This story is based on an interview with Angela Cheng-Cimini, 56, a veteran HR professional who lives near Baltimore. It has been edited for length and clarity.
A few years ago, my husband, Michael, and I started losing friends who were around our age.
Three, in particular, died of pancreatic cancer, which was very sudden. Those kinds of things really stop you short. It’s an aberration when you’re in your 30s, but it becomes more common in your 50s.
The natural reaction is to consider your own mortality. I’d been working full steam ahead for 30 years, across everything from start-ups to mature companies, and needed to reassess.
I was the chief HR officer at Harvard Business Publishing at the time, a role that was extremely fulfilling. However, I didn’t know how to compartmentalize. I bought work home psychologically, emotionally, and, to some degree, physically.
I ignored caring for myself
I was ignoring self-care. The universe was telling me that it was time for a change. So, after a lot of deliberation, I resigned in December 2024.
Some people might have regarded it as early retirement, but I called it “rewirement.” I wasn’t ready to go the full nine yards and quit my career, so I began looking for flexible-schedule opportunities.
A Google search led me to the organization, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, a media and information resource for the nonprofit sector.
I’d intended to take several months off, just to relax. But its part-time chief HR officer position stood out to me.
I’ve been in the job since January 2025, working three days a week while receiving health insurance, 401(k) contribution, and paid time off.
The extra time I have off enables me to share my knowledge
It’s a win-win: I get to stay active in my profession, while my small employer has access to my three decades of experience at a fraction of the cost of a regular salary.
The arrangement is perfect for someone my age because I keep my toes in the industry, and it benefits from my wisdom.
I mentor not only colleagues but also people outside my organization. The extra time I have off enables me to share my knowledge with a younger generation of professionals who often reach out to me on LinkedIn.
When I was coming up in my career, there were hardly any female Asian leaders that I could model myself after. I felt that I should pay it back by paying it forward.
I mentored in the past, but it often felt like I was shoe-horning it in between other responsibilities. Now I can easily volunteer 45 minutes on a call.
I’m also on several advisory boards for startup organizations in the HR space, helping entrepreneurs assess the market fit of their solutions. It’s all unpaid and very gratifying.
Meanwhile, Michael, who is retired, and I make the most of our leisure time. We love traveling and recently went on a bucket-list trip down the Nile aboard a 100-year-old steamship.
Work stimulates my brain
I’m planning to stay in my job for as long as they’ll have me. Still, I’m conscious that I have fewer years ahead than behind.
Wednesday afternoon comes along, and I’m ready to shut down my laptop after three days of work that stimulates my brain.
Then I can prioritize the other things that are important to me. My “rewirement” has changed my whole outlook on life.
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