss to realize my worth so I worked above and beyond. And the result was that more and more work was piled on me; and when a coworker left the firm that person's work ended up on my desk v. the firm hiring a replacement.

If I'd just been a brownie it would have been easier; proven by another in our department who had less than half of my workload and received higher increases each year (and ensured she kept our boss on a pedestal).

[judd2401]

Wow, great feedback, I somehow feel relieved that I'm not alone. I keep asking myself if I'm depressed, but I'm not, I'm just bitter, long gone are the days where you came in and did your job, you did what you were trained to do, you were appreciated, and you went home. It has become so complex now for reasons stated in my previous post. Thank you for all your feedback. Some of my colleagues are cutting back their time and that increases my work load, but they too are burned out and tired of all the crap that has nothing to do with patient care, they're going to work PT jobs to make ends meet, but they don't have the need for benefits that I have, paying privately for health insurance for instance would really drain the coffers. But thanks again for the feedback, I really appreciate it, it was refreshing. Hoping for more.

[brokensky]

Originally Posted by judd2401

Wow, great feedback, I somehow feel relieved that I'm not alone. I keep asking myself if I'm depressed, but I'm not, I'm just bitter, long gone are the days where you came in and did your job, you did what you were trained to do, you were appreciated, and you went home. It has become so complex now for reasons stated in my previous post. Thank you for all your feedback. Some of my colleagues are cutting back their time and that increases my work load, but they too are burned out and tired of all the crap that has nothing to do with patient care, they're going to work PT jobs to make ends meet, but they don't have the need for benefits that I have, paying privately for health insurance for instance would really drain the coffers. But thanks again for the feedback, I really appreciate it, it was refreshing. Hoping for more.

It helped as long as I felt I was performing services as part of my life mission. That is why I ended up in the healthcare sector - I liked to feel my work actually did have some influence over improvements in "the system" that would end up with better (and/or more accessible) patient care.

If you can look at it from that perspective -- that what you do DOES have some impact, if only within the organization itself (better financial projections; better development of protocols; better understanding of new regs - whatever your job might involve) . . . then it does help a bit with getting through the BS and the daily grind.

The other thing that has helped me is to develop many other interests outside of the work I perform. Having those other things to look forward to is optimistic and uplifting. That is why I think so many folks I have known over the years develop some outside interest as they get into their late 50s. For example, it may be fly fishing and spending months researching where to spend a long weekend fishing. Then there is the aspect of gathering up gear, so one can research all that stuff, make trips to various stores, sift through catalogues, ask other folks at work what their experiences have been . . . it just gives another outlet for one's thought processes and something to think about other than the drudgery of work itself.

I had one friend who took up playing the banjo.

Anything to add a new dimension to your life, something else to think about and look forward to -- that can help a lot.

Just know you are NOT alone.

[rdflk]

I'm 54 and feel the way you do.

I've got an elderly mom, my job is high stress.
My life isn't about my work anymore, my priorities have changed.

I don't WANT to learn any new skills. I'm burned out and TIRED. I don't want to WORK. PERIOD.
No at this job, Not at a new job. I'm done. I'll have to coast at work until at least 62...8 more years.
People keep saying find something else, get new skills, find a new interest.... why do they keep pushing that, I know what I said. I don't want to work.
I know it makes no sense...but I sometimes WISH my company would lay us all of from my union covered job, so I could get 47 weeks of vacation pay and severance. I could take care of mom, leave this job I don't want to go to every day.

My job doesn't have sabbaticals. MAYBE that might reenergize me. But we don't have those.
SO I hate going to work everyday.

But as has been said we're blessed to have jobs...there are people who'd trade with us in a minute.
Doesn't help us any, but it can lead to spells of gratitude.....and attitude is part of it too.

[brava4]

I feel your pain. I've been wanting to retire for 10yrs. I think about it every day. I go through all the mental high jinx with a calculator, time off, what I would do, and on and on and on.....

[Classy Sassy]

Originally Posted by judd2401

I've practiced for 30 years, I'm burned out, I feel like a rusty robot, it's no longer a career, it's a pay check and saving as much as I can for retirement. How much money is enough? Who knows. All the regulations, mandates, insurance games, documentation requirements, goals, incentives, my life has turned into one big game, taking care of people is no longer the focus, satisfaction surveys and 5 star ratings are center stage. Feel trapped, don't appreciate my ability to work however, and I am probably pounding sand and need a reality check. No job change anticipated, it's the same everywhere. I'm going to be 59 shortly, need benefits for me and my spouse. Anybody else feel this way? Is this how it gets towards the end of full time employment? If my father were alive he would tell me to stop whining, be glad I can get up, walk, talk, and if nothing else, go to work, keep your nose to the grindstone until you can't do it anymore, don't dig holes for other people, they'll dig their own and eventually fall in, and consider yourself working for God. [maybe I answered my own dilemma] But I want to walk out of there, wipe my hands and feet clean and be done with it, do something totally different but I see no options. I don't want to take a financial risk investing in a new business, I don't have that kind of brain. Trapped and burned out, what a way to wind things down. Anyone want to take me on? Anyone with similar thoughts/feelings? Any thoughts on coping when you're stuck and have to work for benefits and a paycheck? Any feedback appreciated. Thanks.

Been there/done that. What you are experiencing is very common. It sounds like you are in a health field, as was I. I was fortunate enough to get out early through SS Disability due to chronic pain from repetitive movements when working.

One thing that I did do was went to a community college and applied for a teaching job there. Actually, I had earned my M.S.E. (going part-time while working) so that I could teach. The pay is much lower in an allied health program, but the benefits are there to get you through the last few years. Best of luck!