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Here is a synopsis of the most common answers when this question was asked to retirees
Not all are related to finances.
Financial readiness became the deciding factor
Not all are related to finances.
Financial readiness became the deciding factor
- Could afford it anytime: Financial independence, not age alone, was the moment some people felt retirement became possible. "financially I could retire at any point in time, even though the plan was always to wait until 65."
- No longer needed work for money: A common marker was reaching the point where work was optional rather than necessary. "I didn't need to do this anymore."
- Could cover expenses with savings: Some defined the moment as being able to meet expenses without a paycheck. "But the day I can cover my expenses without working I am out."
- Work stopped feeling engaging: Several people knew it was time when new situations became irritating instead of interesting. "Instead of finding new situations engaging, I found them annoying."
- Passion and energy faded: Loss of enthusiasm was treated as a strong signal. "The passion I once felt for my work is not there as it once was"
- Tolerance for workplace culture ran out: Some retired when office politics, jargon, or management culture became unbearable. "I retired when my workplace exceeded my stupidity and pettiness tolerances."
- Work became miserable: For others, the answer was simply reaching the point where work felt bad enough to leave. "work in the past few years has made me miserable."
- Dread of Monday disappeared: A major sign was losing the Sunday-night anxiety about going back to work. "I have a flashback to how much I used to dread Monday mornings."
- Free time started to feel better than work: Some realized they preferred quiet, ordinary retired routines to meetings and commutes. "long morning walks with my dog, followed with her napping on my lap, is much preferred to sitting in meetings."
- Life outside work became the priority: Retirement felt right when they could imagine spending time on hobbies, travel, or nothing at all. "It’s a smorgasbord of things to do, see, learn about…or the chance to just do nothing in a cocoon of absolute freedom."
- Aging made time feel limited: Some were motivated by realizing the remaining years could pass quickly. "I've got no time to waste."
- Health or life events shifted priorities: External events like COVID or a layoff made retirement feel more realistic. "After covid I started thinking about it."
- Retirement felt possible once day-to-day stress lifted: Some only recognized readiness after a break showed them they could handle life without work. "I would have no problem being retired, either mentally or financially."
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