Our guest blogger today is Jan Hiller. Welcome her and enjoy her story as she writes on retirement dilemma.
~”To be or not to be.” Shakespeare
~“To retire or not to retire”- approximately 10,000 workers in the USA each day
Let’s see. Late nights. No alarm. Sleeping in. Lounging around the house in comfy cloths. Late morning walks with the dog. Nowhere to be unless I made an appointment. Eligible for Social Security. Need to file for Medicare soon. Life sounds pretty good, sounds like I’m ready for retirement.
I mean really how does work life even compare: running late, getting dressed and spilling coffee on me and of course no clean blouse. Walk the dog even when the snow is deeper and taller than him. Rush hour traffic backed up because someone couldn’t wait two extra minutes for traffic to clear before busting through the light. Hurrying to punch in by 8:00am. Get to my desk and find out the computers are down and the IT gang is sick today. Decide to go upstairs to try and get some help; never mind the elevators are out. Going to get my steps in today, just didn’t think it would be done by noon. Another bag lunch at my desk, can’t miss the phone call from the repair company. And the ride home is not complete without a number of calls already for things to do tomorrow.
That retirement is sounding pretty good to me right about now; or is it?
While it sounds glorious, something that most never would get tired of, it is, however, a major decision that I would have to make. I hear fellow workers saying they can’t wait to retire. “Three years, six months and five days and I’m out of here” said the gal as she crossed out another day on her calendar. Others have made plans already. No one knows what tomorrow brings; let alone three years from now. It’s great to make plans or dream of things to come but, for some, it really is a dream.
It goes without saying that the majority of the working population thinks about retirement often. I count myself in that group. I also wish I has thought more about it from a financial level ten years ago, but that’s old news now. While it’s easy to get frustrated and complain, it’s even harder to admit you actually enjoy your job. Am I really actually ready to pull the plug?
While some say it’s time to go, others say they enjoy their jobs because it’s the challenge they look forward to. So, if the challenge is missing, the job is not the same. Sure, there are stumbles or setbacks, but those are what makes it a job. But what should I do when a new challenge, in the form of a new title and responsibility, was offered to me? My first thought was I was not ready for it. I wasn’t sure a challenge at this time in my life was what I needed. Is there pressure, you bet there is. However, like any other challenge you are faced with; accept it, learn from it and grow because of it. In the end I believe being dedicated and committed to my new challenge will be the reason I can say retirement is still in the future; but not the near future.
Jan is a Deputy Director for Facilities and handles security concerns for a large trial court. She is a proud wife, mother, and grandmother and is currently vacationing in Montana with her clan.
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