That's what the HR people call it: "phased retirement". It is a process where a person, as they retire from a company, sticks around to help transition to and train a replacement, often on a part-time basis. It is a way of allowing the retiree to move out of a high-demand, intense and/or stressful job, and still contribute to the company while bringing new talent on-board. That's me. I'm working toward a phased retirement.

I've given the company notice about my desire to retire soon. I don't yet have a firm date, and can't really stop working until our house in New Jersey sells. So, the strategy is to list the house for sale starting in April. Assuming we'll have about 2 months between a contract and closing, we'll have enough time to set a retirement date and do all the things needed to stop work and retire to the cabin in Colorado. At work, knowing I'll be leaving sometime soon, my boss is going to move forward to replace me now. I'll "step aside" from my job, someone else will come in as my replacement, and we'll work side-by-side for a while. That way, I can phase out of work, working until the house closes. And, the new person can learn the job with me available as a coach and consultant.

It is a bit scary. I've been in this job for 9 years and loved it. It is the longest period I've ever had a single job assignment. I love the people, the products, and all the experiences I've had. But, it is time to move on to the next chapter in our lives. A chapter that will be captured in this blog.

And, Lynne and I have made big changes before. Within a year of getting married we moved to Germany for a little over two years. In the late 80s we moved to The Netherlands and after a few years there, we moved to France. We came back to the US in the mid 90s, and had a nice long run before moving to New Jersey in 2006. So, moving and change are not new to us and we are really excited about starting the next chapter.