I have already written extensively about the need for seasons in life. As many regulars will know I have been planning for this next season for some time - hitting 55 and ‘retiring’. Naturally that R word has caused much debate and reflection. I think we all agreed it is the wrong word to describe this next decade.
People who know me will understand that retirement still conjures up the wrong images of what life will look like. I speculated and have asked for help in defining the next season, but it feels obvious now that we all have out own individual definitions.
So rather than an abstract theory I thought it would be easier to outline what I am up to given I have reigned in the amount of work related social media I do. This is certainly one o the products of slowing down. I am doing less and less LinkedIn and twitter and a little more Instagram!
Work
Rather than fully stopping in 2021 I have planned to maintain Sajeimpact for the time being to generate 4-5 days a month of work and of course support the wonderful group of Associates and partners who have been part of SajeImpact. I am stepping back and slowly allowing them to take the lead on projects with less direct involvement. So we are finishing work projects this year with Active Oxfordshire, Judo and Deaf Sport UK for example.
I will continue as a NED for Sport;80, EP Partners , Incus
We have also been asked to take up another couple of projects which sounded too exciting to turn down. SO we are working with CARE and the APPG on Dying Well to take on legislative attempts to change the law on Assisted Suicide as well as helping Extreme Sport International on their stakeholder engagement
I am sure new opportunities will arise through our networks (I have 2 international projects in sport just waiting to be given the green light) but I am certainly at about the right level of time I want to commit (once the Assisted Suicide work comes to an end in the Autumn.)
Volunteering
Since leaving Parliament the work I have done has always been about generating a living whilst still being able to give 1-2 days a week to volunteering and Board NED positions. I have Chaired numerous bodies and been on several Boards over the decade offering my time and ‘expertise’ in sport, international development and economic regeneration wellbeing.
At the moment I am concentrating my time on two areas. The Chair of the Sport for Development Coalition (held since January 2020 at the start of the pandemic) is my main focus for this 3 years period. I’m now at the point we are functioning well and the team has been recruited. But it is still like running an early start-up and as Chair there is almost something every day to do. Which is great. I feel involved.
Secondly I am still putting time into local economic development and regeneration, through being on the Board of the LLEP. I am now Vice-Chair, Chair of the Investment Panel, vice Chair of the Innovation Board and a representative to LUSEP and Loughborough Town Deal Board in this role. Don’t let anybody ever fool you with a Board that it is ‘just’ six meetings a year!
Life
It is not a reflection of my priorities that describing ‘life’ comes last. The whole point about this season is that family, fun and leisure are at the heart of our priorities, which I can say with some certainty is now the case. I have since I left university been involved in the local community in some form or another - Parish Council, Local authority, parliament. It has eaten away at time available for family and whilst I have no regrets I do think it is time for a rebalance!
Our children are grown up. We are classic Baby Boomers with time, and a reasonable standard of living that doesn’t require is to work. So life will be family, leisure, travel, fitness and a little of the above work and volunteering. This is why I can’t call it retirement. We are not sitting at home with our feet up but embracing a new set of opportunities to make a positive difference and relax just a little more!
Which leads me to the final positive outcome. Time for friends and colleagues. I have always spread myself a little thinly - i know that. But one of the benefits has been the number of friends and colleagues I ahev encountered along the way. Now we have time to properly catch up. So watch out. You may get a coffee invite soon