“Retire? Me? Never!” I say whenever retirement comes up. Self-employed and unbound by corporate timelines, I relish my flexible, fulfilling work. It keeps me active, engaged, and purpose-driven, enhancing my self-worth and growth while keeping boredom at bay.
Rethinking retirement
Popular notions of retirement paint a picture of carefree leisure, but that model may not suit everyone, especially those seeking more significant meaning. For individuals like me (with no offspring or living parents to look after), typical retirement activities like cruises, golf, and hobbies don’t appeal much. Remaining productive and intellectually stimulated keeps me feeling valued and alert.
While I respect the leisurely view of retirement, I see it as a potential route to marginalisation from the vibrancy of working life, making retirees feel sidelined and out of the loop, especially those who once held significant sway in their careers.
The downside to clocking out permanently
As we live longer, retirement extends, and boredom sets in. But it shouldn’t mean a decline in our intellectual, social, or physical lives. The research is loud and clear: continual engagement is the antidote to age-related slow-downs. If health permits, why cease working merely because tradition or policy dictates it’s time?
Emulate the Swedes
I am particularly inspired by the Swedes, who have literally got death down to an art. They typically spend a “gap year” post-retirement to do some “death cleaning”, eliminating unnecessary items from their homes so loved ones won’t be burdened with the task after they pass.
Swedish author Margareta Magnusson popularised the concept of “death cleaning” in her 2017 New York Times bestseller, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. She encourages those 65 and older to declutter their homes - a helpful stress reliever that can start at any age. Magnusson’s book inspired a 2023 U.S. TV reality series of the same name, where three Swedes teach Americans this transformative decluttering method, offering a more profound approach than Marie Kondo’s.
After their “death cleaning”, most Swedes set about reorienting themselves, often opting for part-time work. Many go to agencies expressly set up to help older people find new jobs. It’s not uncommon to see a former university lecturer selling train tickets, or a CEO working shifts with a refuse truck company.
They don’t see later-life employment as a downgrade - it’s a chance for growth. Flexibility matters, as do roles with a human touch or that can use their accumulated wisdom. And employers in Sweden get it - they make room for life’s necessities, be it medical visits or grandkids.
With 78 per cent of 55 to 64-year-olds and 20 per cent of 65 to 74-year-olds employed in 2023, Sweden champions the golden workforce.
Japan is not far behind
Japan, which has the world’s second-highest proportion of elderly citizens in 2023, also focuses on well-being and work after retirement. It has already copied many of Sweden’s ideas, adding free sports clubs to keep the over-60s moving.
The Japanese government has encouraged more seniors to re-enter the workforce in the past decade. In 2023, the country registered 9.12 million elderly workers in Japan, a number that has grown for 19 consecutive years. Workers aged 65 and up now make up more than 13 per cent of the national workforce.
Rewiring, not retiring
It’s time to ditch outdated retirement for dynamic “rewirement”. Take a break to declutter and rejuvenate, then dive back in – reinventing yourself through a new job, volunteering, or following your passions. Our third act should still be fulfilling and rich with purpose; the goal is to make every year count. We Silverithmics can take a page from the Swedes and Japanese and turn our later years into some of the best yet.