Customers at a banking hall. The Central Bank’s Monetary Policy
Committee meets Tuesday amid high interest rates charged on commercial
bank loans. FILE
A retiree learns to reinvent what she misses most from the office
My friend Jeff got a little glimpse into
retirement a few years ago when he was between jobs. He didn't really
care for it. He loved the problem-solving challenges that his work as a
data analyst provided. He said it was like solving puzzles all day long.
When he stopped working, he missed those puzzles.
When I was getting ready to retire
from my career in finance, I didn't think there was anything I was going
to miss about my work. Not the deadlines, not the stress, not the
feeling of dread on Sunday nights. It turns out Jeff was onto something,
though. After I retired, I found out there were quite a few things I
loved about my job: the socializing, being absorbed in my work, the
excitement of learning something new. It's taken a few years, but I have
finally figured out how to re-create all of these things in my
retirement.
Here's what I've done.
The Water Cooler
It
will come as no surprise to my former employer that the thing I liked
most about my job was the chance to socialize with my work friends every
day. Over our morning coffee, we would debate such vital matters as who
should get voted off "American Idol." After Thanksgiving, we'd compare
family horror stories. We would argue politics over glasses of wine on
Friday afternoons. I'll even admit to some workplace gossip behind the
closed door of my office from time to time.
Sean Kelly
When I first retired, I learned
pretty quickly that it was too much to expect my husband to fill that
huge gap left by the lack of co-workers in my life. Over morning coffee
when I was talking politics, he was more interested in the sports page. I
missed the audience I had for my stories. And I even missed the office
gossip.
So I created a virtual water
cooler by starting a blog. When I share a story with the folks who are
part of my blog community, they chime in with their stories. They argue
politics with me, even though my blog has nothing to do with politics.
They send me emails describing the challenges they are facing in
retirement, and it feels just like hanging out with my old work buddies
at the office. I've even had the opportunity to meet some of my blog
friends in person.
Engagement
There
are definitely things I don't miss about the office. Work could be
stress-filled some days, and boring on others. Some days I would look
back and have no idea what on earth I had even accomplished. But on a
really good day, I was so engaged that when I looked up at the clock, I
would realize I missed lunch an hour ago. The day would just fly by.
Many
of the things I busy myself with now don't necessarily engage my full
attention. While I'm gardening, I'm thinking about what errands I need
to run. When I'm reading a book, my mind wanders to planning our next
trip. When I'm out for a walk, I'm reliving a debate I watched on cable
news the night before.
But when I
practice the piano, I am 100% there; I don't think about anything else
except the task at hand. I might work on the same eight measures until I
get it perfectly right, and then look up and see that it's been two
hours and I forgot to eat lunch. It's just like one of those really good
days at work; the hours fly by because I'm doing something I'm totally
engaged in.
Camaraderie
The
feeling of being part of a team was one of the hardest things to
re-create. From time to time, I'm actually jealous of the characters in
my favorite TV shows. Take "Newsroom," for example. I know they are
fictional people, but every time I watch that show, I wish I worked with
those newsroom staffers. Sure, it's a stress-filled environment,
there's often tension between co-workers, and the pace would probably
kill me. But they are all working together for a common goal. And the
thing they all work together to create is something they can be proud of
at the end of the night.
After I
retired, I wasn't part of a team again until I started volunteering. A
fellow retiree had advised me not to take on any big commitments during
my first year of retirement—no dogs, no volunteer jobs. One year turned
to two, and then somehow five, before I finally joined the finance
committee of an educational nonprofit. The staff there inspires me with
their passion and energy. After our meetings, I'm energized and so proud
of what they are accomplishing. It would make for a boring TV show, but
I am enjoying my supporting role.
Learning Something New
Days
on which I learned something new were highlights of my old life. The
truth is, those days were becoming more and more rare. That happens when
you have the same job for 18 years.
But
in retirement, when you learn something new, it doesn't have to relate
to your profession. Instead of learning new tax laws or accounting
rules, I've taken classes in photography, writing, music theory,
nonprofit operations, retirement planning and angel investing.
Working With Numbers
I
guess you can take the accountant out of the job, but you're still left
with an accountant. I always loved working with numbers and
spreadsheets. But now it's for my own "business," the business of
retirement.
I regularly update my
elaborate retirement spreadsheet, rebalance my investments, and pore
over our budget vs. spending numbers. I do understand that some people
wouldn't view this as fun.
***
Of
course, your list will be different. My friend Pam loved being the
expert that everyone called for help with tech problems when she was
working. Now she does that for her neighborhood homeowners association.
My friend Kendra loves the creative aspects of teaching, so she's
yearning for more time to paint pictures when she retires.
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