7. You’ll Want to Return to Work—Only to Discover That You Can’t

According to a 2012 report by the US Government Accountability Office, people over 55 usually need more time to find new jobs compared to their younger counterparts.

The Harvard Business Review data seems to agree with that, noting that those who are most affected are older women. In other words, re-entering the workforce after a break is much harder for aging people than for younger people.

That’s a difficult pill to swallow for those who decide to retire early without realizing that the door may close forever once they quit. In fact, data shows that roughly 30% of retirees would want to go back to work if they could.