Three retirees who changed their minds about leaving work - here's what happened
Early retirement isnt always what its cracked up to be: three people share their real-life stories about going back to work. Their experiences show how un-retiring became their path to happiness
Claire Davies left her police-detective job eight years ago‚ thinking retirement at 55 would bring peace; instead it brought regret. Working long hours while managing home renovations and frequent trips to Abu Dhabi (where her husband worked) pushed her to make a quick decision — one she now calls “the biggest mistake of my life“
Statistics show shes not alone: about 40% of UK retirees have some retirement regrets; while one-in-ten wish theyd stayed working longer. Research indicates that men are 25% more-likely to un-retire than women‚ with most people making the switch back within 2-3 years of leaving work
After moving back to Berkshire in 22ʼ‚ Davies faced a tough job hunt: she applied for 142 part-time jobs in 18 months‚ getting less than 20 interviews. “I couldnt handle it anymore“ she explains. The solution came from an un-expected direction: local Facebook groups helped her find work as a dog-walker and cleaner (earning £18 per-hour)‚ before landing an admin role
Jan Fox retired from journalism at 67‚ moving from LA to Belfast: “I just didnt feel like I was living and was getting more-and-more depressed“. Now at 71‚ shes embraced a multi-faceted career: radio DJ‚ TV quiz writer‚ and public speaker. She says: “Any creative person never really wants to retire — who knows what else might be in me“
Former Facebook VP Paul Ollinger quit at 42 with enough money to never work again. After two years of retirement blues and identity crisis‚ he found his true calling in stand-up comedy. This fall‚ he moved to NY to pursue his comedy career: “The dream isnt not to work — its to work on my own terms“
