Feelings Of No Purpose

[Poppy]

I have known people who, on retiring, face the feeling that they have no purpose any more. They have worked all their lives since leaving school (or 'Uni') and have had a mainly regulated and predictable daily routine.
For those retiring there has been the opportunity to prepare and plan for the new, slack, lifeline. Hobbies, travel, social activities.

But now there are many, many who have suddenly, found themselves at home with nothing to do and no opportunity to follow theirplanned holiday regime of days out or travel.
These people may not only feel a bit lost and useless, but more tellingly may see the country carrying on, ostensibly without a lot of difference, and may begin to feel their work was neither needed nor appreciated.

In short. They may feel their whole career and life has been somewhat pointless,
so as we see people on here exploding in outbursts which seem irrational, consider that.

It may be that if you could meet them, you would give them a smack in the mouth, but unfortunately that isn't an outlet available at present - and probably a good thing too 

[Smoggy]

6 minutes ago, Poppy said:

I have known people who, on retiring, face the feeling that they have no purpose any more. They have worked all their lives since leaving school (or 'Uni') and have had a mainly regulated and predictable daily routine.
For those retiring there has been the opportunity to prepare and plan for the new, slack, lifeline. Hobbies, travel, social activities.

But now there are many, many who have suddenly, found themselves at home with nothing to do and no opportunity to follow theirplanned holiday regime of days out or travel.
These people may not only feel a bit lost and useless, but more tellingly may see the country carrying on, ostensibly without a lot of difference, and may begin to feel their work was neither needed nor appreciated.

In short. They may feel their whole career and life has been somewhat pointless,
so as we see people on here exploding in outbursts which seem irrational, consider that.

It may be that if you could meet them, you would give them a smack in the mouth, but unfortunately that isn't an outlet available at present - and probably a good thing too 

Now there's an idea for a new topic, Who would you smack in the mouth first? Maybe with a poll at the end,  There maybe a few ToS issues though......

[grendel]

Poppy that was my initial thoughts when i was advised i was being furloughed, later finding that i was in fact one of the last few in my department to have achieved that status soon made me rethink that idea, and that is when i started my thread diaries of a furloughed Grendel, this has kept me focused and away from the temptation to just sit and mope, as there are countless things i could be doing, its now just a matter of doing the ones i know either must be done, or, doing the ones i will enjoy doing, the good part is that i can invest several hours into a project that i didnt really have time for before, and instead of rushing my model making i can invest the time to do things right.

[Guest]

22 minutes ago, Poppy said:

I have known people who, on retiring, face the feeling that they have no purpose any more.

Me....

[Chelsea14Ian]

Marina and I seem to do things round the house each day.So far today not alot.I clean the grill, so in the past week I've cleaned the oven and grill, Tidying up paper work,getting rid of some.Marina sorting out her new fish tank.Some days are better then others.Its given me food for thought for the future.

As for making a list I would  have a few.

[Hylander]

39 minutes ago, Smoggy said:

Now there's an idea for a new topic, Who would you smack in the mouth first? Maybe with a poll at the end,  There maybe a few ToS issues though......

Can exes be included in the list please?

[Minigem]

Personally I never did want to go to work in the first place. I had plenty of things to do to keep me occupied and when I did get a job back in the mid sixties it got in the way of my spare time. Anyway, resigned to the fact that I did not come from a filthy rich family I had to earn a living so I buckled down to the task of working for a very large international company that at the time were fairly benevolent to their staff. We had a decent subsidised canteen, sports club, London allowance, a generous sick pay scheme and I was supplied with all my working clothes for free.

Anyway, I considered that was worth giving up my spare time for so I knuckled down and did what I considered a decent job for my company, albeit sometimes dirty, heavy lifting and having to deal with some awkward stroppy people. I was proud of my job and the company I worked for.

Around half way through my working life the board in their infinite knowledge decreed that it was the company's job to make money, and by heavens they were making pots of it, not to feed the staff and give them the few perks that made the job worth doing. Down the drain went my job satisfaction in an instant. They introduced a new pay scheme which wiped out my seniority and introduced a "matrix" thingy that nobody really understood except the fact that it was a way to reduce wages.

On the up side, a few years down the line I seized the opportunity of early retirement and grabbed it with both hands. I went back to a colleague's retirement and somebody said to me that the area that I covered had completely gone to pieces and was causing a lot of disruption. My answer was that it was no longer my problem and I did not give a damn. Obviously the management had underestimated my worth to the company and let me retire to save a few coppers.

 

 

 

[Minigem]

This bit was an edit that did not quite make it because of the crappy internet network disconnecting me. 

Since then I have never looked back. I usually spend eight weeks a year out in my boat, get up when I want, go to bed when I want, have all the time in the world to potter in my garden, do house, boat and car maintenance and repairs, go round and have a few jars with my friends, sit out in my garden with my morning cuppa and generally enjoy myself.

I have come to the conclusion that work is only a way of earning money. If you don't need to work, don't do it, go and enjoy yourself, there is a life out there. The company will still be there when you are pushing up daisies and you might be an "oh yes I remember him" if you are lucky. 

[Mouldy]

I’m having similar feelings myself at the moment.  About five weeks ago, one of my colleagues and I were called into a meeting to discuss the proposed restructuring of staffing in our department.  Both of us are in our sixties and have been involved in the transport and logistics industries for most of our working lives, both as drivers and latterly in management roles.

The options for our future employment are either on a four on four off, 12 hour night shifts or Monday to Friday days, but to cover other staff members sickness, holidays or absence on days or nights at weekends with no additional pay or time off in lieu.  Both of us involved are of the opinion that there is a degree of ageism and potentially sexism involved (given that our new manager is female and in her late twenties, who probably doesn’t want to be told how to do her job by a couple of old farts with the best part of eighty years experience in the industry.)

