| As an early "Baby Boomer" ie, one of those human | | | | you'll meet hundreds of interesting people and |
| beings born in the period after World War II and until | | | | perhaps enjoy the socialisation. If you were a taxi |
| the early 1960s, I've been giving a lot of thought | | | | driver, perhaps get a job registering vehicles for a car |
| during the last few years about how much longer I | | | | dealer on a commission basis. Whatever you do, find |
| will work and what I'll do after I retire. It could be a | | | | something you enjoy and do as many or as few |
| dilemma; on the one hand, after 46 years at work, | | | | hours as you wish or your employer will allow. My |
| I've had enough working for an employer 8am to | | | | Uncle was almost 80 and washed dishes at a Chinese |
| 5pm every day except Saturday and Sunday. On the | | | | cafe a couple of lunch times per week. A friend is in |
| other hand, I'm in good health and don't want to give | | | | his mid-sixties and does occasional driving jobs for |
| work away just to spend the remainder of my days | | | | visiting celebrities. Another in his sixties works one |
| pottering about in the garden. So what's the | | | | day per week taking bets for a bookmaker.Work |
| solution?First, I've changed my mind about the idea | | | | from home: There are literally thousands of jobs you |
| of retirement. To me retirement is a dirty word. It | | | | can do from home including earning money on the |
| means leaving work and hanging around waiting to | | | | Internet as an affiliate, drop-shipper or Ebay seller. |
| die. After all, isn't that what people do? They leave | | | | You could run a book exchange or look after the |
| work and after a few years pottering about, die. The | | | | homes of people who are on holidays or out of |
| certainty of death is very good at creating focus. It's | | | | town. You could walk someone's dog, water their |
| not that we morbidly focus on it all the time, but that | | | | plants, feed their animals, pick up their dry cleaning. |
| we know it's getting closer and need to make the | | | | There are really endless opportunities to make |
| most of what time we have left. I'm thinking more | | | | money. And if you are doing it more to keep active |
| and more each day of "refocusing" instead of | | | | than to put food on your table, it can be |
| "retiring".My idea in refocusing is to give my employer | | | | fun.Research a topic of interest: If you have always |
| the flick and then do something I enjoy that will keep | | | | wanted to know something about the Norwegian |
| me active, alert, and perhaps bring in some | | | | pink-tailed swan, do some research and perhaps put |
| supplementary income. Rather than refocus on one | | | | your findings into an ebook for sale on the Internet. |
| activity, which is rather like leaving one job for | | | | Or just enjoy the research and keep your knowledge |
| another, I'm working on diversifying my activities. I | | | | to yourself.Take a trip: Among all of your other |
| believe a balance of perhaps charity work - giving | | | | activities, take time to take a trip somewhere you |
| back something to society, running a small Internet | | | | have always wanted to visit. You don't have to go |
| business, and some short-term, part-time work will | | | | for two years, you can go for a few weeks and go |
| suit me. I want to choose how much time I devote | | | | more often. Travel provides a good break from your |
| to anything I do.If you are a Baby Boomer like me, | | | | routine and is good for self renewal if you are feeling |
| why not think about refocusing instead of | | | | as if you are in a rut.Do nothing: That's right, do |
| retiring?Here are some suggestions for a balanced | | | | nothing for at least part of your week. Sit in a chair |
| refocusing:Do some gardening: Gardening can be | | | | and listen to some nice music. Dream some pleasant |
| relaxing if you enjoy being outdoors. It also gives a | | | | dreams, read a good book, watch a television show, |
| sense of pleasure and achievement seeing a prize | | | | or simply doze off and have a good rest. Or perhaps |
| rose blossom into a beautiful work of art, sculpted | | | | have a half bottle of red wine and then doze off, it |
| by the hands of an unknown master designer. Your | | | | will be much easier!Whatever you do, don't retire and |
| house will look special as your efforts start to pay | | | | sit around waiting for the Grim Reaper. The more |
| off. Choose a time of day that is suitable to you to | | | | you wait, the quicker he will arrive. Make a decision |
| avoid excessive heat or cold, sunburn or being run | | | | now to refocus and plan to do a range of tasks that |
| over by peak hour traffic. Maybe start off with half | | | | will keep you physically well, mentally healthy, and if |
| hour per day and increase it if you want to.Work for | | | | possible, add to your income. For all we know, we |
| a charity: Find a charitable organisation that suits you | | | | only have one life ... don't waste a single minute of |
| and volunteer to deliver books to older people, | | | | it.Make every minute count!Copyright 2005 Robin |
| deliver Meals on Wheels, do some menial tasks about | | | | HenryRobin Henry is an educator, human resources |
| the houses of the elderly, or find someone who'd like | | | | specialist and Internet marketer who sells his own |
| you to read to them once or twice per week. This | | | | ebooks and a range of affiliate software and other |
| will get you out of your house, away from your | | | | digital media. He helps small to middle-sized businesses |
| spouse (if you have one), and enable you to feel | | | | and individuals improve performance by accessing |
| good about helping someone who needs and | | | | smart technology and processes and personal |
| appreciates your help. Remember that one day you | | | | development. He runs his business from Alice Springs, |
| may need someone to help you.Do some part-time | | | | Central Australia. More information about money |
| paid work: This need not be in the area in which you | | | | earning opportunities for retirees of others who stay |
| have spent your life's work. If you were a rocket | | | | at home can be found at Internet Marketing Offer |
| scientist, get a job as a doorman at a hotel or club, | | | | and Super Affiliate Handbook respectively. |