The Baby Boomer generation has never been one to stick to traditional ways of doing things. Throughout history they have exercised a healthy skepticism toward authority, questioned the establishment, and carved new paths for themselves. As the eldest of this game-changing generation approaches retirement, the trend continues.

Self-described “retirees” are some of the busiest people I know. Want proof? Just try and pin one down for lunch. Their calendars are filled with a healthy balance of leisure activities, volunteer efforts, family visits, and in growing frequency, some degree of work. In between tee times and tennis tournaments, more and more retirees are enjoying a scaled back version of their former full-time professional careers.

Rejecting their parents’ vision of a well-deserved and complete break from work Boomers favor staying busy and motivated, often leaving one foot still in the office door. The reasons for this vary, but seem to fall in one of two categories. Many people can’t afford to retire as planned due to investment losses or other economic factors. Others can’t imagine not working and look to work as a way to keep themselves mentally stimulated and busy.

As average life expectancy continues to increase, so does the expected time spent in retirement. A bulkier retirement savings plan is needed to support more years in retirement. Instead of putting an abrupt stop to work (and full-time income) in retirement, an increasingly popular strategy is to phase in retirement, gradually decreasing workload.

Older workers who want to approach retirement slowly are uncovering creative options to create a lifestyle that works for them. Some are lucky enough to arrange a part-time, flexible schedule to scale back their current job. Others look to a new model entirely. Work-athome options such as customer service call center opportunities are frequently marketed to this demographic, attracted by their life experience and strong work ethic.

When a senior staff member leaves a company, she takes all of her experience with her. Many retirees find success establishing a consulting firm to monetize a lifetime of professional experience in a way that can be molded to fit their ideal retirement lifestyle.

The “one-size-fits-all” model of retirement is fading away. What remains is much more attractive - a buffet table of sorts where one can pick and choose an endless variety of opportunities for work, leisure, sports, hobbies, and volunteerism. As an added bonus, the more you get out there, the more chances you will have to show off those photos of your beautiful grandchildren

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