when I was young, I was taught to work hard, but instead I smoked pot, had sex, got the munchies and spent all my money on food at my favorite restaurants. And the whole time I felt horribly guilty. Now that I am old, the only thing I regret is the guilt. But I think it was the guilt that made it feel so good.
if my parents had taught me to smoke pot and have sex, I probably would have found a secret pleasure in working hard.
otherwise, I don't see why dying should make any difference. You live with your regrets and you die with them.
I'm in my 50's now. In my 30's I was given a diagnosis of 3 - 4 months to live. 100% fatality rate. Death with intractible pain. Grim reaper knocked at my door often enough that (in my imagination) I kind of knew what kind of tea he liked to drink. We'd stand at that door and talk often enough. With enough pain he is not the enemy. Someday will walk across that threshold with him.... no regrets. Obviously lived. Hurt like hell for years. I sure don't regret the hard work before or since. Part of ...a part of full participation in life. Grateful for every day. But must say I usually worked for myself and did things that were interesting. All the others make sense to me... true to self, stick with friends if you can... learn your feelings. The everyday things are what matter.
Come to think of it, I have a relative who is a mostly Fruedian psychiatrist. From that perspective, for a guy, work and love seem to be the key to a happy and full life. I think for a woman it is often love and then work! This observation of regretting working so much doesn't make any sense. Work and love together are the stuff of life. I think what I regret in hindsight is ....entertainment that did not in some way support work or love? I'd have rather spent more time in work, or love, or living what I love.... than in entertainment for entertainments' sake.... have to think about that some more.
So entertainment working at love is the highest ideal of our society? Those must be the best jobs for both men and women. Freud would then run a bunch of porn sites if he were here today?