Recently I met up with a retired college administrator. When
I asked her how she likes retirement she said, “I love retirement! Everyday is like
Saturday and Sunday.” Retirement communities that advertise, “Living here is like
having a 365-day vacation” promote this same outlook on retirement.
Maybe there is something wrong with me, but neither of these
options sounds appealing.
If every day is a weekend, then where is the sweetness of
Friday evening? It’s the contrast between challenging work and time off that
make Saturday and Sunday so special. I have to earn the weekend for these days to be special.
I’m also not interested in every day being a vacation day. I
know from research (and from my own experience) that I can achieve more lasting
satisfaction from the challenges of work than from lying on the beach day after
day.
So, is there another way to view this next stage of life as
more than a weekend or one long vacation?
I found an answer to this question when I was at Barnes
& Noble last week and ran into a former colleague. When I asked if she had
the day off from work, she said, “I’m taking a personal day. I really need it.”
Interestingly I noticed that she was spending her personal
day (PD) the same way I was spending my “retirement day.” We were both enjoying a good cup of coffee
(mocha light for me), reading an inspiring book, researching a future business
idea, and overall—savoring the day. This is when I got the idea that instead of
viewing retirement as one long weekend or vacation, I want to regard retirement
days as personal days.
Consider the factors that set PDs apart from another workday,
or vacation and weekend.
PDs are usually limited—if you’re lucky, your employer
grants you three PDs each year, and you use them or lose them. This creates a
sense of value for these days.
PDs may be for relaxation, but they’re also used to pursue
future opportunities or goals. Throughout my career I’ve used PDs to go to job
interviews, to present a keynote speech for my emerging consulting business,
and to run a marathon.
How have you used your PDs? Take out a piece of paper and make
a list. Notice the diverse ways in which you’ve spent this limited resource—it’s
usually more than an ordinary weekend event or one of many vacation days.
We might not think of our days as “use them or lose them”
but in truth, this is the case. If you’re not attracted to a lifetime of
weekends or vacation days, then view every day as a “Personal Day” and see how
richly rewarding your retirement years can be.
