Retirement will not be my life’s work...

Igrew up in a generation where you had a job for life, where men were the breadwinners and they retired at 65. I remember my parents and their friends dreaming about when they would retire and how they were working for their pension.

To me, the way people talked about retirement felt like it was the only reason to work, as if work itself was a punishment. Then you’d be rewarded with days filled with doing the things you loved – golf, cruises, gardening, travelling, lie-ins.

It did sound idyllic back then. Now, not so much.

Hubby Steve and I have never had a retirement conversation and we don’t even think about a day when we won’t work. Maybe that is because we are self-employed, so we are more in control of when we want to work and how often.

We also love what we do. Don’t get me wrong – with any work there are ups and downs, and being self-employed is very risky: there are no paid sick days, holiday or maternity cover. Ultimately, you get out what you put in. But the thought of not working does not sit well.

Working, in whatever capacity, has given me a sense of purpose. From being a Saturday girl during my student days to running my own little business, I wake up knowing that I have things to do.

There is a routine that gets me out of the house and throws me into

the world. Work has also given me a financial independence that my mother’s generation never really experienced and, as a result, I am not dependent on my partner. I can dictate what I spend money on.

It’s that financial freedom that I would find hard to throw away. I like making my own money and it gives me self-respect.

Working also gives meaning to my life and from that comes opportunities that can lead to amazing life experiences.

Through work, I have met lots of incredible people from different cultures, backgrounds, religions, ages and sexual orientations who have made me a more informed, open- minded and, hopefully, interesting person. With all these benefits of working, orking,o is it any wonder that one million more over-50s are working part-time part-ptime compared with withw a decade ago?

Stuart Lewis, wis,w founder of RestR Rest Less, which sets older people up with age-approro-r priate jobs, says ysy the idea of a cold turkey retireetirement is being einge shunned in favour vourv of a gradual shift hifth via part- time mem working.

Of course there hereh are many retired redr people who are happy to ease off offo and are pleased with their lot and are living the retirement dream. eam.e And plenty who are hating ngn having to still work to pay the heh bills.

But for others, rs,r after the initial few years of lie-ins, -ins, 11am G&Ts and holidays, boredom, boredom,b loneliness, depression ono and a lack of purpose creeps s in.

I’ve seen it t with some people who opted ptedp for early retirement back ckc in the day.

As we’re living ngn longer, with smaller pension ono pots, and with more part-time rt-rtime work up for grabs, manym many people are redefining retirement. retirement.r

Maybe working kingk for longer is no bad thing g after all.