It has been a while; Thinking about retirement that is! My first TOYL Blog was 2^nd January 2018 and I was prompted to write a blog by a friend who offered some coaching sessions. I was dithering and trying to fix a date to retire from my medical practice. At this time, I had already dropped a lot of ‘extras’ – workload outside the practice as well as handing over a lot of responsibilities to my practice partners. She suggested I look into what retirement means these days as it is certainly different from that of all my forebears. Some will have avoided retirement altogether by dying before picking up their pension or who were fortunate enough to be made redundant with a full pension and who carried on working but doing only the bits they enjoyed and then branching out and writing books etc. for fun! If truth be told my wife was a partner at one of the big financial services companies and I always thought I’d wait for her to retire and then I’d follow. She decided to stick it out a bit longer when she found out she would get a discretionary pension if she stayed with the firm for 10 years. Before getting there she was told the pension was even better if she stayed for 12! So, on she stayed. There was a period of illness – they were very good to her – a return part time and then the end of the road, she turned 60 and that was it – forced retirement! (Ahh I hear you cry “what about employment law and ageism?” – Being a partnership she’d signed up to the ’60 and you’re out’ clause in the contract!) Of course when she did leave the firm were keen to have her continue doing some of her good work as an Associate/Contractor so there she was setting up her own company to do only the work she wanted. She now has the greatest job in the world – her boss is great (her) she does as much or as little with whomever she wants to work with and whenever she wants to be available. A complication in all this was/is that we had children relatively late and only now are our twin girls flying the nest and going off to university. So as it happens when we have less ‘work’ to do with the girls (I’m told it’s a myth by the way that the hard work stops when they leave home, but just humour me!) my wife will step up and market her consulting and leadership development business and be coaching more and more leaders of today and tomorrow!

So what about me? Well, I have been senior partner in my General Practice for over 30 years now. It sounds rather grand doesn’t it! – However I started the practice from scratch so it was only me for a while, now we are 4 partners, 2 salaried GPs and numerous ancillary staff. I have developed the building and expanded it further, been involved in hiring every new partner etc. It’s been my ‘baby’ for so long but like my daughters has grown up and in pretty much every way is an independent (of me) full grown practice able to, in a sense look after it’s self as it’s ‘parent’ steps back.

I think most company/business founders find it difficult to walk away and although I have let go of the micromanagement as well as the majority of the responsibility of running the show it is still hard.

I like a friend of mine who has recently followed through on this, looked forward for years to the day I retired, I think it was in many ways something that kept me going, delayed gratification that some days I’d be putting my feet up on a Caribbean beach with no worries. (Actually, we have done that and it’s really not for me!) In fact, I have set several dates. Age 60, 35 years qualified, 30 years of the practice, when the girls are 18, when they leave home…. So far, I have put off every one and keep doing so, or rather; I have stopped thinking about it and deleted the countdown App on my iPhone! I continue to do 2 days a week and feel I do contribute. I guess I do get some kudos, I am paid well and it does break up the week giving me a 5-day weekend – What’s not to like? Well it is hard work, tiring and can be quite stressful. I need more recovery time now whereas in the past I worked 6 days a week and just pushed through! I am fortunate enough not to need the money and so I am just maintaining the inheritance pot! However, I do get some pleasure looking after my girls’ futures that is more secure than I could ever have dreamed of having myself. They will always have to work but there will be little danger they will ever be destitute!  

So there I am, or rather here I am – NOT thinking about retirement but in a neutral way rather than positively (That would be nice!) or negatively – The choice is mine but I don’t have to decide now…or ever? Maybe retirement will come to me, forced by the universe with more ill health or circumstance. – For now I am happy as I am and won’t be rocking the boat just yet…let’s see how that pans out!

I would be interested in hearing your story. Have you made the break or like me keep putting it off? How did you do it? I’d welcome any tips so please connect and reply.