THE INTERN: Planning to Work in Retirement

There is a new film coming out this week called THE INTERN. Based on the preview we saw, we have added it to our list of  films to see.  Robert De Niro plays a recent retiree who REWIRES. He wants to be doing something he enjoys: work.  His character gets an opportunity to be an intern at a start up.    The film gives humorous and factual insight into today's work environment.  It's still competitive, challenging, and more complex than ever. Technology requires learning something new almost daily.  However it is also becoming more intergenerational.  People of all ages are learning from each other.  Now that's a novel idea!

If you are thinking of going back to work in some fashion, there are some things you need to consider.  Working in retirement today means you can become an intern, a part or full time employee, be a consultant or start your own business....finally doing something you love.

It’s key for you to think about some basic questions before you jump in....half of the time people say they want to work or want new work options, but don't know what it is they want; can't tell others who would like what they want to do, nor do they have an elevator speech ready to go to explain what they want to do.!

We need other people to help us uncover opportunities so we need to make sure--- coming out of the gate--- that we have our act together! We need to be mentally and physically prepared to help others, so they can help us!

Here are some tips to get you thinking. Many of them are pretty basic…in fact you may think they're so obvious that they should be second nature, and you'd be right! But the obvious is often overlooked.

1. Know WHY you want to work in retirement. (For pay, intellectual stimulation, community, for driver fulfillment?)
2. Think broadly about possible work options (for wages, for a fee, for free by volunteering, being a consultant, starting your own business, working for someone else?)
3. Determine how you want to work: Part time/full time/flex/seasonal
4.Visualize your "dream" job or situation. What would it look like
5.Keep your technology skills up to date
6. Review past accomplishments to get a sense of work you like
7. Identify the skills you want to use and needs you want to fulfill
8. Test market a work idea.  Start with an internship or shadow someone doing the job
9. Create a concise, short 2 minute elevator "job you want" speech (This tells your network what kind of work you want to pursue)
10.Stay RELEVANT physically, mentally, socially.

How old do you think you are?

How we see ourselves in the mirror is often misleading.  If you are having a bad day, you think you look older than you really are.  If you are having a good day, you think you look younger. Makes sense, doesn't it. We have a friend who has created a formula that he uses when he looks in the mirror.  Here is how he describes it: "Up until I was 45, every time I looked in the mirror, I saw myself as 28.  But once I hit 45, I saw myself as 35.  When I hit 50, it jumped to 40.  At 60, it went to 45. I just turned 70, so now I see myself as 50.  I guess when I reach 100, I will see myself as 75. It makes perfect sense to me."  In reality he doesn't care what anyone else thinks how he looks, and he readily acknowledges self-delusion. But his formula simply makes him feel better. A new study shows how people of different ages define older age. It confirms what we hear most often about the perceptions of aging.

Our faces often reflect are lives. Each wrinkle a decade of experience.  Some decades are harder than others.  It also shows how much time we spent in the sun without sunscreen.  Remember the home brew of baby oil and iodine many of us used in our teens and twenties? The sure way to tan. But it was even better if you used a reflector.  What were we thinking?  Skin cancer was hardly on the screen then.  The other factor is our DNA.  Did our ancestors win the tight skin lottery or did they have to run around in skin looking older than their age.

Whether you look young or old, the key is feeling good about yourself.  Take care of that skin.  Lotions, vitamins, exercises, sunscreen, hats, etc. all help.  It only takes a little effort to make a big difference.  After all, don't you want to look 75 when you hit 100?

Rewiring also means taking care of yourself as you age so you can look your best.  Projecting energy and vitality can lead to opportunities that can make a big difference, especially if you are looking for a new job, part time work, being selected for a great volunteer assignment, or if you are out in the dating market again.

If you Hate to exercise, Read this

No matter where we go in the world and talk about Rewiring Your Future, exercise seems to be top of mind.  Sometimes it is scary to hear people say they are going to run a marathon, but haven't done any exercise in years.  Yes, we have actually heard this.  We always tell people to STOP and GO SLOWLY.  The only people who benefit from strenuous exercise like running a marathon without significant preparation are doctors and undertakers. 

No matter what age you are, creating an exercise plan for yourself should be a thoughtful process and include input from professionals including your doctor.  The goal should be to improve your health, your life expectancy and the enjoyment of doing something positive for yourself.     Improper exercise results in pains, strains, torn ligaments, and other more serious injuries.  No pain, No gain may work for some, but we don't recommend it..

We tell people if you have an exercise routine that works for you, keep it up.  If you are bored with your routine, add some new exercises that make it more interesting.  Trying new things makes it a lot less boring and new challenges can be very rewarding once you master them. Not addressing exercise boredom  leads to no exercise at all.

Now for the good news: there is a great article out this week in the New York Times by Gretchen Reynolds.  We love the title: The Right Dose of Exercise for a Longer Life.  The article talks about several new studies that gathered information on over 600,000 middle-aged adults They analyzed 14 years of death records for this group and came up with very interesting findings about exercise and fitness.

For those who hate rigorous exercise, there is hope.  You don't have to run a marathon, swim the English Channel, or climb the stairs of the Empire State building to get and stay in shape.  All you have to do is have a modest plan and stick to it.  According to the studies cited, "The Sweet spot for exercise benefits, however, came among those who tripled the recommended level of exercise, working out moderately, mostly by walking, for 450 minutes per week, or little more than an hour per day.  Those people were 39 percent less likely to die prematurely than people who never exercised."
That sounds good to us.

There is no time like the present to get rewired.  Now that winter is behind us, there is no excuse that it is too cold to go for a walk.  Even if it is cold and raining, there is always the indoor mall or the gym.  Put on your headset, listen to the music that motivates you, and strut your stuff.  You will be glad you did and so will those who love you!!