Camilla Cavendish makes a telling point in her recent book Extra Time: 10 Lessons for an Ageing World. “It’s not old age that’s getting longer, it’s middle age,” she writes. “We need to . . . accept it’s normal to be vibrant and capable in your 70s”.
So that’s the good news but what will we do with this extra time?
From working with clients who are approaching retirement, we know they are looking for a greater sense of purpose. They want to redefine what it means to “retire” and are keen to be intellectually stimulated and keep active. And yet how can this be achieved in the context of the accelerating pace of life? Most of us are busy ploughing through the to do lists, juggling competing priorities, responding to the latest e-mail. The intensity and pace of work leaves many of us feeling overwhelmed, with very little time to think or plan ahead.
At Milestones we recognise how challenging it can be to find the time to pause and reflect, to consider what might come next, to challenge yourself to broaden your thinking, to consider what is possible, and to start to put a plan together. But it is essential. Simply leaving it to chance is too great a risk and we know from our experience that leaving it until you retire doesn’t deliver the best outcomes. Instead, taking time away from the day to day to think about your legacy and what you want going forward is a wise investment of your time.
If you want to take the first steps towards thinking about what your next career move might be, no matter at what point you are in your career, we can help. Our programmes are built round the needs and circumstances of each individual, and are designed to allow our clients to make better decisions.
You will find more about what we do and how we work on our website, www.careermilestones.com
Take the first step and make the time to call Jane Harris on 07973 488 539 or George Wilkinson on 07875 570 365.