So when is it safe to start living? A new survey of British workers finds that many of us are grimly timeserving our way through career-life because we are transfixed by the lure of a safe pension.

It brings to mind the old Pink Floyd lyric, “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way”. But the situation is far sadder than that: the survey of 2,742 Britons says that a quarter of us believe that we would be in different, far more exciting, enjoyable or relaxed jobs – if it were not for our nagging worries about our retirement funds.

One in three questioned in the survey by Selftrade, a financial services company, said that were it not for the anxiety to ensure that they could spend their twilight years in a cottage with roses around the door, they would have felt more relaxed over their careers and might have chosen not to work full time.

Most ironically, one in three admits that he or she would have opted to “live more for the moment”. Well, the moment is now. And medical research shows that those who put off having a “real life” until retirement often have a nasty surprise in store.

Mortality rates, particularly for men, frequently spike in the year or so after compulsory retirement. Rather than finding liberation from the shackles of employment, the newly retired can find themselves falling into a void. Their work’s purpose (ie, finally getting the gold watch) has been attained, but ahead stretch only empty days and empty social calendars. Their role in society – the job they begrudged – is gone, too. Bring on the booze, the snooze, days in front of the telly and, oops, here comes the Reaper.

Better surely to have a cavalier attitude to career development and chase fun and friendship at work, rather than stay stultifyingly safe. And if retirement (or semi-retirement) turns out not to be a financial featherbed, it will at least be filled with great memories and firm pals.

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