At work events, when the room filled up and the noise climbed, I would find the door. A quiet word to the few people who mattered, then gone before anyone formed a circle for a speech. The Irish goodbye. Leaving the English way in French. I've done it for most of my working life, and my last day was no different.
June 2026 : 2 min read - Part of the My Personal Journey to Early Retirement series at FreeBefore65.
Over the years I've recognised a habit in myself. I struggle with large groups and loud noise, particularly at work and social events, and leaving early was always how I dealt with it. Not being rude but avoiding the pressure of staying longer or accepting one more drink. It became famous among my family members and gave my nickname to it when they would do it.
So there was never going to be a grand final scene. The goodbyes that counted had already happened in the days before.
The day that counted
I came in to a Good Luck banner and a row of gifts on my desk, most of them wrapped in corporate branded paper. There was a leaving card from the wider team, full of kind comments, and separate cards from the two people I'd worked most closely with. One of the gifts was a black t-shirt. Across the front, over a trio of skulls and a flaming guitar, it read TONY AND THE INSIGHTS. A rock band that never existed, named after the job I was leaving. I wore it out that evening.
I opened everything in front of everyone and said a few words. Work is one part of a life and not the largest part. Enjoy the bits that sit outside it, and don't lose sleep over the changes coming, because they arrive whether you worry about them or not.
The night
A few of us went out afterwards. Not too many, not too overwhelming. Drinks for a couple of hours, then on to a rock bar for some live bands. Between drinks came the questions I'd been fielding since I'd resigned. Have you got any plans? What will you do with the time? Won't you be bored? The people who wanted to say goodbye did, and I said mine back to them.
The last day
The last day itself was the quiet one, fittingly. Laptop, name badge and fob handed back. No set-piece, just the drive home. It was my wedding anniversary as well, which was a better reason to be driving than anything left behind at the office. No more rooms to slip out of, which is a strange thing to feel relieved about after all these years.
Part of the My Personal Journey to Early Retirement series at FreeBefore65.
Tony writes about his personal journey to early retirement at freebefore65.co.uk. He is not a financial adviser. All content reflects his own experience and research.
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