Back to Work
More than a year of work is coming to an end this weekend.
Last January I returned to work full time to help with a major system upgrade. In the last nine months I've averaged more than forty hours per week but the end is in sight.
Last night, Wednesday, at midnight the system was taken down and the upgrade began. Various staff members will be working around the clock for the next four days. I'm scheduled to be at work Saturday morning at 5:00 AM and will finish at 11:30 PM. Sunday morning I'll be back in my office at 6:00 AM for the final checkout. By 5:00 PM Sunday, if all goes according to schedule, the system will be back up.
I've enjoyed this project. At the start I thought working full time would be difficult. I was mistaken. I've adjusted and it's been OK. Recently I was asked if I wanted to return to 24 hours per week but I declined.
A few weeks ago Julie, who has worked half time for the last several years, was approached about going full time. For various reasons she decided to accept the opportunity and will start January 1.
Before the end of the year I'll reach my full retirement age. According to my calculations we have enough saved to provide for ourselves but I've been rethinking retirement. A few years ago I read the book Blue Zones and one statement has been nagging me: "The Okinawans have no word for retirement". That was a reminder that "retirement" is a recent invention. It may not be a good invention.
I enjoy my job, being part of a campus, observing young people and being energized by the activities, events and an atmosphere of life.
At the moment I think I'll pitch the word "retirement" out of my vocabulary and continue to work 32 or 40 hours for a few more years.
Last January I returned to work full time to help with a major system upgrade. In the last nine months I've averaged more than forty hours per week but the end is in sight.
Last night, Wednesday, at midnight the system was taken down and the upgrade began. Various staff members will be working around the clock for the next four days. I'm scheduled to be at work Saturday morning at 5:00 AM and will finish at 11:30 PM. Sunday morning I'll be back in my office at 6:00 AM for the final checkout. By 5:00 PM Sunday, if all goes according to schedule, the system will be back up.
I've enjoyed this project. At the start I thought working full time would be difficult. I was mistaken. I've adjusted and it's been OK. Recently I was asked if I wanted to return to 24 hours per week but I declined.
A few weeks ago Julie, who has worked half time for the last several years, was approached about going full time. For various reasons she decided to accept the opportunity and will start January 1.
Before the end of the year I'll reach my full retirement age. According to my calculations we have enough saved to provide for ourselves but I've been rethinking retirement. A few years ago I read the book Blue Zones and one statement has been nagging me: "The Okinawans have no word for retirement". That was a reminder that "retirement" is a recent invention. It may not be a good invention.
I enjoy my job, being part of a campus, observing young people and being energized by the activities, events and an atmosphere of life.
At the moment I think I'll pitch the word "retirement" out of my vocabulary and continue to work 32 or 40 hours for a few more years.
posted by Paul at 5:11 AM
3 Comments:
You need to do what brings you fulfillment and joy. If that's work, then go for it. I know that you realize that retirement is just from work and not from life. I don't think too many Okinawans worked in offices and factories. :)
I heard a long time ago that we ought to think in terms of retirement as meaning a different type of work and/or less intense work. I always thought that made sense.
I recently talked to my "boss" about possibly retiring. He thought I seemed stressed and really didn't want to; that perhaps I just wanted to work less. And from what he said, that was okay to do. So, for now, that IS what I am planning.
Very insightful!
I never considered concept of retirement and the fact that it is a recent creation.
PS. Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life! ;-)
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