Career Journey
Not Ready to Fully Retire? Embrace a Hybrid Lifestyle
May 2026
Sally Cross
Consultant and Certified Fundraising Executive
Photo Courtesy: Sally Cross
Consultant and Certified Fundraising Executive
Photo Courtesy: Sally Cross
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By Karen Maserjian Shan For many people retirement offers an exciting promise of having more time for opportunities and activities of personal interest. But for some, concerns about financial security, loneliness, and personal relevance put a change of lifestyle in question.
Yet retirement doesn’t have to be an either/or situation. A better option could be semi-retirement, a transitional phase that offers the benefits of work with more time for leisure activities. It's a hybrid lifestyle that can work well for people who want to use their skills without the stressors and inflexible work hours that are inherent with many full-time positions. |
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Consultant, Sally Cross, for instance, enjoys the balance of being semi-retired. Depending on the day, she could be consulting on a work-related project, engaged with fellow members of a local community organization, or traveling for work or leisure. “I consider myself to be semi-retired,” says Sally, a Certified Fund-Raising Executive and the former CEO of Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley. “In a sense, right now, I have the best of both worlds. My consulting keeps me engaged in a profession that I (mostly) loved for the past 40 years but also leaves me time to pursue other side quests or projects of the moment.” In fact, in 2024 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), reported that more than one-third of workers 65 and older held part-time jobs, working from one-to-34 hours per week. And, with fewer hours dedicated to on-the-job responsibilities, some people have engaged in more leisure activities, such as watching television, reading, socializing and relaxing. |
Sally Cross Speaks to Grantees of the Princeton Community Foundation
Photo Courtesy: Sally Cross |
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Also interesting is that 4% of working adults in 2022 considered themselves retired, even though they were still working, as noted in recent Federal Reserve survey, with retirees taking on part-time work more often than full-time positions. “I was ready for a better work-life balance – more flexibility in my schedule for things like consulting and speaking, travel, community volunteering, various projects including gardening,” says Sally, a resident of Cottekill, New York. “My consulting practice is deliberately part-time. It uses a coaching model to help organizations build and grow their individual fundraising work.” Many older adults appreciate the economic security and social interaction they get from their work, boosting their quality of life, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. As well, the CDC finds that aging is a dynamic process with physical and mental changes influencing personal interactions. |
It may be no surprise that findings from the U.S. Department of Labor show more women than men have put their careers on hold to care for family and have taken on part-time work, reducing their retirement savings. And, while most retirement income is from Social Security benefits, a recent Federal Reserve survey reports the great majority of retirees also have additional income from other sources, such as pensions, interest and dividends, rental income, and labor.
For Sally, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley’s high reputation and its work in strengthening the regional community were notable. She also knew and respected the organization’s CEO at the time, Andrea Reynolds.
For Sally, Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley’s high reputation and its work in strengthening the regional community were notable. She also knew and respected the organization’s CEO at the time, Andrea Reynolds.
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“Most of my time there was as the Vice President for Philanthropy,” Sally shares. “I worked with generous individuals and some businesses to create charitable funds to support their giving priorities. I also frequently worked with a person’s professional advisor as they developed their charitable estate plans.”
The work also gave her “an opportunity to learn about many of the amazing nonprofit organizations of all kinds that are working to strengthen our community,” she said. “For my last three years, I moved into the CEO position. That involved taking on a wider, strategic and administrative focus on the organization’s overall health.” Whether embracing full-time retirement or a hybrid lifestyle that combines part-time work with activities spent on leisure, volunteerism and other pursuits, transitioning from full-time work to a new routine is an exciting milestone. |
Women in Retirement
More from the U.S. Department of Labor |
“I love being able to have days where I can focus on a single project or to go and hang out with friends and colleagues,” says Sally of her semi-retired lifestyle. “I have more time to be involved with quite a few local organizations and causes. I serve on several local boards and committees — the Wallkill Valley Land Trust, Woodland Pond at New Paltz, Poughkeepsie Children’s Cabinet, the D&H Canal Museum and local estate planning council. I feel like I now have the time to give each of these wonderful organizations the energy that I should as a board or committee member.”
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Karen Maserjian Shan is an award-winning writer, editor and journalist with an expertise in connecting people and businesses across print and digital platforms, including more than 1,600 articles for such publications as Professional Office Design, Interior Design, the Poughkeepsie Journal, Chronogram, Hudson Valley Magazine and Hudson Valley Parent, where she also was the magazine' editor. She is Sanctuary's assistant editor.
