One’s retirement is something that many people look forward to. No more commute, no more putting in long hours, no more wondering whether you’ll get the promotion that’s available…there are a lot of upsides to leaving the workforce for good! However, the good times won’t naturally arrive. You need to think about many different aspects of your golden years so that you’re able to enjoy them to the max. Below, we take a look at twelve steps that’ll make your retirement years as good as possible.
What Do You Want To Do?
There’s no single way to be in retirement. Some people like to devote their time to spending time with their families; others want to travel; others yet want to sink deep into a hobby. It doesn’t really matter what you choose – what’s important is that you think about what you’re going to do. You don’t want to fall into the trap of wasting your retirement years because you didn’t give it as much thought as you could have. This is a golden opportunity to make all the dreams you’ve had on pause during your working years come true. Don’t blow it!
A Day to Day Purpose
While it’s good to have some grand plans for your retirement years, it’s worth keeping in mind that those plans will only form a small section of your time. You’ll be gearing up towards, say, a trip around Europe, it’s not as if the trip itself is going to form a big chunk of how you spend your retirement period. As such, it’s worthwhile developing a day to day routine, something that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning. This is something that people in the “Blue Zones” – those corners of the globe where people live longest – have. You don’t have to be up at 7 am anymore, but you’ll find that problems begin to set in if you’re sleeping until midday every day just because you can.
Managing the Financial Angle
There’s a common issue that newly retired people run into they realize that they haven’t saved as much money as they need to maintain their standard of living. And once you leave the workforce, it can be difficult to make up all the funds that should have been diverted towards the saving account when you were working. As such, it’s important that you’re taking steps to get your finances under control in the years running up to your retirement. It’s recommended that you work with a company like MissionWealth.com; they’ll help you to develop a sustainable retirement income strategy. There’s more to life in retirement than money, but it’s just a fact of life that the more you have, the more options you’ll have.
Staying Fit and Healthy
One of the chief complaints that retired people have is that, while they now have the time to do everything that they wanted, their bodies aren’t quite able to keep up with all their plans. But the quality of our health doesn’t just depend on how many times we’ve taken a trip around the sun; it’s influenced by our lifestyle, and how committed we are to staying in tip-top condition. You can keep your body feeling young and ready for action by visiting the gym, practicing yoga, and eating healthy. Do these three things, and you won’t have to pass your retirement years on the couch because you’re not fit enough to do the things you want to do.
Think About The Best Environment For You
We grow up in a place; we leave to go to college; we move to a new place, get a job, and raise a family. Some places lend themselves to these phases of our lives more than others. When we’re in retirement, our needs and wants change. The place where we’ve lived for our working careers might not be as suitable for our later years. As such, it’s worthwhile thinking about where the best place for you to live might be. There’s a reason why so many people move down to Florida in retirement, for example. But it doesn’t have to the Sunshine state. Just think of what you want from your environment, and find a place that offers those things. Simple!
Meeting New People
We go through all our lives meeting new people and making connections, and then during retirement, it seems like we cast them all off. Because meeting new people requires a little bit more effort than usual during your retirement years, many people avoid it altogether. This is a mistake! It’s important that you cast your social net as wide as possible, for loneliness is something that many older people struggle with. Wherever you live, there’ll certainly be a coffee get together or other events aimed at retirees. Go along, even if you don’t feel like it – it won’t do you any harm, and may well do you a lot of good.
Try New Things
It seems that many people spend the first third of their life trying new things at every opportunity, but then slowly fall into only doing the stuff that they know they enjoy, and little else. Later on in life, they see that it would have been better to stay open-minded and enthusiastic about new things all their life. In retirement, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to have new experiences. You’ve got the time, and cash to do so, and you’re also free of that “what if other people think I’m silly” burden that holds other people back. If someone invites you to try something new, then take the opportunity – it’s a rare case when pushing yourself to do more isn’t rewarded.
Consider a Pet
Try as you might, it’s possible that you’ll find yourself becoming more withdrawn. There’s nothing wrong with this if it’s only for a short while, but if it goes on too long, then mental health conditions like depression could set in. A good way to combat this is to get a pet, specifically a dog. They’ll ensure that you get out of the house and stay active every day. There are plenty of other benefits, too, including having a companion and the responsibility of looking after another creature, which can infuse life with a sense of purpose.
Keep the Mind Sharp
You’ve probably thought an awful lot during the course of your career, and want nothing more than just relax and have fun for a while. However, it’s worthwhile engaging in activities that keep your mind sharp. In so doing, you’ll be keeping certain diseases at bay and all-around improving the quality of your later years. It doesn’t have to be anything complex – simply completing a Sudoku or crossword puzzle each day is a good start.
Positive Mindset
As with any other stage of your life, it’s important that you’re maintaining a positive mindset. There’s likely going to be a period when you’re a little unsure of where you’re going in life after you’ve left the security of the daily work routine. This is normal! Be aware of it, and get through it knowing that good things are coming. No stages of life are perfect, but there’s much to enjoy when it comes to the freedom of the retirement years.
Final Thoughts
There are no guarantees in this life. There’s no law that says retirement is going to be the best years of your life. However, we can rig the game somewhat, and increase the chances that they will be by taking the tips outlined above.
