Madogiwa zoku-when retirement is not a choice.

An illustration of the isolation associated with madogiwa zoku

Madogiwa zoku: what is that?

Madogiwa zoku translates from the Japanese as “the window tribe”. It described employees, on the verge of retirement, who were moved into isolated positions and without much work. Their desks were placed near a window, away from the activity of the office.

What does that have to do with YOUR retirement? Being pushed towards retirement, or forced to retire before you are ready, can make the transition much harder.

I don’t know your circumstances, but imagine if madogiwa zoku were your fate. Then how would you deal with this emotionally? There are possibilities:

·       Resentment (they had no right to treat me that way)

·       Regret (I should have retired earlier)

·       Remorse (did I do something wrong)

·       Humiliated (being sidelined felt awful)

Those are strong emotions, which is natural for such an important transition as retirement. Moreover, how you reflect on the circumstances of your retirement can be crucial.

Try this mini-quiz (if you haven’t yet retired you can still answer):

• Did you choose when and how you retired?

• How do you feel about the way your career ended?

• What do you miss from work, apart from the salary?

• What would you like the next part of your life to offer?

• What do you think “society” expect your retired life to look like?

These questions may not have immediate answers. But if you don’t reflect on the circumstances of your retirement, your feelings can continue to frame how you deal with your retirement and how fulfilling it will be for you.

64PLUS can help: https://www.64plus.com.au/how-i-help 

If you would like to have a free chat about your retirement then email me jon@64plus.com.au

Dr Jon Glass Retirement Specialist and Coach with 12 years experience.