Written by Jeff Shugart, retired senior executive.
After 40 years of working, I was retired.
I had always worked long hours in addition to traveling for work. While I was away, my wife handled all of the household chores, family activities and social connections. She made it look effortless, and I was happy to leave our family affairs in her capable hands.
Weekends and downtime were usually filled with errands, household projects and going out, all according to her well-managed scheduled. Though I enjoyed it all, by the time I went back to work each Monday, the weekend had just flown by. I was constantly busy—no time for fun and games.
Then, unexpectedly, my wife passed away. At the same time, my role at work was changing; it was the right time for an amicable exit. I had little time to consider what my new life would be like but, once I left, I discovered that taking a breath of fresh air felt better than good. It felt great! No more emails, conference calls, work texts or traveling for business. I suddenly had all the time in the world.
For the first few weeks of retirement, the world seemed brighter and lighter. Everything felt new and fresh. Stress was a thing of the past. I finally had time to read the paper, finish the crossword puzzle, tackle a Sudoku or two. I even had time to pursue my own hobbies and interests. (more…)
What is most striking about the Glassdoor acknowledgment is that it comes from employees. Can you tell us what it means to you?
A version of this article appeared originally on the blog of 
By Kevin Bonfield, founder and managing partner at 
Every year, a group of EO members convenes in northwest Nevada, USA, at dEOxidized, one of the hundreds of theme camps at 
