For many people, retirement can be a real shock to the system. Decades of a set routine, purpose and aims set for you suddenly gone. If you’re lucky enough to have a lot of plans for your retirement then you can kick those into high gear. On the other hand, if you’re unsure where to get started with all your free time then keeping one foot in your profession as you walk off into the sunset is a great way to keep your mind and body occupied while you plan ahead and ease the transition.
Not only this, but this is also a way of keeping a few quid coming in every week. Many people struggle with can’t live life to the fullest just on their pension so this is a way of making up the extra funds so you CAN get stuck into your retirement plans, whatever they might be.
Go Part-Time
For a number of roles, working part-time is entirely feasible. Especially if you’ve spent many years building up an expert level in your line of work and a strong network of contacts. Working part-time in consultancy or advisory roles is a great way to stay up-to-date with the developments of your industry, continue to contribute to it and earn a little extra here and there. More flexibility is available to if you become self-employed and can choose your projects, hours and who to work for around your well earned time off.
Volunteer
Not a money spinner this one but volunteering is a great way to stay in the working world and contributing to something bigger than yourself. This can take you all over the country and, indeed, all over the world too, giving you a fulfilling experience and making a difference as well as keeping your professional skills well tuned.
Downsize
Similarly to going part-time, downsizing your workload and hours on the way into retirement and for the first few months means you can work at your own level, pace and choosing only the jobs you wish. Great for tradesmen, turning your skills into a smaller, more local and less stressful situation is still an earner while leaving you the flexibility to sink your teeth into retirement as well.
Teach
No need to take loads of extra training to become a teacher, or do the hard slog to become a university professor but you can still pass along what you know to up and comers. Working as a teacher at evening or weekend classes in your line of work can earn you money and give you a new angle to the type of work you’ve been doing for years. For a few nights a week and giving you a break through the summer, teaching is a way of honing the next generations in your job or helping others at later stages in life to make a career change. You’ve been working in it for years after all, who better to learn from?
Events
Conferences, workshops and courses in all lines of work are going on all the time all over the place. You need not work full-time, or at all, but can still sign up to attend events aimed at people in your profession. It’s great for networking, expanding your knowledge and easing your transition into full-time retirement. Trade shows, talks and other sorts of events bring people from all walks of life together to look into your specific line of work and push the boundaries of what you already know about it.
Retirement Living
Many people are apprehensive about the vacuum that retirement living might bring with it after so many years of hard work and dedication. As with anything, people need adjustment time and wind-down time with their jobs, especially after all that time. Ease the transition then and use some of these steps to keep one foot in your profession until you’re ready to hit the ground running in full-time retirement.
