Going… Going… Gone: Thoughts on Retirement

Brian Hawkins and Carol Barone, a couple of higher education professionals who many of us know and respect, have written this nice article in EDUCAUSE Quarterly about planning for retirement. Yep, planning for yourself instead of the institution. The first suggestion for attitude adjustment (out of 10) is titled, "Accept That Change Agents Must Change Too." We also like, "Recognize That You Can Retire and Still Have Liked Your Job."

The two of us have made different choices in life, and we do not share identical views on retirement, but we discovered that we have some amazingly consistent observations, many of which have been validated by friends and colleagues who have retired before us. In that light, we offer 10 suggestions that may help you not only navigate through the retirement process but also adjust to your new position and status.

This article is not intended to be an in-depth discussion of the nuances of each phase of the retirement process, nor is it meant to be a prescription for retirement satisfaction. We are all different, and retirement is a solo journey. How you deal with retirement depends on how you have lived your life (professional and personal). Decisions and choices made throughout your career will affect how you conduct yourself nearing and during retirement. Some people make a happy journey, and others do not.