That sounds foreign to me. Even though I'm grateful that I have a decent job, I can't help but feel trapped. If I didn't have to work, I would have no problem finding countless things to do.
Why don't you just play along and list your top five? Let's say the wife says its time to stop working. How do you spend your time?
That may be the reason, alley. Those who feel trapped in their job perhaps don’t make enough to become financially secure early in life. They have to wait until they are 60 or 65 and they look forward to stop working.
On the other hand, those who have interesting, stimulating jobs (doctors, lawyers, IT, accountants, top managements etc.) really like their jobs, and they keep working, whether they are financially secure or not.
I remember attending a financial seminar a few years ago. The presenter was a well known financial advisor. He said that a few years earlier he had enough money for a comfortable retirement. He gave everything up, went to a tropical island and spent his days at the beach. He got bored stiff in ten days. All the swimming, canoeing, wind surfing, boating etc. couldn’t hold him. He came back to the civilization and started working as financial planner once again.
Anyway, I can list five activities; they are pretty much the same as I do currently.
Chess
Reading (mostly science fiction and popular science articles).
Traveling, sightseeing.
Music, Gilbert and Sullivan. Currently I go to UK for the festival every other year; I may consider going every year. Also I may consider participating in an amateur production.
Hiking – I am an avid hiker. If I had all the time on my hand, I may consider going abroad to hike