Modern Retirement: More Choice Than Ever
It’s not your parents’ or grandparents’ retirement anymore.
Back then, many companies had mandatory retirement ages. You worked until sixty-five, got the gold watch, and settled into a rocking chair until the end.
Today, retirement looks different. You get to design it yourself.
Maybe you’re not ready to stop working altogether. You enjoy your work—it gives you energy and purpose—but you’d like more freedom and fewer hours.
That’s where part-time work comes in.
Ready to learn more about the option of part-time work during retirement?
Why “Cliff-Edge” Retirement Often Doesn’t Work
For many people, retirement feels like falling off a cliff. One day you’re working full-time; the next, it’s over.
The sudden loss of structure, purpose, status, colleagues, and income can be jarring.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Retirement no longer has to be an all-or-nothing proposition.
Part-time work offers a gentler, more flexible transition.
Retirement coaches Roberta Taylor & Dorian Mintzer wrote about this option in their book, The Couple’s Retirement Puzzle:
“Some people are choosing to work less or in different ways and slowly ‘phase’ into their retirement, rather than totally retire from their work.”
There are many benefits to part-time work rather than a cliff-edge retirement.
Five Ways Part-Time Work Eases the Transition Into Retirement
1. Fewer Money Worries
Most retirees worry about money, even if they have more than enough to last their lifetime.
After decades of saving, it can feel uncomfortable to start spending down those savings.
Part-time work helps ease that mental shift by providing a steady income—and a little extra peace of mind.
2. Maintains Social Connections
One of the biggest losses in retirement is social connection.
When people leave the workplace, they often lose daily contact with colleagues and friends. Friendships frequently don’t continue after retirement.
Working part-time helps maintain those relationships while giving you time to build new ones outside of work—so when you fully retire, your social circle is already strong.
3. Keeps Purpose and Meaning
For many, work is more than a paycheck—it’s a source of identity, purpose, and contribution.
When they leave their careers, that sense of purpose and meaning disappears, and there’s a real sense of loss.
Part-time work lets you maintain that sense of purpose while still enjoying the freedom of partial retirement.
I work part-time doing administrative tasks for a friend who is a Creator. I’ve followed him for many years, and appreciated and benefited from his work. By working part-time for him, I contribute to his work. This gives me a sense of purpose in supporting a friend and helping him to help many others.
4. Recovery From Burnout
By the time retirement arrives, many people are burned out from their careers
Moving directly from full-time burnout to full stop can lead to poor decisions about what comes next.
Working part-time gives you space to rest, recover, reflect, and then make better decisions about your retirement.
Financial advisor and retirement coach Tony Dixon has seen clients make poor decisions while experiencing burnout. He suggests in his book, Retirement Stepping Stones:
“One thing that may help pre-retirees who are burned out… is to consider working part time before stopping completely.”
5. Eases the Retirement Transition
Retirement brings enormous change—financial, social, and emotional.
By providing income, maintaining social connections and purpose, and time to recover from burnout, working part-time lessens that impact and spreads change out over time. It makes the transition smoother and less overwhelming.
Explore Your Options for Part-Time Work
If you’re not ready to leave your work and career for good, but would like to work less and have more freedom, working part-time is an option.
Actions you can take before retirement to explore part-time work:
- Talk to your employer about the possibility of part-time work.
- If part-time work at your job isn’t an option, see what opportunities there might be in the local job market.
- If you’re self-employed, explore options to gradually reduce hours while mentoring and training a new owner for your business.
You’d be surprised at the opportunities for part-time employment that might exist.
Don’t assume that because you’re older, no one will value you. Many employers value the experience and expertise that you bring to the job.
Take the first step; consider your opportunities and possibilities for part-time work, and ask about it.
AI Note: I wrote this blog post myself, using my own words and thoughts for the initial draft. I used AI only to suggest headlines, section headings, images, and text improvements.
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