- Shawn Robertson, 55, is a recent retiree who worked in the postal service in Canada.
- Robertson says it was hard to get used to retirement at first, but he loves the slower pace of life.
- Since retiring, he’s traveled more often with his wife and reconnected with old friends.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shawn Robertson, a 55-year-old retiree from Tsawwassen, Canada. It has been edited for length and clarity.
Last year, I retired at 55 from my job as a postman after 34 and a half years. I know I’m still in the honeymoon phase, but I’m really enjoying retirement so far.
In March 1990, when I was 20 years old, I decided to join the postal service. My dad had retired by then, but he had previously worked in upper management with Canada Post. I’ve always thought more long-term, so I wanted something with a good pension and benefits.
I loved my job with the postal service
The official title of my position was “letter carrier.” On a typical day, I’d start at 7 a.m., then have about one-and-a-half to two hours to process and organize the mail. After that, I’d leave the station and deliver mail for about six hours before coming back.
It was a pretty simple job, it was just physically demanding. After you finished your delivery, you’d be able to go home, and sometime, I’d finish quite early in the day.
I think the best thing about being a postman was that you’re out in nature all day exercising. Every day, I would walk around 15,000 steps just at work, often somewhere between six to seven and a half miles.
I also liked the social aspect of it. I got to know a lot of my customers, and I’d call a lot of them friends. When you think about it, I got a decent wage to exercise and socialize. It was a really good gig.
I had so much fun being a postman, but the last six months were the hardest. I saw the business model changing, and I decided it was time to move on. I’d also paid as much into my pension as I could, so it made sense financially to retire.
May 31 was my last delivery day, and when I came in, there were a few gifts and cards waiting for me. My colleagues had a small goodbye party with a cake and a couple of speeches. But I wasn’t officially retired until September 19.
Courtesy of Shawn Robertson
It took time to get used to being retired, but I’m glad I did it
Initially, it felt weird to be retired. It was actually a little on the scary side, because though my wife makes decent money, I’d been the main breadwinner for many years. I had to adjust to getting my pension once a month, whereas when I was working, I was paid every two weeks. Adjusting to the difference in timing took time to get used to.
But now that it’s been several months, my apprehensions are over, and I’ve relaxed into it.
We’ve traveled a lot in just the few months since I retired, though we likely won’t keep up this pace, and have been to Germany, St Louis, Nashville, and Australia already. In between the travel, I’ve been having lunches with other retired friends from work who I haven’t seen for a while. It’s been great.
I have zero stress in my life, and what’s really nice is that I can see my granddaughter whenever I want. Our kids live close by, and there’s a lot of joy in knowing that within a few minutes, you can be at each other’s house.
I haven’t really gotten into hobbies yet because I haven’t had time, but I think the next phase will be about hiking in nature, growing stuff in the garden, and working the land. I also have two side gigs doing landscaping and property maintenance from time to time. It’s a really good stage of life to be entering.
I don’t have any regrets about retiring early. I’ve put in my time. I think sometimes you have to know when to go. Going into retirement, you also need to find something you enjoy doing, whether it’s a sport joining a walking club, tinkering in the shed, or having a project to keep you busy. I never see myself as bored. I can always find something to do.
