2nd careers can replace retirement’s boredom
He was welcomed to work each day by a group of co-workers who marveled at his enthusiasm, strong work ethic and commitment to the company for which he worked. He rarely missed work and the customers loved him. His accumulated experience and wisdom coupled with his ability to see complex issues in a broad perspective more than made up for his inability to perform certain tasks such as heavy lifting, climbing stairs and working a lot of overtime.
When he retired, at age 65, he started playing golf several times a week, met the “fellows” for coffee each morning at the local coffee shop and volunteered at the hospital and library three days a week. All of these activities filled his time and made him feel “busy”. However, something was missing.
His decision to return to work at age 70 came as a result of a retirement portfolio which was reduced by the stock market decline along with the feeling that retirement left him without much purpose in life. He missed the opportunity to be a regular, daily part of a team effort. His schedule in retirement gave him a great deal of freedom to do as he pleased but, he began to realize that a regular job provided him with structure and routine that helped him sleep better, not snack and overeat as much and achieve a sense of continuity from day to day and week to week.
A significant change in attitude toward retirement has occurred in this country over the past few years. Those who saw “the golden years” as a time to leave the workforce and make room for the younger generation is decreasing.
Employers are also adding to this picture by their growing willingness to hire older workers. Also, the change in social security laws making it possible to work and also draw full social security benefits has changed the attitude of many second and third career employees.
Following are some things to consider for those considering a second career:
• Many companies are actively recruiting older adults because of their dedication, experience and strong work ethic. Many companies realize that “life experience” is worth a lot. Older workers are often invaluable because their ability to teach the younger employees the kind of knowledge that can’t be gained from training manuals or seminars.
• Rejoining the workforce often gives the older worker a chance to increase socialization, reduce boredom and grasp a new sense of purpose in life. Staying busy if you enjoy what you are doing can make retirement rewarding, however, staying busy with “busy work” can lead to boredom.
Retirement can be a very rewarding experience for many individuals, especially when planned for in advance. For others, not retiring or going back to work after a period of retirement is a better way to stay happy and healthy in the second half of life.
