| Early retirement is a situation you may face either by | | | | Early retirement means that you have many years of |
| choice or by force due to compelling circumstances. | | | | experience behind you and you are armed with a rich |
| If you voluntarily choose to retire early, then in all | | | | body of knowledge. Remember, there are various |
| probability you would have chalked out the course of | | | | employment opportunities for seniors and you can |
| action your life will take post retirement. However, if | | | | land up a job as a mature worker. No doubt you will |
| you are suddenly forced into early retirement, for | | | | find that you have to work harder at getting a new |
| example, when your employer asks you to retire | | | | job, but you must keep chipping at it until you land |
| ahead of your original retirement schedule, you are | | | | one. Put your knowledge and experience to good use |
| probably caught off guard, with absolutely no clue | | | | in your new job and carry on with life as if nothing |
| about how you are going to occupy yourself in your | | | | happened. Nowadays, the world is fast becoming a |
| forthcoming idle life. This situation may also arise if | | | | smaller place and there are many freelance |
| you have voluntarily put in your retirement papers | | | | opportunities available. If your skill sets allow you to |
| but have not planned your future course of action. | | | | work from home, you can even become a full-time |
| But there is hope on the horizon. As you slip into the | | | | freelancer! |
| first stage of early retirement, remember the words | | | | 3. Teach |
| of Dale Carnegie: "Most of the important things in the | | | | Many people take up teaching after early retirement, |
| world have been accomplished by people who have | | | | and that is a good thing to do. Teaching is a skill that |
| kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at | | | | can create something out of nothing: If you have the |
| all." Hope and confidence mixed with a dash of | | | | power to teach and influence people, then you can |
| attitude is what you must have when you enter this | | | | infuse your experience and practical knowledge into |
| stage, and here are a some interesting options you | | | | your students and turn them into more responsible, |
| can explore to cope with the early retirement blues. | | | | thinking and skilled individuals. |
| 1. Pick up new skills | | | | 4. Volunteer |
| Our world is moving at a very fast clip. Technology | | | | If you have planned for an early retirement, then |
| gets obsolete, people are outsourced, and things | | | | you may be eager to contribute your experience and |
| change rapidly. The truth is that you must change | | | | knowledge to the society. If this is the case then |
| with the times - and if you want to do that, you | | | | you must search for organizations looking out for |
| must pick up new skills that new-age employers are | | | | volunteers and enroll with them. |
| looking for. Remember, life is one big classroom and | | | | These were some of the things you can do once |
| people learn something new everyday, so do not let | | | | you touch base with retirement. But no matter what |
| the thought, "I'm too old to learn anything" come in | | | | you do, no matter how long it takes to get gainfully |
| the way. So, enroll in a course and learn new things | | | | employed, do not lose home. Just keep thinking of |
| and then start looking for a job if you still have many | | | | what Winston Churchill once said, "The pessimist sees |
| years of employment left. | | | | difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the |
| 2. Look for employment | | | | opportunity in every difficulty". And keep going. |