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Leaving work well

Signs you might be ready to retire

Last updated: November 2026

What are five signs that it's time to quit my job?

Five common signs: you dread most Mondays, you have stopped learning, your values have drifted from the work, your health or relationships are suffering, and you keep picturing a specific different life.

None of these alone means you should leave tomorrow. Check your finances with a licensed planner first. Rarified Life’s point is that the life side needs planning too, and its 40-minute Breakthrough Session is designed as a first step for that.

New here? Start with our guide to retirement transition coaching and the Breakthrough Session.

Five signs it may be time to move on

  1. You dread most Mondays

    Not one bad week, but a steady pattern over months.

  2. You have stopped learning

    The job no longer stretches you, and you no longer want it to.

  3. Your values have drifted from the work

    What the organization rewards is not what you care about now.

  4. Health or relationships are paying for it

    Energy, sleep or time with people you love keep losing out.

  5. You daydream about a specific different life

    Not escape in general, but a particular picture you keep returning to.

What do soft quitting and quiet quitting mean?

Soft quitting

Pulling back without leaving

Soft quitting generally means reducing effort and engagement while staying in the job: doing what the role requires and little more. For someone in their 50s or 60s, it is often a signal that the work no longer fits rather than a character flaw. That makes it a useful prompt to start planning what comes next, instead of drifting until a decision is made for you.

Quiet quitting

Signs an employee is quietly quitting

Typical signs include doing only the minimum, declining extra projects, contributing less in meetings and losing interest in promotion. In late-career employees these patterns can reflect readiness for a transition. Naming what you want next, which is the focus of the Identity and Motivation modules in Rarified Life’s Preferment course, turns quiet disengagement into a deliberate move.

What are the three stages of retirement?

A common way to describe them is the go-go, slow-go and no-go years. Other models use more phases, but this simple version is useful for planning purpose across decades, not just the first year.

A common three-stage model of retirement, with planning notes drawn from Rarified Life’s Preferment themes.
StageTypical pacePlanning focus
Go-go yearsActive, travel and new projectsUse the energy deliberately; name a mission early
Slow-go yearsGentler pace, closer to homeKeep learning and keep a weekly structure
No-go yearsMore time at homeRelationships and meaning carry more weight

What is the 7 rule for retirement withdrawal?

There is no single standard “7% rule.” The guideline most often discussed is the 4% rule, a rough starting withdrawal rate for savings; higher rates raise the risk of running short. Rarified Life does not give financial advice, so confirm any withdrawal plan with a licensed financial planner. See our retirement coach vs financial planner comparison for who handles what.

Leaving work: common questions

What are the three stages of retirement?
A common way to describe them is the go-go years (active and travelling), the slow-go years (a gentler pace) and the no-go years (more time at home). Other models use more phases. Planning purpose early, as Preferment encourages, helps each stage feel chosen rather than accidental.
See this answer in the full FAQ
What is a silent retirement?
The phrase has no fixed definition. People generally use it for leaving work quietly without a clear plan, or for mentally checking out before an official retirement date. Either way, the risk is the same: time without direction. A structured plan for identity and purpose addresses both versions.
See this answer in the full FAQ
What does "soft quitting" mean?
Soft quitting generally means pulling back effort and engagement at work without resigning, doing what the role requires and little more. For people in their 50s and 60s, it can signal that the job no longer fits. That is a useful moment to plan what comes next rather than drift.
See this answer in the full FAQ
Is it better to quit a job or be let go?
It depends on your situation. Being let go can come with severance or unemployment eligibility, while quitting gives you control of timing and story. Rules vary by employer and state, so check with HR, an employment lawyer or a financial planner. Either way, plan your next chapter in advance.
See this answer in the full FAQ
What are the benefits of retiring early?
Commonly cited benefits include more healthy years for travel, family and new projects, and freedom to try a second career on your own terms. The risk is a long stretch of unstructured time. Planning purpose before leaving, as Rarified Life recommends, helps early retirees avoid drifting.
See this answer in the full FAQ
What does the average person do when they retire?
Many retirees fill early days with errands, appointments, travel and family. Rarified Life's materials describe moving from errands and appointments to a life people ask you about, with energy, health and relationships getting stronger. The difference usually comes from having a mission, not more free time.
See this answer in the full FAQ
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Published by Rarified Life