10 Subtle Signs That You Are Ready to Retire

Too often, we expect clear indications that it is time to leave the workplace. But maybe we’re looking for the wrong things.

For most of us, there is no “Aha!” moment that screams: It’s time to retire.

Continuing to work whittles away at what time we have left to travel and enjoy the rest of the world. You don’t want to make the decision too late.

But for many of us, there can be some surprising signals—like a flashing yellow traffic light inside your head. The signals can come at any time, day or night, in the office or out.

It is probably time to disengage from the workplace when you:

1. Arrive at work feeling numb

From time to time, it’s normal to feel numb to your job. Especially if you’ve been at it a long time. But if that sense of numbness comes more than once or twice a week, it might be time to pack it up, says David Conti, retirement coach at RetireMentors, a consulting firm he founded in Hampton Falls, N.H.

“If you’re that unhappy, it’s time to take action,” he says.

This feeling of burnout doesn’t mean you’ve had a lousy career, says Chris Farrell, an author and retirement expert. It simply means it’s time to move on. “You are not tossing aside your life,” he says. “You’re making a transition and transitions are never easy.”

2. Shrink from learning new tech tools

This happens to lots of veteran workers. They lose their desire to learn yet another new software system that is supposed to make their work lives so much easier—until the next system comes along, says Kerry Hannon, a retirement consultant and author.

This is when many older workers quietly mumble to themselves: “I’m done with that,” she says.

Adds Conti: “When it’s that time in your life to learn new things, do you want to spend it learning new software?”

3. Avoid promotions

It might be time to retire when the word “promotion” suddenly sounds intimidating instead of intriguing, says Farrell. “You basically decide you aren’t competing for them anymore,” he says.

It can also work the other way around, says Hannon. Perhaps you’re not even being considered for promotions any longer. “That’s the one that really kicks people in the gut,” she says. “You’re being sidelined by your employer.”

4. Catch ‘the Sunday scaries’

Does this scenario sound familiar: You’re washing the Sunday dinner dishes or brushing your teeth before bedtime—and you feel the looming horror of Monday morning back at work.

It’s what Hannon refers to as “the Sunday scaries,” and, she says, it’s “the biggest clue that it’s time to make a change. It’s a clear sign from the universe that it’s time to retire.”

5. Constantly check your 401(k)

If you’re suddenly looking at your 401(k) balances more often, it could be a sign that you’re mentally checking to make sure you’re going to be all right if you leave work. After all, if you aren’t planning to retire for years or decades, there’s no reason to be so vigilant. But as many of us near the end of a career, our focus shifts from “what new project can I tackle?” to “what else do I need to do to get my 401(k) in shape?” We develop a habit of “visiting” our money, says Conti.

By doing the math more often, running through the numbers about what you have and what you might need, it’s clear that your head isn’t on accumulating more wealth, but preparing to spend it.

6. Wish you could volunteer more

There are many people who fail to find a community of friends at work, but often discover one while volunteering. Conti says he found such friendships while driving for a food bank in Portsmouth, N.H.

This circles back to the importance of retiring to something, not from something, says Hannon. The inner desire to give back is a beautiful signal worthy of listening to, she says.

7. Notice your peers are gone

Hannon says the retirement bug hit her oldest brother when he looked around one day and suddenly saw that he was the oldest man in the room. “No one was telling him to retire, but he saw that it was time to step away,” she says.

For some older workers, she says, there is a recognition that you are at a different life stage than many of your peers. While they are all chatting about their children and their soccer games, you might be more focused on caregiving for an ailing parent.

“There’s a feeling that you are no longer working with like-minded people,” she says.

8. Feel left out of retirement

Let’s say that you and your spouse are both 65—she’s retired and you’re not. And let’s say most of your friends are retired, too. This can turn into feelings of resentment if you don’t really still enjoy working, says Conti.

This is an opportunity to lean into your relationships with your spouse and retired friends. After all, who knows you better? Ask them straight up if they think you are ready for retirement, says Farrell. “They might tell you to bag it,” he says. “Take your peer group seriously.”

9. Hate your boss

This is the biggest reason most folks leave their jobs, says Conti. And at some point, you have to realize: This could be your last boss. So that raises the question: Is it a good enough reason for you to retire?

Conti suggests that it’s an opportunity to schedule an appointment with the human-resources office at your firm. They probably can’t do much about your boss. But many companies are eager to cut payroll and might pull together an early-retirement package for you, he says.

10. Get achy knees

“We all have ideas of when we want to retire…but how are your hips?” asks Conti.

If your hips ache a bit when you walk the corridors, he says, “maybe you should go take that hike in the Rockies sooner than later.”

Continuing to work whittles away at what time we have left to travel and enjoy the rest of the world. You don’t want to make the decision too late.

Bruce Horovitz is a writer in Virginia. He can be reached at reports@wsj.com.