The Quest for Meaningful Work
Meaningful Work: Insights from Research and Practice Throughout my career as a career psychologist and researcher, I’ve been fascinated by how individuals seek out meaningful work and construct meaning in their professional lives. This fascination led me to pursue a PhD at age 64, examining how people find meaning in life after full-time work. Today, […]
Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement in Later Life
As I immerse myself in learning tracking skills in South Africa, I’m experiencing what psychologists call ‘flow state’ – that remarkable condition where time seems to dissolve as we become completely absorbed in what we’re doing. This experience has prompted me to reflect on why finding flow becomes increasingly valuable as we age. Throughout my […]
Rethinking Retirement: A Modern Perspective on Later Life
The traditional notion of retirement, marked by a gold watch and a decisive departure from work is increasingly out of step with contemporary reality. As a researcher who has dedicated considerable time to studying retirement transitions, including doctoral research in this field, I’ve observed significant shifts in how we approach later life. The Changing Mathematics […]
I’m now on Substack
I’ve not posted here for a while … I’m now writing more on Substack. It’s a place that encourages writers to create thoughtful articles to share. Once I’m into my rhythm there, I’ll alternate between the different sites. On Substack my title is: Rethinking Retirement and Conscious Ageing, making it very clear on what I […]
Retirement Inequality
Let’s get real. Not everybody is going to have a fulfilling retirement. Not everybody has the luxury of being able to do well-paid consultancy or to have a significant income so that work becomes something they can choose to do. There are so many people out there who are going to live exist on the […]
I could live to 100
Or 93 according to the Living to 100 web site It’s a really interesting assessment to do, and better if you can add accurate blood pressure and cholesterol readings. You also get a detailed report for how to add years with suggestions. For a free assessment I highly recommend it. It tells me I should […]
An Exploration of Reflexivity in Retirement Research
Echoes of Experience: An Exploration of Reflexivity in Retirement Research Let’s take a break from the practical articles I’ve been sharing, and dive into the contemplative side of my research, particularly focusing on reflexivity. Whether you’re in the midst of considering retirement, already enjoying your retired life, or assisting clients in this transition, it’s crucial […]
Time to be you
Whilst at the wood over the weekend I was unable to do much physical work as I had an injured knee, So I walked, and paid attention to life all around – the way the trees had changed over winter, signs of deer and squirrel. The me of the past was a human doing, I […]
Why we work, and filling the gap
This is an excerpt from my book – Rethinking Retirement for Positive Ageing. If you have bought a copy, I’d love to know what you think, and a review on Amazon would help a lot. Why you should read this chapter Money is clearly one of the reasons for us to work, but work is […]
What will give your life meaning in later life.
We are told that it is our work that gives meaning to our life. When there are bills to pay it certainly can give us a reason to get up. But how meaningful is our work? To what extent would we do it if we weren’t getting paid. Once we start to receive our pension, […]