Turning 50 this year, tired of working but still 10-15 years from retirement - any advice?

[Anonymous]

I'll be 50 later this year. Been working since I was 23. I've had a good career (2 different ones actually), but I'm drained and tired. Honestly it feels like it's enough work already.

Realistically I won't be able to retire for another 10 or 15 years.

For those who have been there, any advice on how to push through these feelings and knock out another productive decade of working?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I am 56 and right there with you.

Interested in responses because I have nothing.

[Anonymous]

Why do you have to be productive? Can you do more "expert opinion" type stuff now that you're experienced? Or coast by as a mid-level employee/manager?

[Anonymous]

Can you somehow live on less money? Sock more away, retire sooner.

[Anonymous]

54 years old. 8 more to go... no advice other than keep your head down and keep moving. it is painful, i know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you have to be productive? Can you do more "expert opinion" type stuff now that you're experienced? Or coast by as a mid-level employee/manager?

OP here.

Because of the career change (about 10 years ago) -- as well as intervening family obligations (small kids at home) -- I am this, a mid-level employee without much prospect for advancement at my current shop. And the time and aggressiveness it would take to strike out and work toward a senior position elsewhere means that by the time I achieved that goal (if I achieved it at all), I'd likely be only a few years from retirement anyway. And time with my kids would be the casualty. So it just doesn't seem worth it to try to climb the ladder. Having said that, staying at my current level job, which offers good work/life balance, decent pay and (too much) unstimulating work feels like a terrible slog as well.

As for the other PP who asked about finances, I am not the breadwinner in my family but I make a meaningful contribution to the bottom line, including our very good health coverage. While dialing back would probably work out financially, it could mean switching to spouse's less generous benefits and generally could create a situation where spouse feels that I am coasting while spouse is still doubling down on working hard and supporting the family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you have to be productive? Can you do more "expert opinion" type stuff now that you're experienced? Or coast by as a mid-level employee/manager?

OP here.

Because of the career change (about 10 years ago) -- as well as intervening family obligations (small kids at home) -- I am this, a mid-level employee without much prospect for advancement at my current shop. And the time and aggressiveness it would take to strike out and work toward a senior position elsewhere means that by the time I achieved that goal (if I achieved it at all), I'd likely be only a few years from retirement anyway. And time with my kids would be the casualty. So it just doesn't seem worth it to try to climb the ladder. Having said that, staying at my current level job, which offers good work/life balance, decent pay and (too much) unstimulating work feels like a terrible slog as well.

As for the other PP who asked about finances, I am not the breadwinner in my family but I make a meaningful contribution to the bottom line, including our very good health coverage. While dialing back would probably work out financially, it could mean switching to spouse's less generous benefits and generally could create a situation where spouse feels that I am coasting while spouse is still doubling down on working hard and supporting the family.

Oh man, that sounds painful. The only thing I can think of is decreasing your expenses so that you can save more for retirement and cut a few years off that 10-15. Or if you have any "play money," invest aggressively, which could make a big impact on your bottom line.

[Anonymous]

Or if no job opportunities that are worth it, could you increase your income by Airbnb'ing a part of your home, or renting out your basement. Easy money right there.

[Anonymous]

I'm 55 and have a great job with a lot of flexibility but sill tired of working sometimes. I go back and forth about scaling back because I am not sure exactly what I would do instead. I think I will work 10 more years which most days seems like it will go fast. Maybe I will work 7-8 years full time and then a few part time.

Can you get involved in other things outside of work that interest you? Work part time? Change jobs?

[Anonymous]

I'm 54 and right there with you, OP.

[Anonymous]

Pay off your house. Make this your number one financial priority. Once you own your home you can retire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll be 50 later this year. Been working since I was 23. I've had a good career (2 different ones actually), but I'm drained and tired. Honestly it feels like it's enough work already.

Realistically I won't be able to retire for another 10 or 15 years.

For those who have been there, any advice on how to push through these feelings and knock out another productive decade of working?

Thanks.

Can you find a third career that builds on your previous two?

[Anonymous]

Another 50 yo, "coasting" as a mid-level manager here. I'm burned out and unmotivated. I'm taking more leave, working from home more, and fantasizing about temporarily reducing my hours. I technically have less than 8 years left until I could retire and wonder how I'm going to get through it ...

[Anonymous]

Me too OP. I had to take a multi year break due to family issues and health issues and am now back on the job market, before the break I worked full time 24 years since I was 22. Now 50, and looking at 15-20 more years.

I would not take a break, it's proving hard to go back...

Keep in telling myself this is what my grandparents and great grand parents and so on had to do... that the greatest generation / early boomer retirement age was a blip in history and that most of us are back to working most of our lives til 70 or severe disability. Somehow makes me feel better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another 50 yo, "coasting" as a mid-level manager here. I'm burned out and unmotivated. I'm taking more leave, working from home more, and fantasizing about temporarily reducing my hours. I technically have less than 8 years left until I could retire and wonder how I'm going to get through it ...

Be careful, I would have written the same thing a couple years ago when I was 50. I didn't realize that I was coasting until I looked back on it. I had a lot of time to think about it because I was laid off with a bunch of other "senior employees" (i.e., over age 45) when new management came in. 18 months of unemployment before finding work at 2/3 my previous income. You may be older, more expensive and less essential than you think in the eyes of others.