I took early retirement from an office-based software consultancy job (aged 59) and started volunteering at a Raptor conservancy two days a week. It gave me a l

I took early retirement from an office-based software consultancy job (aged 59) and started volunteering at a Raptor conservancy two days a week. It gave me a level of social contact - with the staff and other volunteers - that I liked and also meant working outdoors in all weathers, sometimes dealing with the general public. As I spent more time there I learned the ropes and could essentially just pitch up and find something to do. I was also trusted to work with the birds: not just de-pooping aviaries but helping to fly them in displays. And to monitor work experience students, and help host 'VIP' experience days, where paying members of the public (amazingly) saw me as having some expertise with the birds. The downside was that I lost money doing it (transport costs and no pay) and some of the tasks were mundane and / or physically uncomfortable (e.g. cleaning waterbowls on a cold rainy January day). But overall I loved it, partly because the birds and environment were so appealing, but also because compared with my old life, when I went home at the end of the day, I had no keep-you-awake-at-night responsibilities to worry about. I was also really pleased to have progressed in a new 'career' where my old status and technical skills counted for nothing, and I had to earn trust from the much younger bird team by pitching in and doing physical stuff. This was for me the best thing.