Career

Juliet Stevenson is one of Britain’s most popular and prolific actors, starring in films, television productions and on the stage. One of her best-known films was “Truly, Madly, Deeply,” a motion picture that helped to define the baby boomer generation in the same way as “The Big Chill.” On the debut of her latest film, the romantic comedy “A Previous Engagement,” she spoke from England with BoomerCafé publisher David Henderson about her work, life, balancing career with raising two children and challenges at this point in her middle-aged life.

David: Juliet, how are you handling middle-age? You are phenomenally talented. I’ve noticed that you are very busy and have done something like 20 films in the last eight years. How do you do it?

Juliet: Have I? I haven’t counted. Yes, I have worked a lot. I spend my whole life juggling … my children and my work and my partner, Hugh (Brody), and other things besides. I just consider myself like anybody else who is doing that … and most women I know are doing that. I think it is kind of crazy and there are times when I think that I’ve bitten off a little more than I can chew. I wouldn’t have it otherwise, and I haven’t noticed any drop-off of stamina much. I haven’t yet experienced a lot of energy loss. People say it happens to you in your 40s but I don’t really feel that … yet. I guess it’s easy if you have natural stamina. I think it’s genetic … my Mum is 83, and she’s still tearing around. I don’t tire that easily. Continued

Popularity: 12% [?]

We always like it at BoomerCafé when boomers make life seem easier, and productivity last longer. That’s what Nancy Whitney-Reiter has done with her new book, “Unplugged: How to Disconnect From the Rat Race, Have an Existential Crisis, and Find Meaning and Fulfillment.” With the erosion of ideals from our parents’ generation, this is for boomers caught in the vacuum. Here is an excerpt from a chapter entitled, “Unplugging with a Safety Net.”

If you are fortunate enough to work for a forward-thinking company, you may have the option of a corporate sponsored sabbatical. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, the percentage of companies offering some type of sabbatical is growing, both for paid and unpaid leave.

Begin with the End in Mind
Before you even set foot out the door, you need to have a re-entry strategy. The most difficult thing about going on a corporate sabbatical is the shock of coming back. That said, if you are allowed eight weeks, be sure you return home no later than day one of week seven. You will need some adjustment time to catch up on bills and correspondence and confront personal landmines before you will able to handle professional challenges. Continued

Popularity: 33% [?]