How to Maintain the Encore Retirement Lifestyle (ERL)

Maria in Austria – June 2023

Turning What You Love into What You Do
By Patrick J. O’Connor

The ERL
The concept of the Encore Retirement Lifestyle is to continue the time associated with things we enjoyed at work pre-retirement and increase the time spent in leisure activities we enjoy. The goal is to merge these two aspects of life to maximize satisfaction and fulfillment in retirement, as Maria Phillips has done. The origin of the ERL is explained further in my May 2022 blog segment.

The two main things retirees lament are a loss of purpose and the socialization provided from working full time. Retirement is one of the most important times to “Turn What You Love into What You Do.”  Maria is a perfect example of how to create and maintain the ERL.

Maria’s ERL
Shortly after retiring, Maria shared a holiday letter with family and friends describing her retirement lifestyle. She described how she continued some aspects of her full-time work as a school administrator. She then ramped up time spent in leisure activities such as hobbies, book clubs, traveling, volunteering (Polar Express elf), and spending time with family, especially her grandchildren. The ERL concept emerged after observing her interesting mix of work and leisure activities.

In her 2015 holiday newsletter, Maria wrote:

I am still working as a part-time instructor at Kent State University. Retirement has kept me very busy! I keep busy enjoying my grandchildren, spending time with friends, water exercise, Curves, two book clubs, Bible study groups and traveling. I volunteer at the Baldwin Wallace Institute of Learning in Retirement co-coordinating course registrations (We had almost 800 people register this winter) and serving on their Steering and Curriculum Committees. I am Treasurer of our church Altar Guild and of Greater Cleveland Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and a Trustee with the Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons Branch 33. I volunteer as an Elf at the Polar Express, an usher at the Food Show, serve lunch at the Lakeside Men’s Shelter, and coordinate our Polaris Retirement lunches.

Maria also recounted several pleasurable trips with friends, family and colleagues to Marco Island, Florida, Nashville, Presque Isle State Park, the Pacific Northwest, San Francisco, Michigan, Put-in-Bay and Cedar Point.

Retirement is a life stage when loss of status, income, friends, family, etc. are all but guaranteed. Maria has had her share. Each year, her holiday letter reflected her active lifestyle. It also seemed like she was adding activities to an already full schedule, including part-time teaching. It was obvious, after years of holiday letters, that she was adept at maintaining her ERL.  So, how does she do it? Read on.

Maintain the ERL
There is considerable evidence of how important work is to us. Staying in the game in a small way has lots of advantages. For one, it creates a “soft landing” in the transition to full retirement. It also helps to keep a skill set sharp. Maria uses her extensive experience as a school administrator in numerous ways. She excels at planning and organizing events, which all seem to include a social dimension. She continues to teach part-time at KSU. She also uses the skill set in her volunteer work with the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) at Baldwin-Wallace University, where she serves as vice president and coordinates many of their travel programs.

“Getting old ain’t for sissies.”  ~film legend Bette Davis

Increase time spent  in Leisure Activities
The value of volunteering is well documented, as it provides a sense of purpose and includes like-minded people for socialization. Maria believes we should be alert to new opportunities to serve. She noticed several single women (widowed, like her) in her neighborhood. She thought they should have some time out together, so she started a monthly dinner club. Now, 10-12 women enjoy dinner out once a month. A few of the women have no transportation so Maria escorts them. Although she is in two book clubs, she thought some of her neighbors might want to participate in another book club. So, she sent out an email and received 40 responses for her third book club!

Tips to Maintain the Encore Retirement  Lifestyle
Maria blends her activities, so they  reinforce her desire to maximize her lifestyle. She follows a mind, body and spirit approach.

Mind – Travel, reading and three book clubs
Body – Exercise, including a daily walk, water aerobics and yoga
Spirit – Faith, Family and Friends get you through everything

She lives and maintains a fulfilling ERL and has become somewhat strategic about it. The following tips can lead any Boomer to create and maintain a fulfilling ERL.

• Continue working part-time to keep your skill set sharp. And/or, use your work experience and expertise in the service of others through volunteering.
• Stay organized. Use one calendar to keep track of all your activities. Schedule activities rather than casually mentioning them.
• Declutter by cleaning out closets and donating extra clothes, coats, shoes, etc. Surround yourself with the things you love but share the rest with those in need.
• Enjoy a mix of activities that satisfy the need for purpose and socialization. Each activity becomes another group of friends.
• Allow a few minutes each day for quiet reflection. We never know how long we have. Be content with what you have.
• Be on the lookout for additional ways to contribute. Do what you can while you can.

The Short Answer?
It seems the key to maintaining the ERL is to keep finding things to do. There is no shortage of need for volunteers to share their experience and talent. Maria gets busier each year, as her annual holiday letter indicates. Thanks, Maria, for a great example for all us Boomers to follow. Everyone wins.

“Don’t look back… something might be gaining on you.” ~baseball great Satchel Paige