oh yea I'd be all about reduced work day hours or reduced work week. I have some doubts about retirement in full, but I would take reduced hours now if I could, or years ago. I am mostly work from home now though due to a set of circumstances, initially pandemic, now lack of office space.I think working three days a week is just about perfect.
Trees don't grow on money
I had always planned to retire at 55. If I had been happy I might have stayed but I was oh so done with the stress of supervising in a 24/7 operation. People told me it was too soon. People told me I would be bored. People told me I would love just hanging out and working in my garden. They were all wrong, not about retirement..... but about me. It was not too soon. I also knew that I was never going to be content just working in my garden and walking my dog. I appreciate a certain amount of structure while also being able to be spontaneous. I enjoy complex problem solving like nobody's business. I enjoy being connected while also being an introvert that likes projects on my own. So I worked to set up my next phase the year before I jumped. Volunteer work specific to working along with police/fire/medical has been great for me. I get to work on the flip side of what I did before with none of the negativity. I also went back to school to take classes in things that interested me. I have found the right balance of being busy enough but also able to step out of it with a moments notice without having to have it approved. I really, really enjoy working with people in a positive way. I also started Meals on Wheels with my husband who due to a stroke ended up retiring right after me. It was mostly for him to learn addresses and names etc. after his stroke. I ended up loving it so much I kept doing it. That is a great feel good job and we have become so close with many of our clients. They are almost like family. The pandemic changed everything about how my volunteering was done. Things won't go back to what they were. Better in some ways and worse in others. I still enjoy it and as we say...... it is what is keeping us on top of things and on our toes in the community.
I have been retired for 11 years and have worked part time for 8. I started testing clients again in January and really love being busy again. I am working depending on referrals 5-10 hours a week. I tried volunteering but it had many of the same issues as working. I could see meals on wheels being fun but gas is so expensive here.
I have helped 3 friends stay in their house for a few years so that took a lot of time. I have made 4 friends in my building and we do things together plus I see my regular friends weekly.
As of yesterday I have decided to take a break from silversmithing. I had a special order ring I needed to complete; I managed to do it but all at once the realization about the pain in my arm and shoulder (also the old pain in my wrists and side of my hands is getting worse again) just finally culminated into me being okay with stopping for awhile. So I cleaned up my bench and walked away. The past few weeks I have been toying mentally with the idea of retiring silversmithing at the end of the year but lately I don't think even limping along like have been is feasible any longer. I have a doctor's appointment next week at any rate. I need to decide what to do (if anything).
I think for the next while I am just going to focus on my part-time job, reading, and attempting to work my garden (however, the chronic pain I live under is making that so much harder). My knees are screaming at me, my lower back and hip hate me but I can't just give up and lie in bed all day. I have been interested in taking up painting, so this might be the time...
Sorry to hear that you have so many physical problems. Maybe with rest your wrist pain will improve.
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