The Society surveyed 787 people in retirement and found that for 54%, the retirement glow wore off because they missed the camaraderie they had at work, while four in 10 felt their mind was no longer being pushed.

More than a third grew fed up that everyday ended up being the same as the last, and a fifth felt completely redundant. Loneliness, boredom, and the feeling of ageing quickly were all cited as reasons why retirement wasn’t as enjoyable as they had imagined.

Lack of disposable income, partners driving each other mad and putting on weight due to inactivity were other reasons why retirement ended up being a disappointment.

Four in 10 still felt capable of completing a full time job, while 31% struggled to cope without their monthly wage packet.

A fifth of retirees claimed they should never have left work so soon, but during those early months did enjoy meeting friends for lunches, spending time in the garden and having time to sit down with a good book.

During the first few weeks of retirement a third of people went on a much anticipated holiday; while 23% used the time to have a big clear out.

Booking a holiday, buying a new car, taking up a new hobby and spending more time with the grandchildren are all ways people enjoyed their time as soon as they left the world of work.

Interestingly, of those polled, more people retired in March than in any other month of the year – and 42% of people admitted they have a better outlook on retirement during the summer months.

Stacey Stothard of Skipton Building Society said: “People retire from work, not life. And while the fresh novelty of being newly retired may fade, many retirees have found that by challenging themselves, finding new forms of enjoyment, learning new things, and having ambitions, can all help ensure you’re as busy and stimulated in retirement as you were in work. As our survey has shown, I doesn’t really matter what your goals are, so long as you have some to ensure you stay in control.”