Thoughts on retiring gradually.

My contribution to the anesthesia discussion group today. For those of you already retired, what do you think? 

I never thought I'd be the sterotypic physician that can't find things to do in retirement, because I have many interests. 

 Enjoying retirement is about finding happiness and purpose, and this video has really great advice about those. I would advise retirement well before their health and cognition mandates retirement, because all the hand-wringing over asking a colleague to quit because of declining function is one of the hardest things anesthesia chiefs have to do. 

First, some financial points: A related question is "how much money do I need, and this video about striving for 7 figures may surprise you that it's less than most people think. Remember that every dollar you earn from part-time employment in early retirement allows your nest-egg to continue growing, so here's some advice on choosing a part-time job. Also, consider keeping a substantial part of your nest egg in stocks (the 100 minus age rule) so you keep up with inflation. And learn about the various types of Medicare coverage. Be careful to avoid permanent late-enrollment Medicare fees if you forget to sign up before age 65. 

I semi-retired a year ago, now working 2 days a week. Filling those other days is surprisingly hard because of planning around my wife's schedule, I often find myself searching for same-day activities.  Much as I'd love to travel, that doesn't work with her schedule easily. 

Volunteering has been the most fulfilling activity, though various musculoskeletal problems act up if I overdo it. A local food bank has huge needs for labor and interacting with clients, and that has been good for me. 

My interests in drone photography, sailing, and cycling are largely fair-weather activities, and weather is not Seattle's strong point!

So, gradual retirement has been useful for me to think about how to best enjoy my time, and ease into the "4 phases of retirement." I'm still in phase 1.  

If I had retired "cold turkey," I think this would've been a challenge for me, and more of a burden on my spouse. (Then again, maybe I would've signed up for weekly volunteering and other activities and more easily filled my schedule, so it's hard to say.) If you and your spouse can retire at the same time, I think that changes the equation substantially. 

Every situation is unique, but the resources mentioned above have been useful to me in planning for retirement. Hope this helps.