Working after retirement

In the UK, some 20 - 25 % of the retired find themselves back at part time work within a year or two.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2556725.stm.

Research by Cornell University has shown that part time work for the retired makes them happier.

In a few yars, the companies will badly need the experience they are now sending home.

We have started a site for the retired wishing to work part time and for the companies seeking experienced people on a part time or project basis:

www.dinosaur-exchange.com

I think going back to work part time is probably wonderful for some folks. It's about my worst
nightmare. I really
admire people who continue to be productive job-wise
in their 70s and 80s, but I'd rather play.

John Galt

I think going back to work part time is probably wonderful for some folks. *It's about my worst
nightmare. * *I really
admire people who continue to be productive job-wise
in their 70s and 80s, *but I'd rather play.

John Galt

I agree. - When I left work the first year or two, this might have sounded good, but after being away for 3 plus years, it would also be a nightmare (I even have them once in awhile).

I don't even admire people that do it if they don't need the money. It just proves that they don't have a life.

[Nords]

.

[ulven]

I am very happy for you folks who are completely happy in your retirement. My point was that a significant percentage of the retired get a bit bored and seek back, but not for the money.

Glad to see a vigorous response either way.

By the way, I lost the link to Cornell in my first posting:

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases...ement.ssl.html

[MJ]

I don't even admire people that do it if they don't need the money. It just proves that they don't have a life.

Last week I cycled to work as usually and arrived at the warehouse entrance where I saw a covered body on the ground.
It was one of our drivers who normally arrives very early in the morning and sleeps in his car until he has to clock in. This time, he died in his sleep.
I was told that he could have retired several years ago but chose to work because he liked coming to work (friends, a familiar place, a paycheck). I guess some people see the time spent at work as an important part of their lives as others see travelling, fishing, gardening etc, as very important in their lives too.
As I understand it, he died very peacefully.

I, for one can't wait to vaminos muchachos in 2005.

MJ

[ulven]

I don't even admire people that do it if they don't need the money. It just proves that they don't have a life.

I have a friend who retired from a managerial position with a good pension.

He is now making his know-how available to small businesses in his neighbourhood (without payment). He enjoys the contacts and helping people.

No life ?

[unclemick]

Poor guy. Heh, heh, heh - I once foolishly posted a thread - 'The Perfect Retirement Spot' - picturing all ER's in the same mythical spot listening to Jimmy Buffett tunes.

Among other things - turns out Jimmy doesn't live there - he's too busy being a workaholic.

ER's are all over the map - I like the old stock broker ad:

Old phart and young guy on an Archeology dig - young guy bitching about pay, working conditions, etc and the old guy lets out that he was glad he could afford to retire so he could do this for fun.

[LovesLife]

I hope when I retire, I DON't ever have to return. Plus, I'm sure when I go, there will be bridges burned (unfortunately), making it impossible to work in this field again, in my area.


LovesLife

[dex]

Maybe if you are doing something because you want to and enjoy it; and not because you have to maybe it isn't work - is it play?

[ulven]

Bingo!

Yeah, it's "play", but I never felt that way in my working life.
I enjoyed a lot of my work, but now I can set my own
schedule, or ignore it altogether. Every day is pretty
much open to as much or as little planning as you wish.
Cut-Throat gets it. It's not so mcuh avoiding the work as it is having close to total control over how your time is spent. I was "top dog" in many working situations, but still at
the mercy of others agendas. All behind me now.

John Galt

[daystar]

One of my September 30th retirees left his government job (as a civil servant) only to accept a contracting job doing basically the same work for the government. He was really concerned about getting all of the money he is owed by the government because he needs it to pay his moving expenses to start his new job.

He got our standard retirement letter that starts .... "Congratulations on your retirement." Oh yeah, he's not working for fun. He told me he has some "financial obligations." Poor guy.

[grumpy]

One of my September 30th retirees left his government job (as a civil servant) only to accept a contracting job doing basically the same work for the government..

I retired from the gov't at age 55 on 2/22/02 and returned to work as a contractor on 3/4/02 at the same desk, working on the same tasks. The contractor position was a maximum of 3 days per week with no travel (my gov't job required 1 week of travel per month). In my case I decided to return because:

a. My wife had two more years to go until retirement as a teacher.

b. The contractor job paid me more for three days a week than the civil service job would have paid me for full time.

After a year I reduced my schedule to two days a week and I retired fully on Sept 30th. I have no plans to ever return to paid work.

That arrangement allowed me to make a gradual transition to full retirement. Now we are both retired and will be moving in Dec. to Virginia.

Some people may enjoy returning to work but I'm pretty sure I won't be one of them.

Grumpy

[Hyperborea]

Maybe if you are doing something because you want to and enjoy it; and not because you have to maybe it isn't work - is it play?

The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell -

Why not let the machine do the work and the men go and do something else. But presently the question arises, what else are they to do? Supposedly they are set free from 'work' in order that they may do something which is not 'work'. But what is work and what is not work? Is it work to dig, to carpenter, to plant trees, to fell trees, to ride, to fish, to hunt, to feed chickens, to play the piano, to take photographs, to build a house, to cook, to sew, to trim hats, to mend motor bicycles? All of these things are work to somebody, and all of them are play to somebody. There are in fact very few activities which cannot be classed either as work or play according as you choose to regard them. The labourer set free from digging may want to spend his leisure, or part of it, in playing the piano, while the professional pianist may be only too glad to get out and dig at the potato patch.

[MJ]

Good quote from The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell.

As beauty, is in the eye of the beholder,
so work, is a perception of the beholder.

What I currently do 9 to 5PM, I perceive as work so I can't wait to ER.

MJ