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No 19 April 2004
Lifestyle Change: "Retire," Travel, Work
An article from Herman Trend Alert of 26 November 2003 The article is US focussed but is about alternative ways of working. As older workers, let's categorize them as 50+, explore alternatives for the next 20-30 years of their lives, they are choosing to stay in the world of work. They are working full-time, part-time, under contract for defined projects, job-sharing, and in seasonal jobs. A number of creative approaches are being designed by people who want to remain employed. Our research shows that an increasing number of people are continuing to work, in some fashion, into their seventies, eighties, and nineties. One alternative enjoyed by semi-retired or independent workers is called "workamping." People live in motor homes, large recreational vehicles, traveling around the country like nomads---a modern version of migrant workers. In many cases, they've sold their traditional houses and live full- time in large rolling homes. These people work as they travel, taking advantage of part-time seasonal to full-time, year-round, to business and income opportunities, volunteer positions, and full-fledged careers opportunities. There are several different categories of these no-permanent-address citizens. One category is comprised of people who keep moving most of the time. They may operate a business from their motor home, using modern technologies to keep in touch with customers, suppliers, colleagues, and employees. A second type of motor home traveller stops and works locally for days, weeks, or months. Sometimes their compensation includes a place to park their motor home and maybe even hook-ups for electricity, water, and telephone. A variety of perquisites make some of these employment opportunities quite attractive. Employers benefit from a resource of mature temporary workers. People in the third category live in their homes on wheels, but work year- round at one location. According to the primary website in this field, www.workamper.com, singles and couples are constantly in demand at campgrounds, resorts, national parks, marinas, forests, theme parks, lodges, state parks, ski resorts, youth camps, wildlife preserves, RV parks, guest ranches, canoe outfitters, circuses, race tracks, etc. Positions range from caretakers, managers, activity directors, musicians, chuckwagon cooks, property/house sitters, golf course attendants, wild west show actors, and tour guides. People of all ages and backgrounds are taking control of their careers and their lives. From "Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists. www.hermangroup.com.
A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule.Nobody said that the NEWORK way or working portfolio was going to be easy. As a port folio worker, taking our opportunities and making the most of even the most daunting has it rewards The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathised with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbours together and told them what had happened and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery. Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbours continued shovelling and the dirt hit his back, a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back: he should shake it off and step up! This he did, blow after blow. "Shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up... shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up! You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually saved him. All because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
That's Not My JobBy Author Unknown This is a story told about four people named, Somebody, Everybody, Anybody and Nobody. There was one important job to be done. Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it. Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done
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