The rise of the part timer
Many say it’s about staying sharp, connected, feeling like they belong somewhere and having a reason to get up in the morning.
In this edition
Feature: The rise of the part-timer
From Bec’s Desk: Stories from London and new books are coming!
The rise of the part-timer
Retirement isn’t what it used to be and, frankly, thank goodness for that.
More people are choosing to ease out of work rather than drop it cold - the best approach in my opinion for a healthy transition process. They’re trading five days for three, and finding that the mix of purpose, structure, and extra time is exactly what they need.
Some call it soft retirement, others are finding it better fits the idea of part-timing in your Prime Time, before you call ‘retirement’ part of your life. What it really is, is a concept of part-time retirement - stepping back from work bit by bit. Whatever the name, it’s changing what this stage of life looks like.
Across the UK, workforce participation rates for people in their 60s are climbing. Some are working because they need the income while they wait for the State Pension to kick in at 66. Others because they enjoy it and like the sense of being useful. Many say it’s about staying sharp, connected, feeling like they belong somewhere and having a reason to get up in the morning (besides the dog needing a walk).
And financially, it makes sense. Working part-time in your 60s can:
Ease the pressure on your super. You can draw down less from your pension, delay accessing savings, and give your investments more time to grow.
Stretch the transition out so it’s not such a shock. Instead of flipping from full income to none, and full-bore at work, to completely stopped, you create a few years of hybrid earning, learning to grasp passive income alongside active income. You also get to fill your non-working days with purposeful activities that make life feel like it has more meaning.
Keep your options open. And, when you go part-time, you can test the waters of retirement before you fully commit, knowing it’s not a full-u-turn back if you aren’t ready for the shift.
It’s a lifestyle shift too. People talk about enjoying the balance: enough work to feel engaged, enough time to walk, travel, see friends, or care for parents or grandkids.
The old question –When will you retire? – really should be replaced by a new one: How do you want to work now? And in my opinion it’s a conversation we should have in our Prime Time and the first stage of retirement too.
And that’s the real story I want all of us to hold onto Retirement isn’t a finish line anymore; it’s a life-re-shaping project. For some, that means full stop. For others, it’s a slower fade, shaped around health, money, and meaning.
If you’re thinking about it, here are a few practical steps:
Do the maths early. Even two or three days of paid work can make a big difference to your pension, tax, and cash flow.
Talk to your employer. Many are open to flexible or consulting arrangements, especially if you offer to help train or mentor others. And if they aren’t there’s certainly other industries that need support - maybe not in the same career path but
Plan your new rhythm. The first months can feel strange. Structure your time before it disappears.
Think long-term. Keep contributing to your pension if you can, and don’t forget the social side – colleagues often double as friends and as you step back, you might want more friends outside work.
The part-time retiree doesn’t have to be undecided or unprepared. They can simply pursue doing what I think modern retirement is meant to allow: choice.
I’ve had such a warm welcome in London this week. I’ve met with teams from many of the UK’s major pension funds, and it’s been fascinating to see how their system is evolving — and to chat about the areas of priority for each fund. It seems the combining of DB and DC pensions will continue to affect a lot of people for the next few years.
While defined contribution (DC) pensions haven’t been around here as long as they have in Australia, the tools and guidance being developed for people approaching retirement are genuinely impressive. Several funds are building smart, user-friendly retirement guidance systems designed to help people make confident decisions about their future.
It’s definitely something to keep an eye on. Watch what your fund is doing — and don’t forget to stay curious and playful on your own retirement journey.
On books and columns (and a little news)
In case you missed it, we announced the cover of the UK edition of How to Have an Epic Retirement last weekend. It’s a hardcover non-fiction book, completely rewritten for the UK, with extraordinary detail of the State Pension, Workplace and Private pensions, and building out your UK lifestyle. And the cover is very different and very British I’m told!
It goes to print this week and lands in stores on 11 December. Which means that, very soon, I’ll officially be an author in three countries. (Hopefully I’ll be able to add “bestselling” to that line soon!)
👉🏻 You can pre-order your copy now to ensure you get one before Christmas - see it on Amazon here.
And, today I’ve revealed the cover update for the new Australian and New Zealand edition of How to Have an Epic Retirement that has just gone to print!
It’s a completely updated and improved version — written specifically for readers in Australia and New Zealand — and it will be released in both countries on 25 November. Not long now.
👉🏻 There’s a cover update too - click the link to see it or pre-order it.
This is the first major update since the book’s original release in 2023, and it represents a significant step forward, with whole new chapters, refreshed insights, new examples, fully updated numbers, and sharper guidance for today’s retirement landscape. I’m absolutely delighted with it — and it’s been an extraordinary amount of work!
Exciting news - I’m starting a column in The Times!
In the coming weeks, I’ll be starting a new column in The Times – one of the most respected newspapers in the UK – alongside my regular columns in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald for my Australian readers. I even had my photo shoot yesterday at News Corp in London Bridge, met the editors, and talked through all the stories and ideas we could explore. That was fun!
Now - I’m headed to Manchester next week. I’m meeting almost all our UK moderators of the Epic Retirement Club in-person for the first time. And then I’m speaking (and learning) at the Pensions UK conference, the biggest UK pension-fund and investment conference on the calendar. Then, a long flight home.
Got something to tell me - just reply to this email - or leave a comment here.
Many thanks! Bec Wilson
Author, podcast host, columnist, retirement educator, and guest speaker
I carried on full time up to the day I retired, but what I did do about 6 years before I left was to save £1k a month. This meant I got used to less coming in and had an additional pot for when I retired. It’s been 4 years now and I couldn’t imagine returning to work. I sleep better, I laugh more and no two days are the same.
My request to work reduced hours from full time to 2 or 3 days a week was rejected. I'm struggling to work full time now and had no success finding a part time job despite dozens of applications and interviews. If I don't find something by next summer I'm going to retire anyway, earlier than I really want to at 63.