Work/Life Balance

Yeah all the very best mate.

I won't go into too much detail but i've had an horrendous few months work wise with me going from feeling on top of the world to basically being at rock bottom.

Only thing i have to look forward to from now on is work as there will be little balance to be had and retirement will happen when i drop dead as it stands.

Hope it sorts itself out pal. Was in a tough spot myself a few years ago but in a better place now. Good luck
 
Yeah all the very best mate.

I won't go into too much detail but i've had an horrendous few months work wise with me going from feeling on top of the world to basically being at rock bottom.

Only thing i have to look forward to from now on is work as there will be little balance to be had and retirement will happen when i drop dead as it stands.
Sorry to hear that mate what is it you do? PM if you'd rather not say.
 
I like my job, working as an account manager for a major German company you've all heard of ... My account is a very challenging US customer making EVs.... Some very big ego's to handle with my key contacts for EMEA in the Netherlands

SWMBO is currently clear from the Big C so I am thinking more and more about stopping at 55 as I said I would (I am 55 this November) when my RAF pension goes up (I commuted to get a bigger lump-sum for unknown reasons when I left in 2006 when I really didn't need the extra cash... Just saw the pound signs) so my pension has been non index-linked since I left... We now need to live for today! A girl she worked with in the NHS lost her brother to the same type of Cancer last week after an 8 years fight... SWMBO is 3 years post diagnosis and 2.5 years clear after treatment.... Physically good, mentally up and down sadly

My biggest issue is I like the challenge of work, always have, so I need something to fill the void... I am going to ask if I can go onto a consultancy contract and maybe to 2-3 days a week to wean myself off slowly....

Before anybody asks,,, I can't sleep here in Amsterdam ahead of a customer meet tomorrow so checked in for my return flight to blighty and now here....
 
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Slightly of topic but has any 1 ever had to be in the job where you were frustrated by lack of work or less amount of work but still got paid a decent salary?If you did, how you dealt with it?
 
Slightly of topic but has any 1 ever had to be in the job where you were frustrated by lack of work or less amount of work but still got paid a decent salary?If you did, how you dealt with it?

Yes I have.

It depends what type of personality you are as to how you deal with it. I had colleagues who focussed on their home life and hobbies and took the pay check. I tried to do that for a couple of years but realised that I was becoming de-skilled and losing self confidence in my abilities and the ambition to get a more challenging job or to progress.

My solution was to move jobs, which worked out pretty well in the end.
 
I'm retired now, have been 4 years or so. (early 60's)
I live in a nice high rise apartment on the Gold Coast in Queensland, its warm & sunny practically all year round and is Australia's main holiday destination, we have some of the worlds best beaches which I love to walk along. One of my main loves these days.
We dont use our car much at all now, only for visiting friends family who live elsewhere, we walk mainly (love walking)or get on the tram which runs up and down the coast, buses are free as well. Our building has a large swimming pool so Ive started swimming, not really done that since school.
Ive played in bands most of my life, but the most recent band split up last November, usual thing, ego's, between 2 of the members, I miss the band so I do the occasional solo gig where I sing with a guitar and play along to backing tracks.
Other than that our main activity is travelling the world, Ive been on several large cruises, longest was from Sydney to Barcelona, Ive visited many countries since retiring and enjoyed every minute, we like the 'one way' cruises where the cruise ends in another country then we make a holiday in that place and make our own way back to Oz. We have 4 more booked this year and we just spent a lovely 2 weeks walking in New Zealand (awesome place).....I have a bit of an interest in Photography and I love listening to Jazz and watching movies.

I think there is a psychology to retiring happily, Id say there are a few things that you need for a happy retirement, Hopefully you have squirrelled away enough money or have some kind of private pension to be able to do things you like doing and probably more importantly you really like being with your partner every day, this is vital really, someone said it was hard spending 9 days over Xmas with their wife, (worsley?) well Id say think very carefully before retiring :)
My wife is and always has been since marriage, my best mate, Im happiest when Im with her. (I got lucky there)

Regarding retiring at 45/50 I wouldnt advise it, these are prime years when you really need to be working imo and building up your wealth... I just think by that age you should be really good at what you do and enjoying doing it, I wouldnt have wanted to quit my job at that age, whereas as you approach 60 your metabolism slows down and your more ready for a slower lifestyle and you start to long for days to frigg around with you hobbies/interests, at 45 I wouldve soon got bored of retirement though, no real challenges you see.
 