The consultation process is currently ongoing, however, for me at least, the option of redundancy is looking the most favourable.  Nine years service is not going to attract a substantial payout, but the current situation has provided something of a wake-up call and I may as well bale out now and make the most of whatever time I have left on the planet.  With less than a month to my 64th birthday and after 48 years of full time employment, this was not a situation that I thought I would be in.  As a result, I can’t help feeling a degree of loss of purpose.

I return to work tomorrow after two weeks off with mild Covid 19 symptoms (temperature, dry cough, headache etc.) to find out what the next stage of the process is to be.  I can’t honestly say I’m looking forward to going back.

[vanessan]

That’s a sad story Mouldy, I sincerely hope things are not as bleak as they appear at the moment. Keep your chin up. 

[MauriceMynah]

The day I started work was the day I started looking forwards to retirement. Officially I reach retirement age in November and the person I work for has a strict rule that as soon as a person is eligible for his state pension, he is retired.

The only reason I whole heartedly support that rule is because, as I am self-employed, I made it!

[Ray]

I worked to live, never had a "career" as such, never worked for a company that gave as much as a Christmas Bonus. I worked under people that I had to cover for and couldn't do the job, I've worked with the lazy and the incompetent.

I always applied a strict work ethic, the deal was that they paid for work and I always kept up my side of the agreement.

When there was a chance to stop being a wage slave I took it and never looked back. Have never been bored and am only now frustrated that I can't currently do the things I want. It worries me that the things I love are denied me by circumstances beyond my control but there are many many people in a worse situation so I'll just get on with it without complaint.

[MauriceMynah]

2 minutes ago, Ray said:

I worked under people that I had to cover for and couldn't do the job, I've worked with the lazy and the incompetent.

I still do!

[Ray]

2 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

I still do!

You also work with the best and most efficient in the business 👍☺

[ZimbiIV]

Sorry having taken early retirement at 57 I really don't know where I had time to work.

Even going (seems a long time ago ) to the boat there always seemed to be something needing doing.

I am dreading the next visit and what cleaning/repairs to do.

If you don't believe me ask Alan ( Ranworth Breeze) what upkeep a boat requires.

We would sell it but need the relaxation it provides!

Strange thing.

How can I relax on the 280 mile drive down but get tense on the same trip home?

paul

[BroadAmbition]

I started working at about 12 Yrs young - Not for a living but to enhance my then hobbies - Shooting, R/C models and dirt biking.

Then I had 24 years not working to live but getting paid for a vocation in the RN - I never thought of it as a job nor a monthly wage.  The money was earnt for my responsibilities - family, I was having what I know was the time of my life

I only really started working properly in 2000 when I became self employed.  Nowadays I work because I have to, not because I want to.  If I could retire tomorrow I would do so in an instant,  Well, maybe not tomorrow but after the current crisis has passed would be ideal

Griff

[ExSurveyor]

I was sort of thinking of retirement next year but not convinced it was for me. However I am enjoying my present not working situation, only one bad brain fart in 4 weeks is telling me time for change.

Working along side the housing market it remains to be seen if it will actually recover this year at all.

The decision to reopen the business and sell it later or just not reopen will depend on how the market recovers.

At the moment it costs very little to keep it shut and the staff still get paid, how long the government can offer this support remains to be seen.

Funny old times we are living through.

 

 

[SwanR]

Really interesting to read this topic.

Mouldy that doesn’t sound good. I don’t think any of us would want to feel forced into retirement rather than being able to choose that moment. 

Psychicsurveyor your feelings on this resonate with me. I don’t feel ready to give up work. And I struggled with home working to start with. But now the lazier start to my day and less pressure while we’re not in the office feels good. 

We will be considering our options when this current crisis is over. If we decide to move then the one risk will undoubtedly be whether I can find work. 

[ChrisB]

In these dreadful times in which we find ourselves, my own story may have some relevence.

I worked for the Swiss arm of a German Multi-national, I only mention this because their FY runs 1st October to 30th September, as my birthday is one week before year end on the 23rd September it worked out well.

I had always wanted to retire at 55 but when it comes to it, the call is a hard one because "jacking-it" 10 years early has a very detrimental effect on pensions. However I was asked to oversee for one year, 16 hours per week on full pay. So one year later at 56 I was fully retired. We had 13 months adjusting and enjoying The Thames Valley and The Chilterns where we lived and then moved to North Norfolk.

I thank God every day that I made that call. Judith and I had ten years of wonderful retirement. If I had slogged on until I was 65 our retirement would have been one year of terminal cancer treatment with all the trauma that that entails.

 

 

[ChrisB]

But I do have 10 years of wonderful memories of spending every day together. So many couples are robbed of that reward after years of work.

With older retirement now, and lord knows what it will be in future as we pay for this crisis, I think more and more couples will not see a meaningful active retirement together, which is tragic.

[Hylander]

13 hours ago, MauriceMynah said:

The day I started work was the day I started looking forwards to retirement. Officially I reach retirement age in November and the person I work for has a strict rule that as soon as a person is eligible for his state pension, he is retired.

The only reason I whole heartedly support that rule is because, as I am self-employed, I made it!

Isnt that illegal now?

[vanessan]

5 minutes ago, Hylander said:

Isnt that illegal now?

He’ll have to take himself to court! 

[MauriceMynah]

24 minutes ago, vanessan said:

He’ll have to take himself to court! 

Tricky, as I am no longer speaking to myself.

[Lulu]

30 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Tricky, as I am no longer speaking to myself.

Oh dear, did you have an argument? 

[unclemike]

33 minutes ago, MauriceMynah said:

Tricky, as I am no longer speaking to myself.

can't let your standards slip john