Going Back To Work: Things I Learned

Today, many of our fellow boomers have different approaches to the idea of "work" after retirement. One of my dearest friends has decided that she wants to stay in the field that she worked in actively for 35 years, but now she wants to use her expertise by working as a free-lance consultant. Others I know retire from their jobs, only to start off in another whole new direction by taking on work that is radically different from their earlier chosen vocations. When I retired, I felt the need to leave behind that particular world of work that had been my life-long passion in order to have an opportunity to pursue what some might call less "serious" pursuits and to develop areas of knowledge that remained uncultivated for many years.

I did go back to work for about three weeks this winter. My motivations for doing this were to help out my former employer and also to make a little extra cash that might be used either to help finance a trip that I otherwise couldn’t afford or to pay for the unexpected costs of an emergency home repair, i.e., digging up a portion of my front yard to replace a sewage pipe that had become clogged with roots and that caused my washing machine to back up and flood my basement. Isn’t there always something or someone waiting to help us spend our money?

My obligation to work was only for about 13 days plus one half day of training and so, even though I had a perfectly dreadful time getting out of bed at 5:30 a.m., I knew that this was only temporary and therefore, I could stand it. However, I was more than a little surprised to find out how totally exhausted I was the first day back to work, working all day, non-stop for seven hours. I guess that tells me something about my new “cushy” lifestyle as a retiree, doesn’t it? I came home that first day and literally crashed. My mind and my feet were numb and I was totally unable to focus on anything more demanding than removing my shoes and my clothes and sliding into my soft, warm, welcoming bed.

Eventually, as the days progressed, I was able to leave work and still accomplish personal tasks such as doing some grocery shopping or going out with friends for dinner. In other words, my body did re-adapt to the work environment. And I did earn about $1,600 that will come in handy in accomplishing those home repairs and / or travel plans that I mentioned earlier.

Beyond the financial rewards, the more interesting aspect of my return to work is the observation I made of less concrete but equally noteworthy positive outcomes. The first thing I can say is that my brief sojourn back in the work world definitely validated my decision to retire in June 2008. I am so much happier since the burdens of work-related responsibilities have been lifted from my shoulders. The freedom afforded by retirement is one of the greatest gifts I have ever earned and something I have frequently spoken about in this blog. Yes, I definitely enjoyed seeing some of my former colleagues and reconnecting with them on a social level. It was comforting to share in the joy of new babies that had been born as well as in the grief of the loss of family members. We were a team in many ways and I liked the feeling of being a part of a team that is working to make a difference. Retirement is a much more solitary lifestyle. However, I knew immediately that I no longer belonged there in an administrative or supervisory capacity. That was simply too taxing and I felt like I’d been there—done that! What I did enjoy most was the one-on-one contact with the students with whom I was working and the satisfaction of helping them to perform academically. This was a very positive validation of my 34-year career in education and a reminder of the good fortune I had to spend my life working in a profession that I loved.


I'm sure that I will go back again next year and put in my three weeks' worth of work (if they still want me); it was satisfying and engaging. But for the remaining 11 1/4 months of the year, I wouldn't trade my retirement for anything.


In closing, if you are considering a return to the work environment, I encourage you to think long and hard about your long term goals and the pro’s and con’s of giving up what you now have as a retiree. Share your thoughts and experiences with me and other blog readers if you desire.

New Friends and Fellow Bloggers

Congratulate me. It appears that I am now a bona fide member of the digital age networking system of communicators. What is the evidence that allows me to declare such an honor, you may ask? That evidence is the new friends I have made via technology, i.e., through my blog. If you have been reading this blog, you know that readers are invited to share their insights and to provide feedback to the topics that I write about. The essence of blogging is two-fold: to provide an outlet for self-expression and an avenue for communication. To accomplish self-expression, just the pure act of purposeful writing is enough. However, to accomplish the goal of communication, there needs to be meaningful two-way communication with another living human being.

It is no surprise to learn that I am not the only retired person out there who has developed a penchant for blogging. However, what is particularly delightful is to find a fellow retiree blogger who shares a very similar perspective on retirement. And, to make the discovery even more delightful is to find a fellow retiree blogger who lives all the way on the other side of the world in Australia. That is one of the exciting outcomes of digital networking. It can and does make the world smaller. Don’t get me wrong. I love all the people who share their comments on my blog (e.g., Swan’s Wing among others). But to find someone from Australia who shares this enthusiasm for the new life that we can create for ourselves in retirement is very rewarding. His blog is titled Paybacktime. Don’t you love that title? This one word captures the way I feel about my retirement. This is the time of life when I get my reward for 34 years of non-stop, hard work and obsessive commitment to my job.

To review, my initial goals for retirement were to participate in activities that challenged me cognitively, physically and socially. I also included the concept of engagement in a cause that is bigger than myself as being necessary to keep me focused and centered. According to the author of Paybacktime, the mantra for successful retirement can be summed up in three words: purpose, relationships and health.

I couldn’t agree more. What he calls a “sense of purpose” could be my own personal mantra for living. Paybacktime also cited research studies which have shown how a sense of purpose can actually lengthen your life—just as participation in physical activity and continued learning have been shown to promote both mental and physical health. I haven’t yet addressed the issue of emotional well-being in my blog, but I refer readers to the latest PBS series on “This Emotional Life” as evidence of the importance of close emotional support as a critical factor in happiness.

So, my thanks to Paybacktime in Australia. http://www.paybacktime.com.au/ And my best wishes to everyone reading. May you follow your dreams; get involved; try something new; reach out to a friend; take a walk; and eat well!