October 21, 2009

Choosing work over leisure

By Julie Filby

Some people spend years looking forward to the day they retire. After years of the 9-to-5 grind, they dream about finally having the freedom to do what they want. However, for others, leaving a career can be an unsettling event. Some retirees struggle with the monotony, boredom, lack of purpose and lack of intellectual stimulation.
Since work provides a creative spark, an outlet for energy, a source of personal satisfaction and a social network of friends—not to mention a paycheck—more of today’s retirees continue to work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of workers age 65-plus increased more than 100 percent between 1977 and 2007. The rate for men rose 75 percent, while the rate for women in the same age group jumped nearly twice as much.
Consider ways that retirement can involve reinvention, reengagement, furthering education and new experiences.

Find a job you love
A study by Merrill Lynch (“The New Retirement Survey,” 2005) indicated that 76 percent of Baby Boomers (those born from 1946-1964) expect to retire from their current career at age 64, then launch into an entirely new job or career. Most people want less stress, but still want stimulating work.
A quality retirement should involve increasing activities you like, and decreasing things you don’t like. Think about what you love to do. There’s no greater pleasure than being paid for doing something you love. Some even turn a hobby into a full-time project or career, such as painting, pottery or community theater.
Consider the following questions: What did you enjoy about your past job(s)? Do you want to start a business? Do you want to work full-time, part-time or seasonal? Do you want to go back to school to gain the training needed for a new career?

Continue current job
You may have a good thing going with your job and decide to simply stay in your current position. In the book “The New Retirementality,” author Mitch Anthony wrote, “Don’t let anybody tell you when you are finished. As long as you have something to offer, offer something.”
Work part-time
One way to transition is to switch from full-time to part-time, at the same job or a different job. Many people want the same type of work, but more flexibility. Flextime, part-time, virtual office, telecommuting, innovative consulting arrangements and phased retirement are trends that are on the rise.
The law of supply and demand is moving to the side of the experienced worker, and can offer retirees the ability to “write their own ticket” in terms of flexibility. Long-term employees, with years of skills and experience, are valuable assets for a corporation.

Work as a volunteer
You want to make a difference—but how? Do you want to be involved in a hands-on activity such as serving meals at a shelter? Or would you prefer to do something like head up a fund drive, or mentor a young person? Maybe you’d prefer to volunteer as a trail leader at a state park or sit on the board of your public library. Non-profit groups thrive on volunteers over the age of 60, especially those who have skills particularly helpful to their organization. You can find out about volunteer opportunities by contacting your parish, or get ideas through word of mouth, various media sources or on Web sites such as www.volunteersolutions.org or www.volunteermatch.org.

Go back to school
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been,” according to English novelist George Elliott. Use retirement to expand your mind. Get a degree or freshen up your old major. Chances are you will enjoy and appreciate it more the second time around. And if you’ve never been to college, here’s your chance. Pursue a degree or simply take a course for the joy of learning. Classes can be virtual or otherwise. Check out the nearby colleges, community colleges, universities, online learning institutions and free universities.