The Psychology of Retirement. Practical career planning through a spiritual lens.

1. Preparation for Retirement
for the Rabbi
Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg
Director of Career Services
And International Placement
2012

2. WHAT WILL THE FIRST DAY OF MY
RETIREMENT LOOK LIKE?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

3. Development Productivity Leisure
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

4. Development Productivity Development, Leisure
Productivity
Leisure
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

5.  What is the right time for you to retire?
 Time Certain? Phased in?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

6. YOURS YOUR BOARD’S
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

7. PARTICULAR AGE INCOME LEVEL
65?
68?
72?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

8. HOW ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE
TIME NOW? SPENDING YOUR TIME IN
RETIREMENT?
Work
Work
Learning Learning
Volunteering
Volunteering
Leisure
Leisure
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

9. •Message from society, retirement equals fun
•Look for fun based on your interests.
Myth: Unstructured life is ideal
•In less that a year, most retirees seek structure more than
leisure
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

10. Involvement. Flow. Lose yourself
Challenging Demanding
Not Purchased
Match our strengths
Strengths are used across all contexts.
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

11.  Find meaning or seek purpose.
 Third level up.
 Using your abilities in the service of something
larger than yourself.
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

12. Meaning
Engagement
Leisure
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

13.  The need to feel noticed, appreciated and
depended upon.
 Important for people to believe that they
count in others’ lives and that they make a
difference to them.
 Once I retire, how will I continue to hear the
applause
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

14.  Lifecycle events trickiest issues – only special
personal relations always with permission
 Myth: Thinking you will not need an audience in
retirement – why rabbis continue to do life cycle
events
 Why it is hard to let go of a calling
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

15.  Who am I without my job?
 The sum of the roles you play and behavioral
characteristics you display
 “Identity is the bridge between who we feel
ourselves internally to be and who we are
recognized as being by our social role.”
Ruthellen Josselson
 The greater the work commitment-the greater
the loss of the work role will be
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

16.  Thinking you will not
need an audience in
retirement
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

17.  You need to be able to step out of your role -
How do you go off duty?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

18.  What will you do for the high holidays? Do
you need to be officiating somewhere?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

19.  Are you retiring
from or retiring to
something?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

20.  Do another degree – MSW
 Continue the part of the rabbinate you enjoy
the most, e.g. pulpit, hospital chaplain
 Take an avocation make it more intense, e.g.
book collector
 Part-time pulpit – once a month unlikely
 Just let it develop – see what happens
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

21. Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

22.  Rabbis wish to
continue working
because they are still
competent despite
the growing age gap
with congregants
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

23.  There will be  Always have a Plan B
surprises for sure.
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

24.  Consultations with
spouse and other
family members - it is
a joint decision
 Do you children
know your plans?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

25.  Start your retirement
career - while still
able
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

26. Learn how will your institution be showing you
respect? How important is it to you?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

27.  How will you renew
your spiritual life?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

28.  Need to plan
retirement- with
intention and with
forethought
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

29.  We are responsible
for our own
retirement
 Myth: We took care
of others now they
will take care of us.
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

30.  Makes them anxious
 Can not predict the future
 Because in denial
 Energy is in the present-not the future.
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

31.  Think in terms of chapters.
 Take advantage of planned happenstance
.Importance of being open to change as a result of
chance occurrence.
 Be open to invitations
 Modify your ambitions. Ratchet them down.
 Construct a personal narrative using narrative
psychology
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

32.  Use appreciative inquiry. Build on your positives.
 Rehearse your new purpose. Try it on for 2 months.
 Read about the future
 Use a surrogate. Do an informational interview with
someone already doing your new role or purpose.
 Identify roadblocks
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

33. When you hear the word retirement what
images, phrases come to mind?
Copyright 2012 by Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg

34. Preparation for Retirement
for the Rabbi
Rabbi Elliot Schoenberg
Director of Career Services
And International Placement
2012