I retrained in my late 20’s and bit the bullet, went down to the big smoke with my then girlfriend, to study graphic design ( she’s ancient history, my career and life a whole lot more alive and kicking!) this as something I’d always wanted to do, but wasn’t allowed to, because being an artist, or artistic, was deemed to be “weak” and not masculine enough for the son of a football loving engineering father.
Now I’m well into my 40’s with 2 kids, my eldest is into his football, and joined the local team last summer, being someone who grew up in the 80’s, I’m not one who would entrust my son with anyone, so I’m there at training and for games, and one thing led to another, and now I’m coaching my son’s under 9’s team on saturday, then managing for the game Sunday! I think they’re doing ok, it’s a big commitment for me, but that what being a parent is all about, sacrifices and being unappreciated!
I also took up Taekwondo just over a year ago with my son ( again, sat there for 2 hours a week, I might as well join in!)
I suppose I’m lucky, I can get to work in 20 mins, I get to be creative every day, have a laugh with my mates at work, as soon as I leave work, I switch off, and my focus is on family. That’s not to say it’s easy, but my job isn’t a “job” as such, it’s a passion, something I won’t stop doing when I reach retirement age, I’ll just keep going, in some other creative way.
I’m just about to build a studio shed in the garden, somewhere I can follow another passion of mine, photography and music, and plan to set up a little dark room studio office space, so I can have a bit of quality “man shed” time! It’s quite a challenge, as I plan to build it myself, as I’m on a tight budget, but I like to think I have some decent DIY skills!
 
I'm retired now, have been 4 years or so. (early 60's)
I live in a nice high rise apartment on the Gold Coast in Queensland, its warm & sunny practically all year round and is Australia's main holiday destination, we have some of the worlds best beaches which I love to walk along. One of my main loves these days.
We dont use our car much at all now, only for visiting friends family who live elsewhere, we walk mainly (love walking)or get on the tram which runs up and down the coast, buses are free as well. Our building has a large swimming pool so Ive started swimming, not really done that since school.
Ive played in bands most of my life, but the most recent band split up last November, usual thing, ego's, between 2 of the members, I miss the band so I do the occasional solo gig where I sing with a guitar and play along to backing tracks.
Other than that our main activity is travelling the world, Ive been on several large cruises, longest was from Sydney to Barcelona, Ive visited many countries since retiring and enjoyed every minute, we like the 'one way' cruises where the cruise ends in another country then we make a holiday in that place and make our own way back to Oz. We have 4 more booked this year and we just spent a lovely 2 weeks walking in New Zealand (awesome place).....I have a bit of an interest in Photography and I love listening to Jazz and watching movies.

I think there is a psychology to retiring happily, Id say there are a few things that you need for a happy retirement, Hopefully you have squirrelled away enough money or have some kind of private pension to be able to do things you like doing and probably more importantly you really like being with your partner every day, this is vital really, someone said it was hard spending 9 days over Xmas with their wife, (worsley?) well Id say think very carefully before retiring :)
My wife is and always has been since marriage, my best mate, Im happiest when Im with her. (I got lucky there)

Regarding retiring at 45/50 I wouldnt advise it, these are prime years when you really need to be working imo and building up your wealth... I just think by that age you should be really good at what you do and enjoying doing it, I wouldnt have wanted to quit my job at that age, whereas as you approach 60 your metabolism slows down and your more ready for a slower lifestyle and you start to long for days to frigg around with you hobbies/interests, at 45 I wouldve soon got bored of retirement though, no real challenges you see.

Great post mate. I love my wife to bits but imagine a blonde Joan Collins crossed with Pamela Anderson. Makes za za Gabor look like mother teresa. My fault I know.
 

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