Many Americans Try Retirement, Then Change Their Minds

Her retirement lasted just three months. "I’d done all the preparation, except to really think about what life was going to be like," Ms. King said. Days spent organizing recipes and photos, and lunching with friends, proved less engaging than expected.

So when her handpicked replacement needed a maternity leave, Ms. King jumped at the chance to return for three months. Now back at work in a part-time position she designed for herself, she calls herself "a failed retiree."

Paula Span