I say to anyone who is interested that I am semi-retired. I’m not sure there is such a thing however. You are either retired or not, whether you draw a pension or not. In truth I still work, supposedly part-time and perhaps I use the semi-retirement phrase to explain why I am not working full time.
From now on I will say that I work part-time.
The run up to retirement is odd and I guess that is behind why I am putting it off. It all seems so final and in a way it is. It feels like the final step before you disappear and protracting your work gives a sense that you can put the inevitable off. I also worry what I will do in all this new found time. I try to tell myself that I am more than my work yet my arguments are less than convincing.
At the root of the issue is money. I worry that I won’t have enough to live on yet when I do the sums there is no problem. How much do I need to live on anyway?
What troubles me is the finality. When you are working there is always a chance of more. I could get a raise or land a new contract and that money will add to my overall pot of gold. When I stop working, that’s it, there is no chance of additional funds and what I have is what I have to make do with.
Of course, none of this is true. There is nothing final in retirement. Many people work well into retirement age. I could start another venture or pick up a job or volunteer. There is always plenty of stuff to do.
My fears over retirement are a story I tell myself. They help me justify things that require no justification. I should stop working when I feel the time is right and on a date that works for my family. That date is getting closer though I have no idea when it will be.
Thoughts from a Guerrilla Worker 