| There's nothing like a poke in the eye to get your | | | | change the world for the better with their |
| attention. The current economy is that sharp stick | | | | "encore career" choices. But we don't all have to |
| when it comes to thinking about giving up a | | | | take on full time jobs that require trips to Africa |
| paycheck to retire. Living on a fixed income when | | | | to make a difference with what we do. We need |
| expenses aren't fixed and your sources of | | | | to find what we believe is important to get done |
| income start contracting can be unnerving in the | | | | and then decide how we want to be part of |
| best of times. Right now, it takes superhero | | | | making it happen. |
| emotional strength. Even if you have not yet | | | | We also need to know how we prefer to work. |
| stepped into retirement, this kind of economic | | | | Some of us need a year to play before we |
| climate can make you worry about your sanity if | | | | move on to the next work. (They have a label |
| you still yearn to leave the daily grind behind | | | | for that now. It's called a transitional sabbatical.) |
| eventually. | | | | Some of us need two days a week to play from |
| This is an area that needs more attention and | | | | here on. Some of us will find the "authentic work" |
| more options--a lot more. As you stare at the | | | | we get involved in so rewarding that play isn't |
| rising cost of pretty much everything, take off | | | | even a relevant construct. |
| the blinders and stop seeing the decision to retire | | | | What's important to you? How can you make a |
| as "Yes/No". There are a whole lot of possibilities | | | | difference at that? Sometimes, the only way to |
| between those two extremes that might meet | | | | get it done is to do it as a job. Sometimes, it's so |
| your needs better. Explore them. | | | | important that it becomes the thing you want to |
| If you love your work and want to keep doing it | | | | do most, paid position or not. |
| on a smaller scale, there's probably a way. But | | | | We need to do better thinking about this before |
| even if what you've been doing to make money | | | | we leave work. We need to make better choices |
| isn't yet full of meaning, you can choose to make | | | | about how much leisure time is enough, both while |
| enjoyable work part of your retirement lifestyle. | | | | we are making plans and once we start to |
| We want time to do the things we haven't been | | | | implement them. A life of total leisure gets very |
| able to do while we were working, yes. We want | | | | boring. And when the economy starts to shake, |
| time to travel or garden or take care of | | | | it's also gets very scary. |
| grandkids, sure. Time for golf or kayaking. Yes, | | | | Add some work in the mix--at what you believe |
| we do want time. But the surprise many of us | | | | in and in a format that gives you the kind of |
| meet once we retire and start to do it is that it's | | | | flexibility you value--and you will weather the |
| not a full time replacement for what we were | | | | inevitable economic rollercoaster rides more easily. |
| doing. Often, there's time for more. Perhaps that | | | | And that's not just because you'll have money |
| more is "work." | | | | coming in. A big hunk of that reassurance will |
| New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof did a | | | | come from knowing that you are competent and |
| column about the potential of baby boomers to | | | | doing something worthwhile. |