Monitoring

One of the unfortunate side effects of not working is I spend a lot of time monitoring myself. I'm regularly checking my pulse on the smart watch I got for Christmas. There is nothing smart about this watch from that point of view.

Leaving your employer means leaving behind a safety net of sick leave. I had over a year's worth built up. It's liberating but also a bit scary when you've always had that time off to fall back on.

There is something illogical about it as well. The sick leave was never going to save you from a major illness. I was looking like crap before I left work and that was one reason I took the package. I didn't want to "die in office".

On the up side, doing something about your health is something you have more time for once retired. You've left behind the stress that may have been killing you slowly. Maybe slowly you can get better, fitter. I'm going to try. I feel better already.

I think I'll go and have a cigarette to celebrate - wait a minute - need to do something about that. Beating the actuary is a worthy new goal.