My dad in a nutshell. He tried early retirement because of health issues, worked well for the first couple of months. Over time, his hobbies became boring, and he didn't really have a long term retirment plan, not sure what to do with himself. Mostly, he just sat at home, micromanaging my mother...
He's back at work now, and very much happier (so is my mother).
I tried early retirement too, Lasted 3 years before I went near crazy. I ran out of things to do by myself. When none of your friends are retired, there's nobody to play with.
Another year or two and my first friends will start retiring, I'll go a few years early, but trying it at 50 was a big mistake for me.
Long story short, one of my old (and favourite) bosses got jerked around by the company they were working for. The company had a '25 years and out' early retirement eligibility clause. Done, gone, see ya.
Very shortly thereafter, there was a call from a competitor, 'want to come work for us on contract' ? The answer was yes, at an obscene per diem (no health or pension plan to worry about) - work when you want from where you want (Covid was part of it) and after 5 years walked away with a big bag of loot.
No regrets.
A friend calls me sometimes just to shoot the breeze. His age and finances say he should sell his business and put his feet up but after yakking for an hour or two I find out that he's parked at a gas station a mile from his house but doesn't want to go home.
Don’t know if it’s hobbies as much as interests and company.
I had hobbies, but I was never interested in burying myself in hobbies all day every day. I missed the social interaction one gets at work, I wasn’t interested in hanging out at bocce, lawn bowling, or craft guilds to see people.
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