Non financial retirement planning?

A question about : Non financial retirement planning?

Originally posted on pensions but advise to repost here
All,

I am hoping to retire early in about 6 years (age 55) and think I have the financial side in place.

But what about the non-financial stuff?

I have some ideas about hobbies/interests I would like to pursue, but can't at the moment as work is still taking up much of my time?

Did you make a slow transition i.e. going part time first? or did you just put less focus on work?

Did you find the transition difficult?

Anything you would have done differently?

Any advice from those recently retired or due to retire soon?

Thanks in advance

Best answers:

• Sounds fantastic.
  I guess I am thinking about this now as I am starting to put less energy into work and other things are taking priority.
  But I still have at least 5 years or so before I can fully commit to other hobbies.
• LOL wow you followed me across forums so you could tell me off twice
  That is so strict - Is it wrong that I like that
  Anyway I think I like it here so I will stay a while - everyone can ignore me if they like. (- oh so that's what I am going to be like when I retire)
  wendal
• Not got to that stage Mr W, but I have had a few drivers retire. I have yet to have one that doesn't say, ' I don't know how I managed to fit work in', they all seem to love it
• Looking forward to replies as we have a similar 'problem' (early retirement after 35 years work).
  We'd love to winter in a hot climate, but what do you do with your pets back in the UK?
• We are in our mid-60s and have been 'retired' for ten years. Just before we retired, we both went part-time (my husband had to on health grounds). He did 2.5 days and I did three. (But be careful, this MAY affect your Pension).
  When we retired (him in July 2004, me in September 2004), we went to live in southern Spain. Our time was taken up with renovating our house, learning new customs and attempting to learn the language, my husband painted too. While we were here we lived solely on my husband's Teachers' Pension.
  We returned to the UK in November 2011. Since then we supplement our Pensions by house/petsitting. My husband has also discovered another source of income from our pet-sitting - he paints Pet Portraits.
  We also have a variety of voluntary activities: my husband runs an Open Mic at the local Pub once a week, he also plays for the homeless at the Soup Kitchen and for charity events. I run a CAP Job Club once a week and am a trained Job Coach. We both also volunteer at our church.
  We now both have State Pensions as well a my husband's Teachers' Pension and I am due to get my (tiny) LG Pension in August.
  So that's our story, hope it helps
• Thanks everyone much to think about
  I like the idea of going part time. I think me and oh should be able to drop to a 4 day week for the last year or so in work without taking too much of a financial hit.
  That should give us an extra day to try new hobbies.
  We both like travel but I think we have too many ties at home to live abroad over the winter. But that may change.