Many baby boomers like me have worked for decades with remnants of our parents’ idealized view of “retirement.”
Leisurely coffee in the morning, a round of golf for those with a stock portfolio, a trip to Wal-Mart in the middle of the afternoon (before our nap) for the rest of us, and a steady stream of movies and books that never fit into our work-life schedules.
On the other hand, most of us have kept in good physical shape by riding the wave of FITNESS that swept through our adult decades. And we often have a well-developed social consciousness that seeks outlets in volunteerism or part-time work for causes that interest us.
In either case, retirement provides us more options and a wider view than our parents knew or perhaps even wanted. Their perspective seemed to focus on sitting on the couch with feet up and the remote close enough to fight over. Maybe that trip to Wal-Mart stuck in the middle to get out of the house. Life in the wider framework of society was over, though.
Not too appealing to folks like me. But I’m finding that there is a bigger problem, one no one ever warned me about.
As someone who has had to work my entire adult life, HOW do I stop? I’m been working as an independent contractor for many years, so I’ve been at home at my computer within reach of my bed and the frig. And the hot tub. I’m used to being at home most of the time anyway, but I know it’s time to cut back on trying to find new sources of income, new ventures, new outlets for my creative side. Believe me, it’s time.
Actually STOPPING is the problem.
I’m writing this, aren’t I?
The trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off.
Abe Lemons