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This question seems to be a bit far-fetched for most of you, but it is important to start thinking about it in time.

Why is a transition between active life and the “afterlife” so challenging? When we work over 30 or 40 years, we often get stuck in a hamster wheel with a very limited view of our lives. We often reduce perspectives only to work and cannot image a life without it. Over the years, we get used to all the privileges of business life, but also to all the social contacts we have during this period. This may quickly fade away when the game stops. I remember when I had to leave the corporate world, what I missed the most were contacts with colleagues, clients and other business partners.

What also often happens is that, over the years, we identify a lot with work, we derive our importance only from this side of life. For some, work even becomes an addiction. If you have no healthy work – life balance, you may fall in this category. Top managers often get caught up in the power they have over organizations and people, and once this falls away, emptiness and worthlessness remain.

What can I do to get prepared?

First of all, always remember that what you are doing in a company is just playing a game, a very sophisticated one. Even if it is a long game, every game comes to an end. The show you become part of will go on, even without you. You are playing a role, just like an actor is doing on stage. This perspective helps you a little distance from what you’re doing.

Second, do not take yourself too seriously. Enjoy the game, develop your sense of humor and your humanness at work, yes, it is possible. Just take everything that comes your way as an opportunity to grow, to learn, to become more complete as a human being. We’re not talking only about positive experiences here … setbacks, disappointments, failures are also part of life and make you richer.

Third, cultivate a life outside of work. Take care to set aside enough space for that. Interact also with people not related to your work. Stay connected to your family and friends, this is an important stabilizer beyond your work life. This also implies investing time, even if sometimes this disturbs your work. A holiday needs to be taken to resource yourself, to open yourself up to other things; do not allow anybody and in particular yourself to talk you out of it because of job-related urgencies. You are the urgency here.

Forth, stay connected to your passions and develop them further. In my coaching career I have met many top managers who have literally forgotten about their hobbies and passions over the years, such as playing the piano, woodworking, learning languages or teaching. Most of the time, passions remain your companion for life. They are like a precious garden that you should take care of. Don’t let the plants die. Water them regularly.

Fifth, develop any self-awareness technique, meditation or a religious practice. This will help you through difficult times and also open a door to more profound realities that are behind the scene of life. Indeed, there must be more to life than just the stages we are playing on, try to find answers for yourself, dig deeper and deeper. We only live in the outer world of things and what is visible, there is rarely time to explore and value our inner spiritual side.

Be prepared, always. You never know how life plays with you. Sometimes retirement comes quicker than you think. I had some clients who had to leave their job due to burnout, restructuring, or political games in the organization from one day to another.

Dr. Michael Schroeder

michael.schroeder@linarson.com

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