Work Post Half Retirement

Work Post half Retirement

In the last post I talked about what my Monday schedule looks like over the last year as I have pulled away from work. Monday, however, is a non work day. So I thought I might describe what a typical Tuesday has in store. Like all weekdays, the pace is rather leisurely. I figure that I get a lot done, but feel none of that pang I used to feel when I thought time was slipping away from me. Work post half retirement feels refreshingly easy and pleasant.

I see no reason to sprint towards full retirement. It would probably lessen my sense of fulfillment and overall enjoyment. Take money out of the equation, I would be in the exact same place.

Morning

Tuesdays, like Mondays, start at 4:45 am. In a similar fashion, I wake up, catch up on social media, and then read for a good half hour. By 5:45 am my wife awakens and we exercise for the day. I usually do the step machine while she does a video.

After getting a good sweat worked up, I eat breakfast, shower, and leave the house for the morning. If the weather is nice, I might stop at a local outdoor mall and take a thirty minute walk. It is a great time to turn on some classical music, or zone out to a podcast.

I arrive to the office for my Tuesday hospice meetings early. I gather all my papers together, and sit in a sun filled room and get to busy work. Work post half retirement is strangely laid back and relaxed. I love to do the mindless stuff before everyone arrives.

If I finish early, I may pull open my book for a few mintues before the rest of my colleagues trickle in.

By 9:30 am my first meeting starts. When that one ends, I have another that takes me till about 1 pm. The meetings are collegial and filled with both laughter and tears. Dealing with the dead and dying everyday requires both.

Noon

Yesterday we finished my meeting a bit early. I ran home, ate some lunch, and then swung over to the local high school to pick up my son from summer school. It was his first day as an official (pre) high school student.

Then I had about thirty minutes to meditate and practice for an upcoming keynote talk. By 2:30 pm, I was rushing out the door to walk over to my daughter’s camp and pick her up. She was in a good mood and we chatted amiably on the way home.

Before I knew it, it was 4:00 pm and we were already starting to think about dinner. I read a few more chapters, made a home made pizza, and waited for my wife to finish work.

Work post half retirement only takes up a small part of my day. The rest can be filled with other things.

Evening

After dinner, my wife and I took an hour walk to decompress from the (lack of) stress from the day. We chatted about the kids, future travel plans, and countless other subjects like our jobs and our lives.

Not much happens in my household after 7:00 pm. We mess around with the kids, watch TV, and catch up on anything else that needs doing.

By 10:30 pm I was already on my way back into bed. Alarm set and ready for whatever the next day will bring.

Final Thoughts

Work post half retirement is a radical departure from my previous life. There is much less time consumed, less stress, and more joy. Work becomes more of an afterthought as opposed to the other way around.

I still enjoy putting in a few hours.

I just do it in a far more pleasing manner.