What do you do if you're a late career professional who wants to continue working but not retire completely?

After decades in a high-pressure career, like many other professionals, I began to think about the adage, "Nobody on their deathbed ever wished they'd spent more time in the office." Reflecting on this, I started by assessing goals; realising the desire wasn't to climb higher but to find meaning and balance. This journey led me to exploring flexible work options, seeking roles that offered not just the pay I wanted, but time for passions outside work. I started to seek out companies with values that resonated with mine. Even now that I'm not seeking those roles, I apply the same approach to the clients I work with. If we respect each other's values, there is scope to build mutually rewarding relationships.

Late-career professionals wanting to continue working can explore part-time employment, consulting, mentoring, teaching, board memberships, entrepreneurship, volunteer work, and continued learning. Prioritize work-life balance, set boundaries, and pursue opportunities that align with your skills and interests to create a fulfilling semi-retirement phase. Stay engaged, leverage your expertise, and make a meaningful impact in your field while maintaining personal well-being and fulfillment.

Always be willing to learn something new. Statistics show, that people who don't stop learning will have more chances to find work, but also stay relevant with every need people & organizations might have. Bonus! Also, people who have this continuous learning mindset stay and look younger throughout their lives. ??

The law of impermanence is a great lesson we have to learn all our lives. Nothing stays constant in this world. Things will change, people might come and go, just get used to this law of impermanence. On the other hand, learn how to plant the seeds for what you need. Likes make like. Strive to give others what you want, and the result will surely come.

Embarking on a post-retirement career journey presents an enriching opportunity to leverage decades of experience while maintaining a flexible and fulfilling work-life balance. As a late-career professional not ready to retire completely, you focus on consulting and mentoring roles within your industry. This path allows you to impart the wisdom and skills acquired over years of dedicated service, while also staying engaged with the latest trends and innovations. Your approach involves selectively partnering with organizations and professionals who value the depth of knowledge and strategic insight that only comes with experience. This phase of your career is about fostering growth and learning for the next generation of leaders.

In addition to some other great contributions, I would add: be prepared to try some new things and experiment. There can be a greater sense of freedom when you are late career, especially if your financial requirements are not great, than at an earlier stage. You may be able to take greater risk, be bold and really focus on activities you enjoy and can become good at rather than ones which just help to pay the bills. Take time to asses what is really important to you.

I've welcomed back many former team members that started retirement on a part time basis. The most important factor to success has been flexibility. The typical 9-5pm workday usually does not work best. Being flexible from an employer standpoint has been key. The experience gained from the seasoned employees has been invaluable.

One of the early things to think about is what you want to get from your activities, this might include: - Financial top up - Keep the brain engaged - Sense of Purpose - Chance to give back - Learn something new - Using some of your time - Travel Rank these in terms of priority and consider how you can then achieve some of these areas in your life. They might include volunteering, joining a local club or committee, becoming a trustee, go back to college/uni. Look to seek out what friends/contacts have done, but also start local, there are often things on our door step you just don't know about.